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Not your typical coming of age story. A young boy named Kevin has to maneuver the tragic loss of his mother and the ensuing upheaval it creates. Danger lies ahead: forced to move to a foreign country, child neglect, foster care and a crash-course in the legal system are ahead. Will he survive?
Track 1 OVERVIEW
0:00 - Overture/Introduction
0:28 - Narration
1:26 - "My Name is Kevin"
3:21 - Narration
4:54 - "The Last Goodbye"
7:26 - Narration
8:07 - "A Little More Time"
10:14 - Narration
10:36 - "Kevin's Mom" verse 1
11:53 - Narration
13:07 - "Welcome Home"
16:35 - Narration
17:18 - "Kevin's Mom" verse 2
18:32 - Narration
19:45 - "You're Not Getting Them Back"
22:24 - Narration
23:01 - "Fay Diamond"
25:33 - Narration
26:06 - "Better Off Without You"
29:25 - Narration
30:17 - "Nowhere is Home"
32:50 - Narration
33:52 - "Kevin's Mom" verse 3
35:06 - "My Name is Kevin" instrumental reprise
35:30 - Overture/Credits
Hush Puppies is a musical story and the latest release from Sensitive Robot, with Book by Kevin McNally and Music and Lyrics by Rob Johnson. It’s an incredibly moving tale punctuated by an energetic pop/rock score. A young boy named Kevin has to maneuver the tragic loss of his mother and the ensuing upheaval it creates. Danger lies ahead: a forced move to a foreign country, child neglect, foster care and a crash-course in the legal system. Will he survive?
Sensitive Robot is a songwriting, music, and video production duo hailing from Los Angeles. The production team, consisting of Rob Johnson and Evan Marquardt, collaborate with artists, vocalists, writers and songwriters they admire to produce interesting but also commercially-viable content. Johnson has played in numerous rock bands, written four produced musical theater shows, and is currently a full-time composer with music in thousands of TV shows as well as commercials, movie trailers and other media. Marquardt has produced and audio engineered productions that have been heard by billions of listeners and appeared on such media as US network broadcast, mobile devices for the tech industry, as well as small-scale productions for indie film and video game producers.
The musical story’s official premiere is Thursday, November 19th, 2020, with a video to accompany its release.
More About
Sensitive Robot (Music & Lyrics and Production)
& Kevin McNally (Book)
Rob Johnson (Sensitive Robot) - music & lyrics, producer
It would be hard to find a songwriter and composer with a richer musical background than Rob Johnson. Through the course of his 30-plus years in the music industry, Rob’s experiences have included work in such diverse disciplines as television and film scoring, rock and roll, musical theater, cabaret and pop. Rob’s music has been used in thousands of TV shows, such as The Voice and America’s Got Talent, as well as commercials, movie trailers and independent films. His musicals Curley: The Musical and an adaptation of The Gift of the Magi have been produced many times: Curley on a 14-month extended run in the heart of Boston’s Theater District, and Magi in theaters across the country, from Boston to California.
Evan Marquardt (Sensitive Robot) - producer
A professional in the Hollywood television and film business, Evan Marquardt has produced and audio engineered productions that have been heard by billions of listeners and appeared on such media as US network broadcast, mobile devices for the tech industry, as well as small-scale productions for indie film and video game producers. He was thrilled to have recently facilitated remote casting from Los Angeles and pre-recorded audio for an upcoming Broadway musical.
Kevin McNally - book writer
Kevin McNally is the central character and writer of Hush Puppies, a true life story. After living through his young childhood depicted in the show, Kevin carved out a lifelong creative career as a storyteller, musician and songwriter, performer, and producer. Kevin is the co-creator, along with writer Gregory Poppen (Baby Geniuses 2), of Working the Thrust, depicting another true life story of the day-to-day workings at a dinner theater. As a songwriter, Kevin is heard in the Golden Globe-winning series premiere of Enlightened. As a performer, Kevin is seen on the television show Diagnosis Murder, as Will Sanders. Other credits include Jerry Maguire - with additional appearances in film, television, commercials, and print. Theater credits include Damn Yankees, with Ray Walston. Kevin also works in live production as the founder of his company, Milestone Productions, Inc.
Hush Puppies is an emotive, genre-defying musical story that blends traditional musical arrangements with seventies-style songwriting a la Todd Rundgren and Carole King. Though it does tackle weighty issues like the loss of a parent, forced moves, and child neglect, Hush Puppies never wallows in sadness. Instead, it takes you on a hopeful journey chronicling writer, Kevin McNally's road to personal growth and eventual inner peace. WITH ITS CATCHY MELODIES, IMPRESSIVE MUSICALITY AND INTENSELY PERSONAL STORYTELLING, HUSH PUPPIES IS A TRAILBLAZING MUSICAL FOR THE SOCIAL MEDIA GENERATION.
- Alexx Calise, Musician and Guitar World correspondant
Review by Sleeping Bag Studios' Jer@SBS