Happy Songs About the War, set to debut in January '08 at [email protected] in Hillcrest, is a one-man musical being developed by singer/songwriter J.D. Boucharde and local theater maven Leigh Scarritt.

"It started as a concept album about the war in Iraq that I rewrote as a stage show," says Boucharde. "Then, my wife and I bought a house, and our new next-door neighbor was Leigh Scarritt.... This name meant nothing to us, but everyone we spoke to seemed to go ga-ga when we mentioned her."

Scarritt is a Tony Award--nominated actor, playwright, director, composer, and choreographer with a long history at [email protected]

"So I brought it over for her to read.... She liked it and immediately offered to direct, free of charge. She immediately sold [email protected] owner Dale Morris on it and -- bam -- without even blinking, I'm workshopping my first drama production."

Though he scripted the show, Boucharde says, "I definitely didn't write it; it came through me. My name's at the top of the page, but it's no more mine than any of my songs, and this even less so; it was more like vomiting than writing."

Boucharde appears August 29 at Humphrey's Backstage music venue as part of a "Peace Concert" that features Hargo and Randi Driscoll.

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• More stories by Jay Allen Sanford
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• J.D. Boucharde Would Like a Few Words with George W. — May 30, 2012
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• Do What You Gotta Do by Sara Wilcox — April 5, 2007
• Back When — Oct. 12, 2006