John Moran's Book of the Dead (Second Avenue), a multi-media exploration of life and death in the modern age, opens with an overview of the Egyptian Book of the Dead and closes with excerpts from the Tibetan Book of the Dead. But what the show is really about, as the subtitle indicates, is a day in the life of New York City's Second Avenue.

After we are given a brief idea--through words, images, music, and action--of the ancient Egyptian understanding of death and rebirth, the scene shifts to a busy morning at a Manhattan McDonald's. As the show moves on, we see street scenes, vivid recreations of TV commercials, the inside of a cramped deli, and a pulsating dance club at night.

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