THE
FLEA THEATER presents the WORLD PREMIERE
of
THE
NOMAD
Book
and Lyrics by ELIZABETH SWADOS and ERIN COURTNEY
Composed
and Directed by ELIZABETH SWADOS
Featuring
the Bats: KYRA ATEKWANA, TOMMY BERNARDI,
SYDNEY BLAXILL, MATTHEW BOVEE, GLENNA GRANT, RYAN NEAL GREEN, MICHAEL LAPINSKY,
TERI MADONNA, MIKE NELSON, NEIL REDFIELD, DAVE RESULTAN, BEN SCHRAGER, RYAN
STINNETT
Musical Direction by TREVOR BACHMAN
Musical Arrangements by KRIS KUKUL
Set, Props, Costume and Puppet Design by LYDIA FINE
Musical Arrangements by KRIS KUKUL
Set, Props, Costume and Puppet Design by LYDIA FINE
Lighting Design:
DAISY LONG
Sound Designer: JANIE BULLARD
Sound Designer: JANIE BULLARD
The
Flea Theater
41 White Street in TriBeCa, 3 blocks below Canal Street between Broadway and Church Street
41 White Street in TriBeCa, 3 blocks below Canal Street between Broadway and Church Street
Elizabeth
Swados and Erin Courtney's THE NOMAD is a musical based on
the true story of writer and journalist, Isabelle Eberhardt (1877 -1904) who
lived the life she wanted to live in an era where women's desires were more or
less suppressed. She dreamt of living an adventurous life in the Sahara,
converted to the Muslim religion, and dressed like a man to give her freedom to
travel and work. In Algiers, Isabelle associated
with the French colonists as well as advocated for the rights of the
disenfranchised citizens who were being occupied by the foreign power. In
short, Isabelle was a rebel and she desired to live by her own rules.
The
Flea is known for its theatrical productions overcoming boundaries and this
performance was filled with energy. Isabelle (Teri Madonna) acted and sang
with tremendous force backed by the talented Bats Ensemble. I think there were some superfluous acts but was
impressed with the puppetry (Lydia Fine)
and how the cast ingeniously used the props on the set. The music transported
you to accompany Isabelle on her journey through the Saharan desert where her
quest was joined by holy men, kief smokers, spies, soldiers and tribes of
nomads. Sometimes, I thought the portrayal of the Arabs a bit stereotypical but
not enough to be offensive.
It's
the first desert musical I've seen and if you're interested in this young
rebellious iconoclast's true life story, then I'd recommend to see The Nomad at The Flea Theater.
-
Laura Thompson -
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