"Hampton has great pipes - the throat kind."
Xtra Magazine
Shows
The Picture of Happiness
The Picture of Happiness tells the story of Brad Hampton's discovery of an old photograph he found hidden in the bottom of a box in his grandmother's basement when he was just 23 years-old. Secreted away for decades, the photo, taken just before WWII, is of two men, sitting on a picnic blanket with their arms around each - the picture of happiness. Discovering the photograph as a young man is the catalyst for a journey on which Brad and pianist Patti Loach take us in story-telling and songs taken from musical theatre, cabaret, and the Great American Songbook. In it we come to know Brad better - not to mention a cast of colourful characters including Brad's grandmother Elsie, mother Diane, and grandfather Bill. In it we come to know ourselves better as well - perhaps reminded of the secrets we have created and kept, and how those secrets make us small and hold us back. Finally, through the story of Brad's grandfather we see how, through bringing a secret into the light, it's possible to become free - free to laugh loudly, sing freely and love deeply.
Rae Ellen Bodie, Director
