Susan Hwang (@soozee3), Founder and Artistic Director of Bushwick Book Club, once again brought together a lineup of gifted composers and musicians for an unforgettable night — this time inspired by the book Marilyn and Her Books. As always, Susan set the tone for the evening, introducing each artist and giving the audience a glimpse into how the book had shaped their original compositions.
One of the things I love most about Bushwick Book Club is watching how differently each musician interprets the same source material. No two songs ever sound alike — some lean into the emotional undercurrents of the text, others pull out a single image or line and build an entire world around it. It’s a reminder of just how much a book can mean to different people, and how music gives those interpretations a voice.
The energy in the room was warm and attentive, the kind of crowd that leans in for every lyric. It’s always a treat to photograph these shows — there’s something special about capturing the moment an original song, written specifically for that night, connects with an audience hearing it for the very first time.
Huge thanks to Susan Hwang for continuing to create this space where literature and live music intersect, and to all of the composers and musicians who brought Marilyn and Her Books to life through song. Special Thanks to Howl Arts for their most wonderful hosting!
Jennifer Blowdryer (@jblowdryer) opens up the show with original text she wrote inspired by the book.
Susan Hwang (soozee3) tells the audience about the history of Bushwick Book Club.
Pinc Louds (@pinclouds) took the stage and read a selection of his wonderfully inventive prose — each piece built entirely from words beginning with the same letter, a delightfully peculiar feat of language that had the audience hanging on every syllable. He followed it with a beautiful original song, accompanying himself on piano, closing out his set with the kind of quiet, heartfelt moment that lingers after the lights come up.
Penny Arcade (@penny_arcade_forever) contributed to the evening in her own singular way — a video of herself performing an original song inspired by the book, bringing her unmistakable voice and presence to the night even from afar.
Cary Curran (@carycurran) delivered a real showstopper — a full visual presentation complete with a delightful Marilyn-inspired outfit and a parlor glass standing in for champagne. She wove in imagined phone calls from agents and friends, building the scene beat by beat, before capping it all off by recreating one of Marilyn’s most iconic images live on stage. It was theatrical, funny, and visually stunning all at once.
Ellia Bisker (@sweetsoubrette) brought a shift in tone, slowing the evening down with a beautifully smooth ballad, accompanying herself on guitar. It was a quiet, tender moment in the middle of the night’s energy — the kind that makes an audience go still and just listen.
John C. Hall (@john_s_hall) brought the house down with a hysterical spoken word piece, reflecting on his own personal library compared to Marilyn’s — what he had read versus what she had read. The contrast was so stark, and so unexpected, that it became comedy gold, with the audience laughing along at just how differently two reading lives can unfold.
Parody of Art (soozee3) performed original songs based on the book, featuring vocals from Susan Hwang and virtuoso live piano accompaniment by Ed Pastorini. A wonderful addition to the evening’s lineup.
Chase Horseman (@chasethehorseman) sang and accompanied themself on the guitar.
Ray Brown (@kill4raynbeau) brought his own personal and humorous perspective to the evening with a song full of heart and wit.
Josiah Parks (@amalone_orgle) opened his set with a story about a recent opera he’d attended, sang a few bars from it, and had the audience clapping along with his humorous, playful energy.
Dora Graham (@dorakgraham) brought a striking performance art piece to the evening, moving through the audience before taking the stage to read from a book, all woven together with surreal movements and posturing that gave the night an unexpected, dreamlike turn.
Lynnea Villanova, Jeannie Fry (@jeanniefryand), Karen Zasslof(@schmoogytunes), and Oksana Horban (@oksana.horban) closed out the evening with a delightful shadow show, accompanied by live music and vocal performance — a gorgeous experiment rooted in the tradition of Chinese Han Dynasty shadow puppetry, bringing the night to a beautifully fitting close.
Bushwick Book Club’s tribute to Marilyn Monroe closed the night with a well-deserved curtain call, bringing all the performers together on stage for one final bow.
All Photographs are ©2026 Jim R Moore /Vaudevisuals.com
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