Samlandia: A Gondola Ride Through Love and Out of Autism is an operatic play co-written by Sam Rubin, Clay David, (with some dialogue polish by Sally Park Rubin). The performance explores the subject of educating someone with autism.
The audience follows a young man finding his bearings within the construct of the “neurotypical” world through the intense lens and experience of the world of heightened senses. A question that motivated Sam Rubin to engage in this project: Is an active, hands-on creative environment more conducive to learning for people on the Autism Spectrum?
An award-winning filmmaker, classical singer, actor, and author of And…Action! My TAKE on Autism (and Life), Sam Rubin has experienced Autism.
In Samlandia, he plays Sam. He co-wrote the libretto, is filming the multi-media graphics and recording the sound sequences for the show, as well as composing the music.
For a fuller bio of Sam, please click on the bio page (above).
Clay David, a nationally award-winning educator, keynote speaker, director, actor and musician, hails from the rural bayous of Louisiana. Clay is the Dean Goodman Best Director in the San Francisco Bay, Shellie Award winner for outstanding set and costume design, BRAVO Award for Educational Excellence and the Golden Apple Best Professor Award, and former host of Theatre Appreciation, a video and live stream educational series for disabled and international students. Having raised a special and disabled brother, Clay has acted, sung, designed and directed Off Broadway and regional theatre to the Special Olympics.
Clay has portrayed around the nation title roles of Amadeus, Jesus Christ Superstar, Hamlet, The Dresser, and The Elephant Man. And he has originated roles in new operas and musicals, Straight Laced: A Cantata, Little Women, Hit It!, Josephine the Pirate Queen, and Rivets, The Rosie the Riveter Musical.
Local the San Francisco Bay Area, he has directed and designed for The New Conservatory Theatre, Zeum Theatre, Yerba Buena Center, African American Shakespeare Company and the Lorraine Hansberry Theatre, The Dean Lesher Regional Center for the Arts (Walnut Creek), and the SS Red Oak Victory Ship, Richmond Marina.
SAMLANDIA public performances will begin in late February/early March 2014 in the San Francisco Bay Area.