Listen in as Paul Pinto, composer/performer of the new opera Thomas Paine in Violence, discusses difficult elevator pitches, millions of radio signals heading in millions of directions, “a shit-ton of words,” why Thomas Paine deserves this musical treatment,live editing, debating the ideas Paine himself was debating over 200 years ago, “words as texture, language as music,” and writing for his thingNY band-mates.

“…it’s juxtaposing Thomas Paine’s incredible writing with pop-culture…”

“…whatever that is…”

“…whatever’s on my brain at the time…it really is like radio stations changing all the time…”

HERE, in association with thingNY, presents

Thomas Paine in Violence

created, written, and scored by Paul Pinto

directed by Rick Burkhardt

thru November 18, 2017

HERE

145 Sixth Avenue

Manhattan

tickets: $25, available via HERE’s website

photos by Benjamin Heller