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This website is a cross-section of highlighted creative works for Rich Kern's followers and collaborators. It shares updates on events, opportunities, and new releases. Original works. No AI.
Latest News
- Invited to edit 300 page non-fiction book. 2027 release. Title and author not disclosed. In Progress.
- Completed full length comedic stage play with writing partner. Seeking table read. See Opportunities.
Bio
Press Summary
Rich Kern is a Chicago area writer working in mediums of scripts, short form, content writing, and music & audio. His works appear in periodicals, as poetry contest winners, and in performances at theaters, art galleries, and other events.
A fishermandrops a net _____into the ethos. Waits. Pulls.Untangles the sentiments _____from the ropes. Cleans. Flays. Slices. Adds fire. Seasons.Arranges the results _____on a plate _____for consumption.
Background
Music Background
Multi-Discipline
Kern has composed and performed music on guitar, bass, vocals, and drumkits for theatre, rock bands, ensembles, and as a solo artist.
Groups and Orgs
He cofounded and facilitated Chicago Suburban Drum Circle for two years, which culminated in the end-of-summer, glowstick-infused, Navy Pier drum circle aboard The Tall Ship Windy.
Notable music groups inlcude Polytechnic (gutarist / songwriter), Gringo Soul (bass player), and multi-instrumentalist/live foley for Eudaimonia. He was in an on-stage Pirate Band in their production of Pirates of the Carribbean and acted as Mr. Arrow. He also composed and performed on guitar, for a run of All I Really Need to Know I Learned in Kindergarten.
For some time he performed solo shows comprised of just guitar and vocals in small venues. A favorite result of that is the album Live at Espresso Cup, which truly captures the raw live essence, including some banter with the audience. It is a welcome display of authenticity in a time where it is hard to decipher what is human-made.
Behind the Mixer
Audio and music production experience involves many small projects and a year serving as a routine live mixing technician for a small ensemble.
Music Styles
Kern's music style runs the gamut from space funk electronica to one-man acoustic folk songs. In recent times, he has shifted toward writing, but can still be seen in a pop-up ensemble behind an instrument from time to time in the greater Chicago area.
Writing Background
Crosss Pollinator
As a creator of many mediums, most musical projects are strongly associated to Kern's body of work in writing, often crosss-pollinating between domains.
Kern has contributed a number of works to magazines over the years, typically poems and short stories. These works often find their way onto musical concept albums in the forms of spoken word or lyrics, or have originated there.
Craft Development
Kern has recently participated in several cohorts, among them: Danztheatre Ensemble's Playwright's Cohort, Typeset Cohort, and Antiplay Cohort. These focus on development of the craft of script writing through exercises, prompts, and peer review.
He is a winner of Florence B Palmer's poetry contest (awarded $1000 for first place) with his poem Intolerance. His song Cracking (which is about the life of Minik Wallace) was awarded third place and given a two page spread in The Miserere Review's poetry contest.
Extras
Additionally, his writing background reaches deep into team leadership and technical writing for data analytics and information system development, as well as writing for marketing teams, one of which is Asante Africa Foundation.
Writing Styles
Kern excels at vivid imagery, deep subplot, and allusion to real world people/places/events, as well as fourth wall breaking. It makes skilled use of gothic and existential themes using genres of dark comedy, drama, and sometimes parody.
Opportunities
Scripts
1 - Table Read for Stage Play Comedy.
Seeking director with acting troupe. 120 minute. Unpublished. Cast size 20+. Dual roles for table read is ok. PG13 audience. Themes of cooking, baseball, and cartoonish stage combat. Must be in greater Chicago area. Synopsis on request.
2 - Production for Stage Play Dramedy.
Seeking producer/director/troupe for Best Friends For Life: A Neuro Dramedy for the Homebound. 120 minute. Unpublished. Cast 10-14. Themes of grief, the afterlife, youth delinquency, and mental health. Performable with puppets. Mature audience. Logline: A twenty-something plays videogames with a ghost- while a surreal web of bad therapy, love triangles, and talking pets, all encroach on a truth he’s not ready to reconcile.
3 - Sci-Fi Story with Collaboration Potential.
Science fiction work in progress. Short script with ample room for creative audio and visual or other multimedia. Epic plot. Open to remote collaboration. Features an artificial life form, future tech, spiritual themes, and doomsday scenario.
Ongoing - Licensable Instrumental Music
Available to score or compose to theme for videogame, film, theatre, or use private unpublished catalog. Rapid results with zero AI. Reels available for serious inquiries.
Ongoing - Writing Services
Available for writing commission/credit for reviewing, editing, content writing, or project management services. No dependency on AI.
Writing
Scripts
About Freaking Time
Dark Comedy Radio Play
A college student's future self time-travels to share answers on a physics test, but a second future self appears, urging him to fail honestly instead. Produced by The Whiskey Radio Hour as part 1 of Episode 31. Read Listen
The Big Reveal
Comedy Skit
At the end of a holiday hijinx movie, The Christmas Bandit is to be unmasked, but no one stays in character. Written as an Antiplay Cohort exercise. Read
Tangled Up in Red
Horror / Comedy
In 1920s Southern Louisiana, there's a reward for a magical ring stolen from a grave. The one wears it sees the indestructible red threads of fate. But is knowing one's fate the beginning of madness? Sold as booklet in Lines and Language exhibit at Prism Spaces. Given excerpt stage reading by Danztheare Ensemble. Read
Poem
Cracking
Poem/Song, Historical Non-Fiction
A telling of the tragic life of Inuit youth named Minik Wallace. 3rd place in poetry contest. Published in The Miserere Review, Fall 2024 Issue and included in the anthology. Later compiled as part of the Contours chapbook and sold on-shelf at Pilsen Arts & Community House. Read Stream Own
The Crow as it Flies
Spoken-Word, Ekphrastic
A man trains a crow near his late father's cabin. When the bird finds a family heirloom a guilty memory is triggered. Performed as spoken word at sold out Art Speaks event hosted by Vibrant Cast. Later published to Vibrant Cast's Website. Read
Story
No Strings
Short Story, Spooky, Fiction
A worker at a vintage, 1930s, themed carnival sets out to sabotage a rival who is a magician. Written for, presented, and performed at Studio 928's Haunted Art Gallery. Read
Techno Mouse
Story Game, Branching Narrative
Interactive story game. Reader's choices impact what happens. Reader must outwit the cats, disarm the mouse traps, and return safely with the cheese. Fully playable online. Includes help map. Play
Content Writing
Reflections on International Men's Day
Article, Brand Voice, Research, Call to Action
About men's health, defining masculinity, patriarchies, East Africa. Cites examples of vulnerability and leadership in young female students of East Africa. Written for Asante Africa Foundation. Read
It's ah Me, The Decay of Attention Spans!
Movie Review, Video Games, Parenthood
Discussion of the haphazard pace of The Super Mario Galaxy Movie while appreciating some of the nostalgia. Published in The Hooghly Review. First posted to Yuck it Up. Read
Music
Albums
Silhouette of Man
Rock, Rap, Folk, Electronica
Songs about the geopolitical intrusions of nations into people groups of the Arctic Circle. Music, lyrics, production, and performance by Rich Kern. Stream | Own Chapbook Player
Featured Track: Throes
I Used to be a Superhero
Spoken Word, Atmospheric, Dramatic
g. e. moore's spoken word collection about finding meaning in a callous world. Musical composition, performance, production by rich kern. Stream | gemoorethewriter.com
Featured Track: The Vanishing Man
Live at Espresso Cup
Singer-Songwriter, Unconventional Folk Rock
Fun, heartfelt, abstract, fierce, whimsical. A true capture of the live experience that makes you feel like you are really there. All songs written and performed live solo by Rich Kern. Recorded by Erik Grant. Produced by Panacea. Stream | Own
Featured Track: Blues Type Thing
Copy and Give to Friend
Singer-Songwriter, Folk, Americana
Solo acoustic songs about life, love, and being broke. Written and performed by Rich Kern. Produced by Autonome. Stream | Own
Featured Track: We Can Miss the Movie
Outer Earth
Instrumental, Melodic, Funky, Scenic, Spacey
The instrumental soundtrack for space captain Aarthur Aarmageddon and his eclectic crew of Gamma Zoans. Decode the Stone
Featured Track: Love Serum Theorem
Sync & Score
Orchestral Movement 1
Strings, Horns, Flute, Harp
Produced with Spitfire Audio and the BBC Symphony Orchestra. Intense conclusion.
Fracture
Score, Cinematic, Sound Effects
Score/Audio composed and produced by Rich Kern to match video. Video was made by Heavyocity.
Sad Groove
Meloncholy, Cinematic
Background music for a videogame. Free with credited use on itch.io. Video made with ZGameEditor.