WaldenPlay: Walden - The Ballad of Thoreau

Tree Hugger

2008-04-09T10:55:00.000-07:00

I must get 1,000 emails a year asking me, "What exactly is a Tree Hugger, anyway???"

Good question. I know to some it carries a bit of a political, eco-nazi image, but that is not what I mean by it nor is it my viewpoint.

To me, a Tree Hugger is a peaceful, earth conscious person who enjoys a simpler, intelligent, artistic life. It’s about the artists and the music they make.

It’s about you ... and your music.

Tree Huggers are folks who choose people over money, family over careers, dreams over reality, home cooked meals over fast food, a fireplace, homemade music and those who listen closely to the dreams of their children. Who enjoy a hearty laugh, a good glass of red wine late at night, a hot cup of coffee in the morning. It’s for anyone brave enough to bring a dream to life.

Tree Huggers work in the hope of making you a little happier, to get you to sing, and draw, and create. I don’t care if it’s music, art or cooking, so long as you’re having fun. Life is too short to be worrying about half the stuff we fret over nowadays.

It’s a sense of nature, a log cabin you built yourself and a walk in the woods in October. It’s flannel pajamas on a snowy Appalachian night with the fireplace cracklin’ all warm and cozy while reading a good book. It’s a guitar, a poem, a song, a canvas, a sculpture, a dream and a vision all wrapped up together like a fresh baked batch of homemade cookies, ready to share.

Henry David Thoreau was a Tree Hugger, he just didn't know it at the time. Al Gore is a Tree Hugger that rides in limos and private jets. Me? I'm a Tree Hugger who lives with his kids in an old Kentucky farmhouse and loves to play old wooden Martin guitars and banjo for people.

You can hear the Walden radio drama, a play about the final two days Henry David Thoreau spent in his cabin before leaving Walden Pond on my website, waldenplay.com Just gather your friends and family, pour a hot cup of coffee late one evening, light some candles, and enjoy the four character performance.

So ... what kind of Tree Hugger are you?
MJ

Walden: Earth Day 2008 - Spanish and French!!!

2008-01-21T08:47:00.000-08:00

Spring is coming.

Yes, I know at the moment it's freezing across half the north American continent ... but it will be here soon enough. And with spring come thoughts of green living, warmth, life, planting gardens, mowing the grass again.

And Earth day.

Last year, we launched the play "Walden: The Ballad of Thoreau" which is a four character, two act project about the final two days Henry David Thoreau spent in his cabin before leaving Walden Pond. The play, lesson plans, posters, director's notes and more were available free of charge to any school, college, community theater or home school that wanted to did in and put on a show.

Over 4,011 schools registered for the play in nine nations. Including Korea, Egypt and Syria. Wow.

It is available again for Earth Day 2008 ... plus now in Spanish and French. This time, prisons have registered, a lot of home schools, and now the Radio Drama of the play will be posted on the www.waldenplay.com website for any fan to listen to ... fully produced, great acting. And free.

The album, Walden: The Earth Song Collect is released and if you order it from the website you get a free T-Shirt. Not bad for $11, and the money is used to support the free performance of the play in schools.

Spring time. Earth Day. The Walden play ... and a free T-Shirt.
Not a bad way to head into summer :)

MJ

Walden: Earth Day 2008

2007-05-24T11:55:00.000-07:00

Stay tuned ... the Walden theatrical project will be ready September 1st to take us to Earth day 2008! The script is now available in FRENCH and in SPANISH!!! Educators, community theaters, colleges, home schools and students can write to: producer@waldenplay.com for the password to recieve the free scripts, theater programs, lesson plans and production music.

Welcome to the WaldenPlay News Blog

2006-09-06T18:36:00.000-07:00

Team Walden

Many of you are fans of Thoreau's work, love the spirit of Walden, you appreciate your hometowns and are willing to pitch in with us. But you aren't students and you aren't teachers. What can you do to be part of this national Walden: Earth Day 2007 event?

Join TEAM WALDEN and help us get the word out to educators, environmental groups and the press in your home communities! Imagine, thousands of students in your area enjoying the performance play of Walden this spring ... and you helped! If you can type and send email, you can be part of TEAM WALDEN. It's easy ... just send an email to: producer@waldenplay.com with your name and contact information. We will send you a PDF instruction sheet on how to join TEAM WALDEN.