Area band Fellowship Students to take part in presenting story

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Lyric Theatre announces the next presentation in its staged readings series. The series allows writers and composers of new musicals to hear their words and music played out on stage as they seek to revise and improve their work.?There are no sets; costumes, props and movement are minimal. These staged readings are followed by a feedback session where the audience is invited to share their opinions about what they've seen, and what they may or may not have liked or understood.

At?8 p.m. Saturday at the newly renovated Plaza Theatre on NW 16th Street, Lyric will present a reading of Rainbow Around the Sun, a rock musical based on the album of the same name written by Oklahoma singer/actor Matthew Alvin Brown and performed by his band The Fellowship Students. Like classic rock musicals The Who's Tommy, Pink Floyd: The Wall, and Hedwig and the Angry Inch, Brown's Rainbow... tells its story almost entirely through rock music and imagery. Brown stars as Zachary Blasto, a hard-drinking but talented songwriter and performer who creates vivid musical fantasies to avoid dealing with the downward spiral of his personal life. When confronted with the loss of someone he loves, Zach must choose whether to face his demons or surrender to the madness of his imaginary world.

Brown, a familiar face in Oklahoma music and theater circles, composed the album in 2006 after enduring a tumultuous time in his life, both professionally and personally. Immediately after recording the album, Brown began adapting Rainbow Around the Sun into a feature film together with Oklahoma film producers Kevin Ely and Beau J. Leland. It premiered at the South by Southwest Film Festival in March, adding one more accomplishment to Brown's already productive career.

As a member of the comedy troupe "One Hit Wonder," he was signed to a development deal with HBO. In 2000, Brown co-wrote and starred in "Mouthgarden in Progress," an absurdist feature that won "Best Comedy Film" at the New York Independent Film and Video Festival. Since then, he has pursued a music career as a member of The Fellowship Students, winning the 2003 Oklahoma Gazette Woody Award for "Best New Artist." He also became a staple of the Oklahoma acting scene, appearing in numerous commercials and on stage, including a critically acclaimed run as the title role in "Hedwig and the Angry Inch." His recent performances with Lyric Theatre include his role as Motel in 2006's "Fiddler on the Roof" and Rod in 2007's "Singin' In The Rain."

"The idea of doing a staged reading of 'Rainbow Around The Sun' seems like a natural progression.or rather, the unnatural progression, since most of the time shows begin as live productions and then are adapted into films," explains Brown. "Both Kevin Ely, who wrote the film's screenplay, and I were attracted to the idea of recreating the story in a different medium. It was a challenge to tell the story in a totally new way. Plus, this is rock music. It should be played live ... and LOUD."

Nick Demos, Lyric's artistic director, will lead Brown and the rest of the cast through the process of taking their on-screen work and making the adjustments necessary for live performance. "Because the structure of the film is very vaudevillian, the work lends itself to live theater. It just becomes a matter of creating a more linear journey for the audience to follow since we don't have the option of clipping or editing. As musicians, Matt and the rest of the band are naturally able to use their rock music to create a passionate and real experience for live audiences."

The reading of "Rainbow Around the Sun" will also feature Nathan Siler, Mark Vollerston, Jacob Becannen and Steven Stark, all members of The Fellowship Students, as well as actress Jamie Buxton, an Oklahoma native whose acting career has taken her across the globe.

?This event is free to the public, but reservations are required. Call 524-9312.