The True Story Behind TWWS
The narrative structure of Tom Waits War Songs is loosely inspired by the life and death of Jeffrey Lucey, a U.S. Marine Reservist who died by suicide in 2004 after returning home from service in Iraq. He was 23 years old.
The show honors the devastating human cost of war and the invisible wounds many veterans carry home.
Tom Waits War Songs is proud to have an official charitable partnership with New Directions for Veterans, a Los Angeles based organization that has provided comprehensive services to veterans and their families since 1992.
Every show is an opportunity to give back, with select performances serving as clothing drives and fundraisers for this vital organization.
Any support through the Tom Waits War Songs and NDVets Philanthropic Collaboration link goes 100% to New Directions for Veterans.
New Directions for Veterans (NDVets) is a vital Los Angeles organization whose mission is to empower men and women who have served in the military — and their families — to lead productive and fulfilling lives. Since 1992, NDVets has offered a wide array of services including substance abuse treatment, counseling, remedial education, job training and placement, and parenting and money management classes.
To learn more visit ndvets.org.
The Band »»»
The Animation
Randal Kaplan
Randall Kaplan has been working in film and media for over twenty years as an animator, illustrator, writer, director and editor.
After his short films in college were distributed in an anthology, he began to animate a feature film by hand that he is still making, honing his technique and skills as an animator.
He has since designed and animated sequences, titles and logos for films, television, music videos and podcasts, while showcasing his paintings and drawings in various galleries around Los Angeles, New York City, and Hamburg, Germany.
He is thrilled to be a part of Tom Waits War Songs.
The Songs
The performance draws from across the Tom Waits catalog, reshaping selected songs into a single theatrical narrative.
Ruby’s Arms — Tom Waits, Swordfishtrombones (1983)
Soldier’s Things — Tom Waits, Heartattack and Vine (1980)
Boots on the Ground— Waits/Brennan, Massive Attack- (2026)
Army Ants — Waits/Brennan, Orphans: Brawlers, Bawlers & Bastards (2006)
Sins of My Father — Waits/Brennan, Real Gone (2004)
Hoist That Rag — Tom Waits, Real Gone (2004)
Swordfishtrombone — Waits/Brennan, Swordfishtrombones (1983)
Johnsburg, Illinois — Tom Waits, Swordfishtrombones (1983)
Hell Broke Luce — Tom Waits, Bad as Me (2011)
Shore Leave — Waits/Brennan, Swordfishtrombones (1983)
Day After Tomorrow — Waits/Brennan, Real Gone (2004)
Down There by the Train — Waits/Brennan, Orphans: Brawlers, Bawlers & Bastards (2006)
Earth Died Screaming — Tom Waits, Bone Machine (1992)
