We’re creating a different kind of family tree: a philosophical one, made of ideas, thoughts and beliefs; of love found, simmering hatreds, adoration, ancient feuds, hidden desires, religious wars, long buried resentments, deep seated enmities, loyalty, transcendence, harsh disappointment, disillusionment and hope.

“We’re all made up of philosophical family trees with ideas dangling off the branches. Call it a Thought Tree, an Idea Tree, a Dreams Lost And Found Tree. The beliefs of my ancestors are intriguing to me. The good ideas. The bad ideas. How they lived and what traces are left in the family I knew growing up. What vestiges of these ideas are still running through the laws and minds of our country creating the context of our current version of America.”

– Ellen Kaye

Ellen’s philosophical ancestors and her family have been witness to both sides of the roots of the partisan divide which afflicts America today. Old Bones Odyssey, the show, is the musical telling of this American story. The historical, cultural, and social issues which preceded our current struggles as a nation, and now have collided and engulfed us, are woven throughout our project.

We all come from fascinating jumbles of people. Each life is a map that leads us to the world in which we live today. We’re avid map lovers. It’s a passion. With this project we’re creating a way back in time. Our aim is to discover, to find a deeper understanding of our world and our country right now.