As Sting's musical The Last Ship churns through previews towards its October 26 Broadway opening, the composer and the show's star Michael Esper (American Idiot) will take to the e-waves October 15 for a social media Q&A with fans. On October 15 the pair will answer questions live submitted two ways: via "old-fashioned" Twitter (@LastShipMusical), and through a new video social app called Weev.
Actor Stephen Moyer (True Blood, The Sound of Music Live!) launched Weev at Comic-Con in July 2014. He came up with the idea through a desire to have a fun online way to connect with his son who lives in England while Moyer is working in LA. The app is described as "social video that talks back. Join the conversation, ask a question, make a statement, or start an idea by simply recording an in-app video from your mobile device." To get Weev, download the app here and search for The Last Ship between 5pm EST and 6pm EST on October 15 using the hashtag #AskLastShip.
Inspired by Sting's childhood in the shipbuilding town of Wallsend, The Last Ship has music and lyrics by the former Police frontman and 16-time Grammy Award winner, and a book by Tony Award winner John Logan and Pulitzer Prize winner Brian Yorkey. Tony winner Joe Mantello directs a cast that, in addition to Esper, includes Rachel Tucker, Jimmy Nail, Fred Applegate, Aaron Lazar, Sally Ann Triplett and Collin Kelly-Sordelet.
One wonders what the shipbuilders of Wallsend a half a century ago would have made of Twitter and Weev, not to mention little Gordon Sumner's new show. And you can't ask them on October 15. But you can ask Sting what he thought of them. And, of course, you can also find out in grand fashion by going to see The Last Ship on Broadway.
