Poverty. Prejudice. Addiction. Corruption. Violence. War. When your homeland is burning, how do you stay in the fight?
Enter Billie Holmes. In the midst of the madness, this wayward radio journalist sets off on a cross-country odyssey, with a novel to write and a nation to reconcile. A heartfelt road story told through drama and song, Hash Tag Amer!ca® is a new musical journey hoping to inspire change, challenge beliefs, and help rethread the layered tapestry that is our American community.
Hash
(noun): a confused muddle
(verb): to talk about
Tag
(noun): a label attached to someone or something for the purpose of identification or to give other information.
(verb): to hold to account especially to charge with violating the law
Our Story
Hash Tag Amer!ca® is a pioneering new musical at the intersection of art and social justice activism created in the digital space. Conceived by Jennifer Paz and Anthony Fedorov, and based on original music by singer-songwriter activist Fedorov (American Idol), the show began as a concept album entitled “Calling On You,” successfully funded from a 2016 Kickstarter campaign with music production by Grammy® Award Winner Jeeve Ducornet.
The music was first presented as a song cycle called “Sing S.O.S.” with a rousing reception by industry supporters and audiences in Spring 2019 at NYC’s Green Room 42 for their New Works series.
By November 2019, the song cycle, newly titled Hash Tag Amer!ca®, was presented at Los Angeles’ world-class Catalina Jazz Club with Hollywood friends and supporters in attendance, including Billy Bob Thornton, Mark Dacascos, Jon Jon Briones, Reggie Lee, among others, and Rainn Wilson who introduced the concert presentation.
Currently, HTA has now evolved into a fully staged musical in development with a book by Nik Walker (Broadway’s Hamilton, Ain’t Too Proud) and co-lyricist Kyle Carter (In the Heights, The Lion King) shepherded by producer David Armstrong (5th Avenue Theatre Artistic Director Emeritus).
Taking inspiration from the music of HTA, an unscripted travel docu-series is congruently in development with Emmy® Award-nominated TV Journalist and Youth Empowerment Advocate/Host Nava Ghalili-Wourenma, alongside HTA co-creators Anthony Fedorov and Jennifer Paz.
Hear some of the music • See the NYC Showcase • See the LA Showcase
What they’re saying…
"These are challenging political times. And it reflects in our public discourse: the lack of understanding, the talking past each other, the closing ourselves in our social media bubbles help not one bit, and each day that goes by brings us closer to a Tower of Babel of emotions, values, ideologies and creeds. Combine that with the shrewd and malicious manipulations of those who know how to stoke fear, and it’s a recipe for total empathy breakdown. So at a time when it’s hard to be hopeful, I choose to be thankful for the raw and honest effort of my artist friends and colleagues who are creating and displaying their art, speaking truth to power, elevating and teaching empathy, holding a mirror up to society, showing the good along with the bad, trying to remind us that we are all just one people. Thank you Anthony Fedorov for channeling your anger, passion, love and hope in your stirring and moving music. Thank you for having me there tonight to share in it. The world needs more loud, courageous voices celebrating our diversity, our stories, our dreams, our values. I am thankful for the glimmer of hope they bring, and for the inexorable change they set in motion."
- Lorenzo Thione
Producer, Hadestown (nominated for 14 Tony Awards, 2019 Tony Award Winner for Best Musical)
"A stunning theatrical musical, an urgent urban rock concert, a soul stirring personal testimonial all rolled into one powerful explosion of sound, youth, diversity and truth."
- Desmond Child
Grammy-winning, Emmy-nominated Producer; Songwriter’s Hall of Fame inductee
“I had the pleasure of seeing the NYC workshop of Hash Tag America at the Green Room in April 2019, and have been closely following the progress of this project since then as well as hearing about it directly from the songwriter and lyricist, Anthony Fedorov. I was very impressed with the music and lyrics and what was then a docu-musical, and has now evolved into a full musical in development. With the strong team Anthony has enlisted to assist him and his patience and drive for perfection, I am convinced that this musical has a very promising future, and is now, because of its topic area, especially timely and needed. I am excited to hear and see what’s to come.”
-Brian Spector
Producer, Come From Away, The Inheritance
SONG LIST
Bless Our Home
We All Come from Somewhere
I’ve Arrived
Calling On You
Family Values
Sing S.O.S.
Not Alone
Sober
This is Why We Kneel
Real
Strong is Who You Are
Something Beautiful
