I’ve known Paul Nasto a long time. We worked together at Microsoft ten years earlier, and we have remained close friends. We both had a passion for technology and loved building computer systems that contributed real value to our clients. But we had second loves, too: Paul with his music and me with my writing.

A couple of years ago, Paul and his friend David Whitehead established Creative Ventures, a partnership committed to the development and commission of new works for the theatre and screen. The company’s first work, The Count, is a stunning musical, a romantic yet tragic story of a young French sailor, Edmond Dantes, who is wrongfully accused of a crime he didn’t commit. Stolen from his betrothal feast and the side of his fiancé, Mercedes, he spends 14 years in the Chateau d’If, an island prison off the coast of France.

His accusers, a jealous sailor (Fernand) and a greedy bookkeeper (Danglars) convince an ambitious and aspiring assistant prosecutor (de Villefort) to use Dantes as the route to profit and power. With the help of a fellow prisoner priest (the Abbe), Dantes uncovers his fate and the identity of the individuals responsible for his demise. On the priest’s deathbed, he tells Dantes of a great fortune hidden away on the island Monte Cristo. After escaping from the prison and finding the treasure, Dantes plots his return only to find his mother dead and his wife married to his nemesis (Fernand). With careful planning and unbridled wealth and influence, Dantes seeks his revenge.

The Count is a musical depiction of a story of retribution and redemption: a compelling, but haunting story of a man’s unstoppable quest for revenge. His desire for vengeance conflicts with his desire for faith and love, unleashing a complex, internal struggle for recompense and peace. However, his pursuit of justice ends in consequences that are worse than death.

I’m make no claim to expertise regarding musical composition, but the music is beautiful. It’s powerful and spellbinding. Listen to it yourself on the Click here. A word of warning — set aside half an hour or more, this is not a typical pop in, pop out website.

Paul and David have created wonderful musical and I’m looking forward to seeing it on stage not too far in the future. It’s my dream that Paul and I, with our works, each bring a few hours of enjoyment to an enthusiastic audience.
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