The Pianobike Kid Debuts Musical Comedy THE ANYTHINGERS

From the mind of Dezy Walls, aka The Pianobike Kid, comes "The Anythingers," a musical playing from April 7 to 14.

"If there's one thing I've noticed in life," Walls says, "It's that people need cheering up. I'm quite comfortable telling them, 'You can laugh at me.'"

Walls is a singer, pianist, writer of musical comedy and self-described "Mad Irishman" who moved to Portland from his native Ireland in 2011. He'd previously established a reputation for himself as a musician, entertainer and wandering wit slinger who plied his wares from Cork to Amsterdam. He's performed as a duo with his brother, Peter Walls, as well as with Brid McKenna and Doug McNamara. He's known for songs such as "Nothing Falls Off When You're 40" and "She Loves Me," and his shows include "Not the Life I Ordered."

For his most recent venture, he rounded up a troupe of singers, actors, models, dancers and clowns (literally) to perform "The Anythingers," a musical based on the unlikely ensemble that performs it. Far from being some Charlie-Kaufman-esque exercise in meta musical theater, it instead taps into the life experiences of the nine individuals who comprise "The Anythingers," finding an emotionally resonant intersection between fiction and reality.

"Why it works," Dezy says, "Is because we permit ourselves to perform from our very souls." When you come to see the show, Dezy guarantees that you'll leave the room two foot taller, or he'll sell you a hat.

Of further interest to environmentally conscious Portlanders is Dezy's preferred means of transportation, a one-of-a-kind "piano bike." It was built especially for him by an engineer and a fine cusTom Woodworker after he was forced to abandon his old piano bike in Ireland to pursue the woman of his dreams to the United States. Dezy can often be seen pedaling about town, peddling his musical wares for all who would listen and laugh.

"The Anythingers" premieres with two shows at 6:30 p.m. and 8:30 p.m. Saturday, April 7, at Elevated Coffee, 5261 N.E. Martin Luther King Jr. Drive, in Vanport Square, and runs through April 14. "The Anythinghers" shows nightly at 7:30 p.m. Sunday through Friday, and closes with two more shows at 6:30 p.m. and 8:30 p.m. Saturday, April 14. For more information, see www.pianobikekid.com. For reservations, call Clare at 239-398-3024 or email clare@anythingers.com. Tickets are $25 at the door, $20 for seniors and students, or $15 if you purchase by Paypal through the website - www.pianobikekid.com/shows.

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