Robert Davis News

When a mystery novelist's foray into romantic fiction starts to play out in real life, with a death as the cherry on top, what is he to do? Nothing goes as you might expect, even when plot points are predictible.

Stars including Michael Xavier, Beverley Knight, Matt Cardle, Samantha Barks and Pixie Lott will perform as part of 2016's incredible line-up for London's free musical theatre extravaganza, West End LIVE with MasterCard.

West End LIVE with MasterCard takes place in Trafalgar Square on Saturday 18 and Sunday 19 June 2016. Celebrating its 12th year, the free musical extravaganza showcases the best of the West End. Attracting crowds of more than 500,000 people over the course of the weekend, West End LIVE with MasterCard is the largest event of its type in the world.

Why would a psychiatrist who has been meditating for more than thirty years try to commit suicide? That is the question that drives protagonist Robert Davis in this spiritual mystery set in Austin, TX. The novel challenges preconceived ideas that meditation must always have beneficial effects. It explores the practice in relation to death, personal philosophy, and community. The backdrop is the everyday life of a recovering alcoholic, lead parent, and therapist Robert Davis, whose whole life is upended after a meeting suicidal patient Dr. Vigo Andersen at the Austin Psychiatric Hospital. In his search for answers, Robert is sucked into a philosophical vortex that threatens everything he holds dear, including his marriage, his sobriety, his business, even his sanity. Will he lose everything or will he solve the puzzle? 'I wanted to write something real,' says veteran nonfiction author Gudjon Bergmann about his debut novel. 'Everyone knows that it is impossible to be happy and peppy all the time. Unfortunately, many of my peers in the self-developmental and New Age community would have us believe that. I wanted to write about the struggles that come along with spiritual practice, the confusion, the doubt, and the internal battles. Meditation does not create a steady ascent to enlightenment and there are many possible pitfalls. Few people acknowledge that. This novel will hopefully ignite a debate that explores the practice from all sides.' Where did he get the idea for The Meditating Psychiatrist Who Tried to Kill Himself? 'Fifteen years ago an acquaintance of mine, who taught Eastern meditation techniques, attempted to commit suicide. I could never figure out why. Meditation is supposed to elicit peace of mind, not longing for death, right? For me, it seemed like the perfect question to wrestle with in my debut novel.' Bergmann was born in Iceland in 1972, but moved the USA in 2010 and became a US citizen in 2013. He lives in Kyle, TX, with his wife and two children. He has written more than twenty nonfiction books about meditation, smoking cessation, mindful yoga, and stress management, to name a few topics. To learn more about the author visit www.authorbergmann.com For interview requests send an email directly to authorbergmann@gmail.com Flaming Leaf Press was established in 2016. Our vision is to publish works that challenge stereotypes about spirituality and personal development. Email info@flamingleafpress.com for promotional copies of the book, either in paperback or ebook format. www.flamingleafpress.com The Meditating Psychiatrist Who Tried to Kill Himself Publisher: Flaming Leaf Press Publication date: 4.4.16 Paperback: 6 x9, 194 pages, ISBN 978-0-9973012-0-5, $14.99 Ebook: 612 KB, ISBN 978-0-9973012-1-2, $9.99

New York-based composer/lyricist, Scott Evan Davis, has announced the release date of his second recording, NEXT, on Sonic Landscapes Music (BMI).

Scientists, Nazis, silent movies, dreams and pastries all collide in an ambitious but dense new one-act.

The Glugs celebrated their annual Theatre Awards tonight at Sydney's Castlereagh Boutique Hotel. Scroll down for the full list of winners!

The world premiere production of Some Brighter Distance continues the 2015-2016 season at City Theatre on the Mainstage, January 23 - February 14, 2016. The play is written by Keith Reddin and directed by City Theatre Artistic Director Tracy Brigden.

The Glugs proudly announce the nominees of the 2015 Glugs Theatre Awards to be presented Monday 1 February 2016 at Sydney's Castlereagh Boutique Hotel.

Watching Shakespeare's play come to life on the sandy shores of Chatham, Massachusetts is a rather interest thing to behold. Hippolyta lounges on a beach chair near the ocean while the mischievous Puck jovially dances onto the stage wearing an Anglers jersey. Cape Cod is to be found everywhere, yet Monomoy has still managed to keep the Shakespearean spirit alive and well in its production of A Midsummer Night's Dream. The characters have remained the same: Theseus and Hippolyta still plan on being wed, Helena entreats after the love and affection of the unwilling Demetrius, who instead views the fair Hermia as his darling one - a love interest shared with the doting Lysander, whom Hermia finds dear. The fairy King and Queen, in addition to those that serve them, still wreak havoc on the lives of each other as well as on the unsuspecting humans below, stealing from them their gift of free will and forcing them to see what they would not have otherwise seen. A group of men anticipating their performance before Theseus and his new bride at their wedding run into trouble when their lead is given an animal's head. Confusion and inexplicable events still run rampant, and this story remains as entertaining and riveting as ever - this is without a doubt true.

West End LIVE in association with MasterCard takes place in Trafalgar Square on Saturday 20 and Sunday 21 June 2015. Now in its 11th year, this free annual event - the largest event of its type in the world - is organised byWestminster City Council and Official London Theatre and offers fantastic free family entertainment from London's top theatre productions and attractions.

West End LIVE in association with MasterCard takes place in Trafalgar Square on Saturday 20 and Sunday 21 June 2015. Now in its 11th year, this free annual event - the largest event of its type in the world - is organised byWestminster City Council and Official London Theatre and offers fantastic free family entertainment from London's top theatre productions and attractions.

John Turturro will star in the title role of Zorba, joined by Adam Chanler-Berat , Robert Cuccioli, Elizabeth A. Davis, Santino Fontana, Marin Mazzie, Robert Montano, Carlos Valdes and Zoe Wanamaker in Zorba!, running for seven performances, May 6 - 10, 2015. Zorba! will be directed by Walter Bobbie (Chicago) and choreographed by Josh Rhodes (Rodgers & Hammerstein's Cinderella) with musical direction by Rob Berman. Zorba! is the final production of New York City Center's 2015 Encores! season.

Why do you do theater? We've been putting that question to members of the Nashville theater famiy for the past month to find out what it is that motivates creative types to pursue an illusory and challenging career, while for others the theater gives them a creative avocation that helps keep them sane. Today, in our latest installment of Nashville Theater 101, we introduce two more members of our wildly divergent, almost prototypically dysfunctional theater family: Brooke Leigh Davis and Robert Coles.

Today at Goodspeed's 10th annual Festival of New Musicals, the two-time Tony Award-winning theatre announced plans for three new musicals to be produced at The Norma Terris Theatre in 2015.

West End LIVE in association with MasterCard takes place in Trafalgar Square on Saturday 21 and Sunday 22 June 2014. Now in its tenth year, this annual event - the largest event of its type in the world - is organised by Westminster City Council and theSociety of London Theatre and offers fantastic free family entertainment from London's top theatre productions and performers.