20 Seconds is an inspiring testimony to the uplifting power of music at all stages of life. Music provided companionship when Tom couldn’t find it in a destructive home. Years later, music shaped Tom’s career as a therapist, allowing him to augment his penchant for song with clinical, research-based practices.

The play was held back visually by the realistic living room set upstage center where many of home scenes were staged – but since he was along on stage – could he not have referenced these moments and taken us there without the actual couch and chairs – let us use our imagination – and then you would have freed the stage to much more interesting visuals.  It was tough to take us from place to place and time to time when that big ol’ living room was dominating the set.  The dialogue had some trouble going from first to third person.  I wasn’t sure at times whether I was looking at the character or through the character – and the play could have used more poetic “musical” language to match the motif of the play.  I also wish the play had been less about his painful growing up years and more about his adventure and achievements as a music therapist.  In short, I just think this amazing story could have used a better play to move it forward.