'Being Raymond Chandler' premieres this weekend

Photo by Pak Han

"Dead men are heavier than broken hearts," writes Raymond Chandler in "The Big Sleep." And, as in the best hard-boiled crime novels, murder and heartache with a touch of black humor are the driving forces in Thirteenth Floor Dance Theater's "Being Raymond Chandler," which premieres at the ODC Dance Commons this weekend.

A case of writer's block haunts the titular novelist, whose stylish detective tales introduced us to the world of private eyes like Philip Marlowe. Choreographer Jenny McAllister, who also directs Thirteenth Floor, has been a fan of Chandler's books since she was a child, she says.

Read more: 'Being Raymond Chandler' premieres this weekend