• Behind the Lines: a 9/11 Story Debuts in Easton Memorial Day Weekend

Behind the Lines: a 9/11 Story Debuts in Easton Memorial Day Weekend
 
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 the aftermath, sharing what he lived through 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.
Eight years ago, the initial production played to a sold-out audience at the Avalon Theater. Richard Marks notes, “My years in service during the Vietnam war were more Cold War related. So while not directly in harm’s way, I still related in hearing and feeling James’s commitment to his fellow soldiers. Those feelings of brotherhood, along with observing other veterans in the audience's reactions to his struggles transitioning back to civilian life, brought back memories and moved me to tears. The newest iteration is even more impactful and a stark reminder of how we felt twenty-five years ago on that fateful day. I am pleased to join with many other local sponsors of the performance eight years ago to help host this new production in support of our veterans and first responders.”
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. Deeply integrated within veteran and mental health communities, Modern Warrior has become a trusted cultural partner for organizations and leaders focused on resilience, service, and reintegration – bringing lived experience to the stage in a way that expands public understanding and reduces isolation. Modern Warrior is a National Endowment for the Arts grant recipient, has been featured on NPR and Fox News, presented at Amazon Headquarters, opened for Brené Brown, and earned praise from national leaders, including two U.S. Secretaries of Veterans Affairs and General James Mattis, who called the work a “necessary and worthy mission.
The concert will benefit Modern Warrior Live and For All Seasons Behavioral Health & Rape Crisis Center, which offers mental health services, victim and crisis support, and education and outreach on Maryland’s Mid-Shore and throughout the state.
To sponsor Behind the Lines, email Richard Marks at RQM1@mac.com or call 410-924-1420.
To purchase tickets, visit bit.ly/BehindtheLines911