“Dewey Days” is, at its heart, a love letter to the quirky coastal town of Dewey
Beach, Delaware. This one-mile-long stretch, nestled between the bay and the ocean, is
alive with fifteen vibrant bars—most featuring live music throughout the summer.
Wandering through Dewey during the season, you’ll hear melodies drifting from the
most unassuming little dives, embodying the town’s laid-back, musical spirit.
Spearheaded by myself, Zach, and my mother, Christine, we both drew on our
own experience and stories living in Dewey to inform the story of Clarice and the other
colorful characters residing in the town during the summer season. I had worked at
Gary’s Bar & Grill, that’s featured prominently in the show, for 7 summers between the
ages of 16 and 21. As one of my first real jobs, it fostered an environment that was
hectic at times, but the dynamic between co-workers felt more like a close-knit family.
We hope our show captures and embodies the love, loyalty, and occasional dysfunction
that define our community.
Around the same time I was working in Dewey, I had begun picking up the guitar.
The town is so fundamentally rooted in live music being present at bars and restaurants
along the main strip. While most of the music being played was covers and fan
favorites, the occasional band with a set of original music would come to town and
serenade everybody around. Seeing these live performances inspired me to begin
delving into writing my own original music and led me to navigate songwriting,
collaboration, and the pursuit of creative expression. Several of the original songs I
wrote, along with music by other local Dewey artists, are woven throughout the film. We
hope to reflect the magic of the music-making process through the relationship between
Clarice and Luke—two characters united by their shared passion for creating music.
Our family has been vacationing in the town for generations, gaining many
personal experiences and growth throughout the transitional years from high school to
college to adulthood. We wanted to capture not only the essence of the town and it’s fun
culture, but also the people that are the backbone that the town is built off of, that make
it all worth it. Our hope is that, as audiences follow Clarice’s journey to overcome
obstacles and find her way, they will also gain an appreciation for the hidden gem of a
town we call home.