The ancient celtic legend of the Selkie is the setting for MEARRA-SELKIE FROM THE SEA, a musical multimedia extravaganza performed and filmed live at the Irish American Heritage Center in Chicago. The television production from Emmy®-winning producer/director Christopher Kai Olsen in partnership with critically acclaimed singer/songwriter Linda Marie Smith presents audiences with an unforgettable family friendly spectacular based on the story of a mythical seal with the mysterious ability to metamorphose into a human being.

Smith’s original, richly orchestrated songs are performed alongside evocative, hand-drawn, animated images (created by the spectacular Catherine and Sarah Satrun), to present a bittersweet story of love, loss, and transformation that begins when Mearra, a supernaturally beautiful Selkie maiden, falls in love with a lonely human fisherman named Ian. Mearra bids farewell to her life in the sea, marries Ian, and starts a family. However, seven years later, the sea inexorably calls for the selkie’s return.

Our own Chris Olsen served as Producer/Director AND as Creative Director for the MEARRA-SELKIE FROM THE SEA project. Olsen’s innate visual storytelling flows seamlessly alongside Linda Marie Smith’s musicality, breathing additional layers of meaning into every passionately performed lyric and dramatic orchestration of this haunting musical narrative on film. The result is the breathtaking hour-long performance special MEARRA-SELKIE FROM THE SEA.

2015 CHICAGO PREMIERE SCREENINGS:
PBS-WYCC (Channel 20): Saturday 3/7/15 at 7pm, Sunday 3/8/15 at 8pm, Thursday 3/12/15 at 3am, and Sunday 3/15/15 at 4pm

2016 PBS NATIONAL BROADCASTS:

CITY CHANNEL WEEKDAY DATE TIME
Denver Colorado Public Television Saturday 2/27/16 12:00:00 AM
San Francisco KRCB HDTV Wednesday 3/2/16 8:00:00 PM
San Francisco KRCB HDTV Thursday 3/3/16 1:00:00 AM
Los Angeles KLCS-DT Sunday 3/6/16 7:00:00 PM
Tucson KUAT Ready TV Friday 3/11/16 10:00:00 PM
Flint-Saginaw Q-TV Children Friday 3/11/16 8:00:00 PM
Flint-Saginaw Q-TV Children Friday 3/11/16 11:00:00 PM
Fargo-Valley City KCGE Lifelong Learning Channel Friday 3/11/16 8:00:00 PM
Fargo-Valley City KFME Lifelong Learning Channel Friday 3/11/16 8:00:00 PM
Fargo-Valley City KJRE Lifelong Learning Channel Friday 3/11/16 8:00:00 PM
Fargo-Valley City KMDE Lifelong Learning Channel Friday 3/11/16 8:00:00 PM
Minot-Bismarck KBME Lifelong Learning Channel Friday 3/11/16 8:00:00 PM
Minot-Bismarck KDSE Lifelong Learning Channel Friday 3/11/16 8:00:00 PM
Minot-Bismarck KSRE Lifelong Learning Channel Friday 3/11/16 8:00:00 PM
Minot-Bismarck KWSE Lifelong Learning Channel Friday 3/11/16 8:00:00 PM
Tucson KUAT Ready TV Saturday 3/12/16 5:00:00 AM
Fargo-Valley City KCGE Lifelong Learning Channel Saturday 3/12/16 2:00:00 AM
Fargo-Valley City KFME Lifelong Learning Channel Saturday 3/12/16 2:00:00 AM
Fargo-Valley City KJRE Lifelong Learning Channel Saturday 3/12/16 2:00:00 AM
Fargo-Valley City KMDE Lifelong Learning Channel Saturday 3/12/16 2:00:00 AM
Minot-Bismarck KBME Lifelong Learning Channel Saturday 3/12/16 2:00:00 AM
Minot-Bismarck KDSE Lifelong Learning Channel Saturday 3/12/16 2:00:00 AM
Minot-Bismarck KSRE Lifelong Learning Channel Saturday 3/12/16 2:00:00 AM
Minot-Bismarck KWSE Lifelong Learning Channel Saturday 3/12/16 2:00:00 AM
Chicago WYCC HDTV Sunday 3/13/16 5:00:00 PM
Salt Lake City KUENDT Sunday 3/13/16 8:00:00 PM
Chicago WYCC HDTV Monday 3/14/16 4:00:00 AM
Charlotte ETV World Monday 3/14/16 6:00:00 AM
Greenvll-Spartan ETV World Monday 3/14/16 6:00:00 AM
Greenvll-Spartan ETV World Monday 3/14/16 6:00:00 AM
Greenvll-Spartan ETV World Monday 3/14/16 6:00:00 AM
Columbia, SC ETV World Monday 3/14/16 6:00:00 AM
Columbia, SC ETV World Monday 3/14/16 6:00:00 AM
Syracuse WCNY Plus Monday 3/14/16 9:00:00 PM
Savannah ETV World Monday 3/14/16 6:00:00 AM
Charleston, SC ETV World Monday 3/14/16 6:00:00 AM
Myrtle Beach ETV World Monday 3/14/16 6:00:00 AM
Myrtle Beach ETV World Monday 3/14/16 6:00:00 AM
Augusta ETV World Monday 3/14/16 6:00:00 AM
South Bend-Elkhart WNIT InFocus Wednesday 3/16/16 10:00:00 PM
Philadelphia WHYY2 Thursday 3/17/16 3:00:00 PM
Orlando WDSC HDTV Thursday 3/17/16 8:00:00 PM
Austin KLRU Q Thursday 3/17/16 9:59:00 PM
Buffalo WNED PBS HDTV Thursday 3/17/16 2:30:00 AM
Orlando WDSC HDTV Friday 3/18/16 12:00:00 AM
Cincinnati CET Arts Friday 3/18/16 8:00:00 AM
Cincinnati CET Arts Friday 3/18/16 1:00:00 PM
Cincinnati CET Arts Friday 3/18/16 5:00:00 PM
Austin KLRU Q Friday 3/18/16 1:59:00 AM
Cincinnati CET Arts Saturday 3/19/16 10:00:00 AM
Cincinnati CET Arts Saturday 3/19/16 3:00:00 PM
Cincinnati CET Arts Saturday 3/19/16 10:00:00 PM
Albuquerque KENW Children’s/Encore Saturday 3/19/16 3:30:00 AM
San Francisco KCSM HDTV Sunday 3/20/16 9:00:00 PM
Salt Lake City KUENDT Sunday 3/20/16 2:00:00 AM
Buffalo WNED PBS HDTV Sunday 3/20/16 11:00:00 PM
Los Angeles KLCS-DT Monday 3/21/16 8:00:00 PM
San Francisco KCSM HDTV Monday 3/21/16 2:00:00 AM
Los Angeles KLCS-DT Tuesday 3/22/16 3:00:00 AM
Los Angeles KVCRDT3 Desert Cities Sunday 3/27/16 10:00:00 PM
Indianapolis WFYI Plus Sunday 3/27/16 7:00:00 PM
New York NJTV HDTV Thursday 3/31/16 9:00:00 PM
New York NJTV HDTV Thursday 3/31/16 9:00:00 PM
Philadelphia NJTV HDTV Thursday 3/31/16 9:00:00 PM
Philadelphia NJTV HDTV Thursday 3/31/16 9:00:00 PM
New York NJTV HDTV Saturday 4/2/16 3:00:00 AM
New York NJTV HDTV Saturday 4/2/16 3:00:00 AM
Philadelphia NJTV HDTV Saturday 4/2/16 3:00:00 AM
Philadelphia NJTV HDTV Saturday 4/2/16 3:00:00 AM

 

PRESS:
Read Sun Times theater critic Hedy Weiss’s review!

TECH NOTES:
Country of Origin: USA / Year of first release: 2015 / Language: English
Origin Format: RED One and RED Epic 4K / Aspect Ratio: 16×9 / Sound: Stereo Mix

PRODUCTION COMPANY:
Kai Harding, Inc.

CAST & CREW:
Story, Music and Lyrics by: Linda Marie Smith
Produced by: Chris Olsen, Rob Arendt and Linda Marie Smith
Directed by: Chris Olsen

Performers:
Robert Arendt – drums and percussion
Chris Corsale – acoustic and electric guitar
Eugenia Elliott – flute and backup vocals
Katherine Hughes – violin, backup vocals and percussion
Jill Kaeding – cello
Kathleen Keane – Irish tin whistle and backup vocals
Greg Nergaard – bass guitar
Scott Stevenson – keyboard and accordion
Linda Marie Smith – lead vocals, piano and acoustic guitar
Sarah Chalcroft – narrator

Projection Design:
Creative Direction: Chris Olsen
Animation and Design: Catherine and Sarah Satrun

Camera Production:
Kyle Bainter, Silas Tyler

Stage Production:
Stage Lighting Design: Nathan Tomlinson
Live Sound & Recording Engineer: Tom Miller
Mix Engineer: Robert Arendt & Sonic Spa Recording
Audio/Visual support: Creative Technology

Playback Pro Operators:
Chris Koranek, Jim Makanowicz

Stage Production Crew/Assistance:
John Halliburton, Joe Pressel, Stephen and Amanda Gawrit, Andie Miles,
Steve Grant, Karen Redford, Tea Klass

Makeup:
Paula Weese

OFFICIAL SITES:
IMDB Webpage: www.imdb.com/title/tt4473320

LindaMarieSmith.com