How ‘Conan the Bacterium’ withstands extreme radiation
December 9, 2024
EVANSTON --- The American Music Theatre Project at Northwestern University (AMTP) announces the 2017/2018 season of workshop readings written by award-winning music theatre creators, directed by leading regional theater and Broadway directors and performed by students in the AMTP program.
The musicals in the 2017/2018 season include: “Marie in Tomorrowland” by 2017 Jonathan Larson Award winners Erato A. Kremmyda and Maggie-Kate Coleman; “The Woman in Question” by Cheryl Coons and Peter Eldridge; and “Picture Perfect” by Ben Roseberry and Chip Klose.
The readings will be presented at Northwestern’s Wirtz Center for the Performing Arts. Admission is free and open to the public. For performance times and venue information, visit the AMTP website or email amtp@northwestern.edu.
Under Artistic Director David H. Bell, Northwestern’s Donald G. Robertson Director of Music Theatre, Associate Artistic Director Ryan Cunningham and Producing Director Brannon Bowers, AMTP brings together the nation’s leading artists in music theatre to work with Northwestern’s faculty, staff and students to nourish and invigorate American music theatre by developing and producing new musicals.
Past AMTP musicals include “Found,” “Hero,” “Next Thing You Know,” “Michael Collins” and “Edges.” Previous artists include Andrew Lippa, Benj Pasek and Justin Paul, Joshua Salzman and Ryan Cunningham, Michael Friedman, Michael Greif, Sheldon Harnick, Hunter Bell, Claude-Michel Schönberg and Alain Boublil.
The 2017/2018 schedule is as follows:
“The Woman in Question”
Nov. 29–Dec. 6, 2017
book and lyrics by Cheryl Coons
music by Peter Eldridge
directed by Ryan Cunningham
Who is the woman in Gustav Klimt’s iconic painting, “The Kiss”? Couture designer Emilie Flöge is summoned to Vienna to solve the mystery. In a Nazi art exhibition of stolen paintings, including Klimt’s sensuous portraits of women, Emilie spies the golden portrait of Adele Bloch Bauer, her greatest rival for Klimt’s affection. Reliving the drama of the love triangle, Emilie must finally answer the question, who is the woman in gold?
“Picture Perfect”
Feb. 3–10, 2018
music and lyrics by Ben Roseberry
book and lyrics by Chip Klose
directed by Scott Evans
This new musical is a twist on the old adage, “It’s not the destination, but rather the journey that matters most.” We meet Adam on the morning of his wedding, just as he’s about to marry the girl of his dreams. Everything in his life has been carefully practiced and planned. When his fiancé leaves him at the altar, Adam’s world is turned upside down.
In an effort to cheer him up, his groomsmen take him on a wild, two-week road-trip from California back home to New York City. Through it all Adam pleads with the guys to help him find Allie. But his friends know better and urge him to hit the reset button on life.
“Marie in Tomorrowland”
Feb. 17–24, 2018
book and lyrics by Maggie-Kate Coleman
music by Erato A. Kremmyda
directed by Sam Pinkleton
“Marie In Tomorrowland”is a musical collage in which Marie Curie journeys through the remains of a Chernobyl-inspired theme park and encounters much of America’s troubled history with radioactivity along the way. Featuring a cast of women playing a kaleidoscope of Marie Curies, the piece explores the intersections between science and art, women and history, and kitsch and terror. By putting the story of Marie Curie and her work in dialogue with the American retro-futuristic experience of radiation, the piece explores the impact and aftermath of our radioactive existence.
“Marie in Tomorrowland” is supported by Rhinebeck Writers Retreat, Catwalk Institute, The Orchard Project, SPACE on Ryder Farm and The Civilians R&D Group.
The American Music Theatre Project is a member of the Northwestern Arts Circle, which brings together film, humanities, literary arts, music, theatre, dance and visual arts.
