Super Mario Rock Opera, by Song a Day guy Jonathan Mann, debuts in NYC Aug 17

Singer-songwriter Jonathan Mann, best known as the Song a Day YouTube star, has a cool new project that those of you in New York can enjoy.

"My Super Mario Rock Opera goes up at Joe's Pub this Saturday, August 17th," he says. "The one-line pitch: Mario becomes self aware. Would love to see some happy mutants there!"

I ran into him recently at our blogging pals Laughing Squid's barbecue in Brooklyn; he shared this news with me there, and I knew many of our readers would dig it.

As many of you may remember, Jonathan wrote me a song –all for me! it was amazing!–called "Kittens in Space," to cheer me up when I was going through treatment for breast cancer, and gagging on chemotherapy. The song worked. Watch it below.