Cpalmer
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Behind the Lines: a 9/11 Story is a live storytelling, music, and theatre performance set against the tragedy of the September 11 attacks and the war that followed. The production will debut at the Avalon Theatre in Easton on May 23 and May 24, ahead of a national tour and in recognition of the 25th anniversary of 9/11. Created by internationally acclaimed jazz musician Dominick Farinacci and combat veteran Jaymes Poling, this immersive experience reveals the lasting impact of 9/11 and the war that followed, taking audiences on a deeply moving journey of loss, resilience, and hope.
World Trade Center firefighter Bill Spade, the sole survivor from FDNY Rescue Company 5, and Poling, a three-tour Afghanistan combat veteran with the 82nd Airborne Division, relive their experiences and find an unexpected bond in strength, meaning, and the weight of what they continue to carry after service. Poling brings a hard-earned, firsthand perspective and a powerful ability to translate lived experience into meaning and purpose on stage. Spade – featured on CBS Sunday Morning and the BBC – brings audiences inside the lived reality of that day and its aftermath, sharing what he experienced with rare clarity, courage, and gravity.
The music in the performance serves as the internal voice of the piece – deepening the narrative and revealing the humanity beneath the events. Farinacci, a familiar face from Easton’s Monty Alexander Jazz Festival, is described by The New York Times as “a trumpeter of abundant poise who plays beautifully, with expressive control and brings true musicality.” He brings an international career shaped by Juilliard, Jazz at Lincoln Center, a TED Talk, and award-winning recordings, alongside a deep commitment to music and mental well-being.
Performed live by a full ensemble led by Farinacci, the score spans original compositions alongside reimagined works by Leonard Cohen, Gnarls Barkley, Tom Waits, and more, heard through the emotional lens of the story. The production unfolds in a cinematic world where light, image, and space translate feeling into color. Inspired by synesthesia, the multimedia and lighting design maps each shift in Bill and Jaymes’ psychological states, creating an immersive environment that elevates both the storytelling and the music.
Behind the Lines: a 9/11 Story is the latest production from Farinacci and Poling’s Modern Warrior, a nationally recognized production that unites real stories, live music, and theatre to explore loss, resilience, and the unseen aftermath of life-changing experiences.
The performance will benefit nonprofit, Modern Warrior Live and For All Seasons Behavioral Health & Rape Crisis Center, which provides mental health and victim services to children and adults across Maryland, including programs for veterans, first responders, and their families.
To purchase tickets, visit bit.ly/BehindtheLines911
Hosted by the Dock Street Foundation and For All Seasons with support from generous sponsors.
