About

Published in 1922 to critical and award-winning fame, the story of an insignificant toy and his heartwarming journey has captured the hearts of children and adults, alike.

On its own, the story sings. Like its shabby protagonist, the story’s reach exceeds the limits of mere words on a page.

WHAT IS REAL? is the contemporary, multimedia production that proves child-like wonder need not be childish.

NATHANIEL LEVISAY composes a suite of original music, performed by the HOLLYWOOD CHAMBER ORCHESTRA, to accompany RAYLIN JOY’S lyric narration of MARGERY WILLIAMS’ THE VELVETEEN RABBIT. Adorned by full-color, original collages & paintings by Emmy-nominated, New York Times best-selling author & artist DAVID MACK, this experience is presented beautifully by HOWLIN’ WOLF RECORDS on CD & Vinyl containing the full-color deluxe book.

The Velveteen Rabbit tells the endearing struggle of a young boy’s cherished, stuffed toy who learns that what he may become is more than his sawdust stuffing and thread-whiskers reflect. The sweet rabbit and his boy form an unbreakable bond of love which is soon tested by the trials of illness, distance, and time. Yet his wizened friend, the Skin Horse, enchants him with a story of hope, even if it seems unreachable: to become Real. When the boy and his rabbit are separated, the journey begins. Through heartbreak and strife, and a bit of nursery magic, perhaps love can help us transcend our patchwork beginnings.


Nathaniel Levisay,
Composer Bio

Composition and conducting studies led Nathaniel Levisay to work as a conductor and performer in orchestral radio broadcast performances throughout the Midwestern United States, then to Los Angeles where he worked behind-the-scenes in the Warner Brothers Music Department on animated feature and series' scores. Being further mentored by Tony Award-nominated composer/arranger, Robert Elhai led Nathaniel to work with Grammy Award-winng composer, Michael Kamen, Grammy Award-nominated Tina Guo and with the "most listened-to oboe player in history [Jim Svejda, KUSC-FM]", Tom Boyd & The Hollywood Soloists. He has composed music for film and media as well as being commissioned by Juliet McIver of LACMA & McIver Fine Art to compose an original 30 minute score for an electronic LED installation, currently in Los Angeles. In the concert world, Nathaniel composed a Cello Concerto for the Los Angeles Chamber Orchestra's principal cellist, Andrew Shulman.

Nathaniel Levisay's score for the indie thriller, DAWNING met with critical acclaim and was called by MovieScore Media's, Mikael Carlsson, “…one of the creepiest and most challenging scores in recent time." Score Revolution said, "Composer Nathaniel Levisay’s rich, layered score helps this well-received indie horror film punch way above its weight, with a great blend of live instruments and samples, showcasing perfectly judged changes in pace, as he switches up from the needle to the bludgeon, and finds space for multi-layered cacophony as well as for constraint."

Nathaniel's nominated score for THE TOY SOLDIERS was recently heard at AMC Theaters nationwide and is now available on CD through Howlin' Wolf Records.