Impact

I'm primarily a comedy writer. Some people know me from my 14 years with genre-busting, Grammy-nominated band THE BOBS... some from the Off-Broadway rock musical I co-wrote, BASTARD JONES. I tend to live on the geeky/smart/funny side of town.  And I'm not a huge fan of solo theatre shows. : )

But when the events in IMPACT happened, they were so striking, I felt compelled to take up the... um... thing that you take up when you do this. 

In 2018, a series of astonishing "follow-signs" and coincidences began popping up in my life. They centered the 12/21/88 bombing of PanAm Flight 103 over Lockerbie, Scotland, and culminated in a "bucket list" trip there in 2019. It was life-changing. The people I went with and the people I met there literally renewed this hardened New Jersey Grrrl's hope for humanity. (And that's no joke.) 

IMPACT is a 60-minute solo (plus cello and percussion) theatre piece that celebrates the best of humanity - kindness - when confronting the worst. Using music, projections and storytelling, IMPACT focuses on the inspiration and hope that grew from such terrible seeds.  (Also, there are singing evil nuns. And a parade. And smiles and tears.)  2023 marks the 35th anniversary of the bombing. Bringing this piece to the Edinburgh Fringe - thanking the people it celebrates and carrying the flame forward in the public consciousness  - will be one of my greatest honors. 

IMPACT was incubated at Nancy Manocherian's cell theatre in NYC, directed by Kira Simring. Workshopped and presented at the National Winter Playwrights Retreat 2020, streamed in 2021 (co-produced by the cell/Playhouse at White Lake in Michigan), Emerging Artists' New Works Festival NYC (2022) and most recently at the Creative Centre of East Iceland. 

I'm hoping to raise $30,000 to cover the musicians (I'll be employing locals), the venue and technical needs (including a projector, sound system and people to run them), renting a piano in Edinburgh, printing (flyers/posters/program), advertising (venue/festival programmes/websites), graphic design, a press representative, the legwork of my onsite production team and my transportation from NY/food. (A specific line-item budget is available upon request.)

I hope you will support my work!  Because you, too can make an IMPACT.  : )

Amy Engelhardt

P. S. Additionally, there is a PAY IT FORWARD to this project. I will donate a large portion of the box office returns to PTSD and/or grief support organizations in the UK and New York State.