Flambé Dreams is a unique theatrical experience that takes place in an actual restaurant around the audience as they dine.

Joe Christiansen wants to be a great Maitre D just like his father who was killed in a freak flaming Bananas Foster accident. So he rebels against his pill pushing psychiatrist mother, leaves his hometown of Preston, Idaho and journeys to New York City.

Follow Joe as he goes from one restaurant to another working his way up in the dog eat dog world of Food and Beverage service. The story begins at The Curly Potato, Preston Idaho's only establishment for fine dining then moves thru a hippy-dippy tearoom in Greenwich Village, an uptown Japanese Noodle shop and finally arrives at New York's famous Le Cirque!

Along the way Joe meets a host of crazy New York characters that help and hinder as he pursues his dream.

SHOW HISTORY See the Complete Show History

Flambé Dreams began in 2004 as a cabaret act called Songs for the Dysfunctional that played at Danny's Skylight Room and Judy's Chelsea. It then became a one man show, a four person show, and a six person show under the title The Thing About Joe. Readings of TTAJ were produced by BMI Musical Monday's at The Jerry Orbach Theater (Snapple Theatre Complex), Ground-Up Productions at The 14th St. Theatre Lab, and Theatre Resources Unlimites and Apples and Oranges Productions at the Player's Theatre. In Nov & Dec of 2010 a successful developmental production of Flambé Dreams was produced at the Iguana Restaurant in which the show took place in the restaurant around the audience as they dined. Recently The York Theatre Company at the Theatre at St. Peters produced a reading as part of their Developmental Reading series. Songs from the show have been presented at many a BMI Smoker and Showcase and the song New Jersey is included on the BMI compilation CD No More Revivals sung by the inimitable Nancy Opel.

AWARDS

Flambé Dreams (The Thing About Joe) was one of three finalists for the 2009 BMI Jerry Bock Excellence in Musical Theatre Award.

Composer Randy Klein received the 2009 BMI Jerry Harrington award for his work on Flambé Dreams.