SHOOTING STAR: A ROCK AND ROLL JOURNEY THROUGH CANCER to Play The Actors Company LA

Joe Salazar’s new play with music, SHOOTING STAR: A ROCK AND ROLL JOURNEY THROUGH CANCER, will play a limited engagement at The Actors Company LA in the Other Space Theater from February 26 through March 8. Written and directed by Salazar, the production blends original storytelling with classic rock music.

The play follows railroad worker Ed, his wife Tina, and his Best Friend Jimmy as they confront a cancer diagnosis. As Ed navigates illness and financial strain, the story examines the impact on his marriage and lifelong friendship, using music and shared memories as connective threads. The production incorporates humor and rock music alongside themes of grief and resilience.

The cast features Joe Salazar, Tamara Downs, Matthew Weinberg, and Brandy Lamkin.

Originally conceived in 2004 and first produced in Los Angeles in 2007 under the title Free Bird, the work has been rewritten and reimagined two decades later. Salazar has cited personal experiences, including the loss of family members to cancer, as inspiration for the revised version.

Salazar said, “He wanted humor even on the hardest days. He demanded that everyone stay positive - and rewarded anyone who could make him laugh with a smile and a wink. He wanted there to be rock & roll playing at all stages of his battle, so a visit with him was always greatly enhanced by the phenomenal music of classic Rock & Roll as a backdrop.”

He added, “My only hope is that this play will offer comfort to those who live with cancer and those who love them...this play offers a way to cope that includes lots of humor and a backdrop of the greatest music ever, Rock & Roll!”

The production is dedicated to Al, Johnny, and individuals facing cancer.

Performance Schedule

SHOOTING STAR: A ROCK AND ROLL JOURNEY THROUGH CANCER will be performed at The Actors Company LA – Other Space Theater, 916 N. Formosa Ave, Los Angeles, CA.