Nothing Like Dreaming is about a teenage girl who befriends a strange, older man. Sonny Gale is a reclusive sculptor who lives in an abandoned factory where he forges steel and makes fire sing. Emma is a bright 17-year old who works in the cafeteria of the state capitol building where gay marriage laws are being debated along with gun control and drunk driving legislation. Her father Jess, whom she adores, is a liberal state senator.

In the space of one night, Emma's life is torn upside down: Her best friend is killed in a car accident after a keg party in the woods. Repressing feelings of guilt, unable to express her grief, and angry at the world, Emma finds solace in Sonny's workshop. Like a shaman, he guides her through her journey of loss and grief. She becomes his apprentice, and together they build a spectacular fire organ that enchants Emma's teenage friends with its other wordly, mysterious sounds. Emma's father, jealous and fearful of Sonny and Emma's relationship, alerts the authorities about Sonny's obsession with fire.

A confrontation with the police ensues, replete with barricaded kids and hysterical parents, throwing Sonny into intense emotional turmoil. Emma finds a way to connect with him, and brings him back from the edge of madness. Nothing Like Dreaming is about compassion, the freedom to be different, and the mystery of the human mind.

photo: Thomas Ames, Jr.