Meet the MadElves

MARK A. DURSTEWITZ Producer / Composer / Lyricist / Keyboards

Mark, the MAD in Madmen and Dreamers and MadElf Arts and Education (501c3), is a creative juggernaut. A natural musician, prolific writer, and published novelist with several award-winning short stories, he has found his milieu at the nexus of storytelling, music and technology. The digital studio is his domain. His primary instrument is piano, and he has played keyboards for many bands from southern to progressive rock, and many projects from studio to venue. Mark’s passion is bringing meaningful stories to the public and calling audiences to action.

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The world has many problems that need to be addressed, but climate change is the mother of them all. Never before in our history have we faced such an existential threat. It threatens everything and everyone and has been downplayed and denied by people with despicable greed.

I have roamed the forests of the eastern third of the US since I was a boy and the changes I've seen in only my lifetime are frightening. It's killing me that we can't get our collective acts together to stop it. I had to get this project to the stage. I wouldn't have been able to live with myself if I had something that might have helped but didn't use it. I wouldn't be able to look my children, nor my grandchildren, in the face if I stood by and did nothing.

We can fix this. We have everything we need to do so. We only have to act together in a determined and sustained way to make it abundantly clear to our elected officials and business interests that we will not allow them to destroy the lives of our children and our children's children. We need everybody.

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MARIO RENES Composer

Mario, a madman and a dreamer in his own right, conceived the spine of Water, Inc. His primary instrument is bass, and his ability to weave bass tracks into the fabric of sound betrays his classical training on piano and experience with woodwind and brass instruments. Playing in a variety of rock bands, he moved from covers to originals, which led him to Indie Music Productions, where he became a partner. His experience on both sides of the mic complements Mark’s integrative approach to the creative process. Mario’s vision is to make musical theatre an art form accessible to audiences of all demographics. Mario and Mark have been close friends since they met during their freshman year of college in NJ.

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We have to stop pointing our fingers at others and individually make changes to our lives to improve conditions in our home, Earth.

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