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  Washington Premiere
SEE WHAT I WANNA SEE
Words and Music by Michael John LaChiusa
Based on Short Stories by Ryunosuke Akutagawa
As translated by Takashi Kojima
Directed by Helen Hayes Award winner Matthew Gardiner
Sponsored in part by: |
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See What I Wanna See, a musical about lust, greed, murder, faith, and redemption, was named one of the Best Musicals of 2005 by New York Magazine. Nominated for nine Drama Desk Awards, including Best Musical, the show is based on three short stories that unfold like a Japanese screen painting. In Kesa and Morito, set in medieval Japan, two lovers sing of the ecstasy and torment of their affair. R Shomon, set in 1951 New York City, follows the investigation of a crime of passion and the witnesses’ contradicting versions of the event. Gloryday, set in present day New York, presents a priest during a crisis of faith after a terrible tragedy strikes the city. See What I Wanna See asks the question, “what is truth?” You’ll be amazed by the kaleidoscope of answers.
EXTENDED! April 7 – May 31, 2009
Intended for adult audiences only
Click here for a seating chart
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MEET THE CAST OF SEE WHAT I WANNA SEE
Meet the stellar cast of Signature's upcoming production See What I Wanna See. We're proud to salute Broadway and Off-Broadway stars as well as some of Signature's own favorites in Michael John LaChiusa's visionary musical.
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Channez McQuay (The Medium and The Aunt) SIGNATURE: Les Misérables (Ensemble), Kiss of the Spider Woman (Molina's Mother), Into the Woods (Stepmother), My Fair Lady (Mrs. Eynsford-Hill), Nevermore (Muddy), Pacific Overtures (Ensemble). DC AREA: Ford's: Meet John Doe (Betty); Studio Theatre: The Gifts of the Magi (City Her), Reefer Madness (Mae), Oil City Symphony (Ginger); Olney: Jacques Brel..., Rodgers and Hammerstein's Cinderella (Joy), The Doll Makers Dilemma (Gertrude); Rep Stage: Falsettos (Charlotte); Toby's: Ragtime (Emma, Helen Hayes nomination), Gypsy (Rose), Funny Girl (Fanny), Little Shop of Horrors (Audrey), Fiddler on the Roof (Golde), Pippin (Berthe), Beauty and the Beast (Mrs. Potts); Catonsville: Steel Magnolias (Ouiser); Little Theatre: Parade (Fanny).
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Matt Pearson (The Thief and A Reporter) SIGNATURE: Lost Songs of Broadway cabaret. OFF-BROADWAY: Vineyard Theatre: The Slug Bearers of Kayrol Island. DC AREA: Theatre J: David In Shadow and Light (David); Metrostage: tick... tick… BOOM!; Arena: Forever Ivor. REGIONAL: Ravinia Festival: Sondheim's Sunday in the Park with George; Chicago Shakespeare Theater: Hans Christian Anderson's The Little Mermaid. EDUCATION: Northwestern University.
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Bobby Smith (The Janitor and A Priest) BROADWAY: Crazy for You. OFF-BROADWAY: Forever Plaid, The World Goes ‘Round, Of Thee I Sing. NATIONAL TOURS: Brigadoon, The World Goes ‘Round. DC AREA: Studio Theatre: A Class Act; The Long Christmas Ride Home; Caroline, or Change; Grey Gardens, Reefer Madness, Jerry Springer the Opera; Ford's: Elmer Gantry; Roundhouse: A Year with Frog and Toad; MetroStage: Girl in the Goldfish Bowl, Musical of Musicals; Kennedy Center: The Happy Prince.
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Rachel Zampelli (Kesa, The Wife, and An Actress) SIGNATURE: December Divas, Anyone Can Whistle in Concert, The Happy Time, Saving Aimee. DC AREA: Studio Theatre: Jerry Springer the Opera, Reefer Madness: The Musical; Ford's: Shenandoah; Folger: A Midsummer Night's Dream. REGIONAL: New Repertory Theatre: Into the Woods, Romeo and Juliet; Riverside Theatreworks: Grease, Nunsense; Black Swan Theatre (Special Appearance, Oregon Shakespeare Festival): Breast Entanglements. EDUCATION: Santa Clara University, 2004, Theater.
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Tom Zemon (Morito, The Husband, and A CPA) SIGNATURE: Les Misérables (Javert). BROADWAY: Scarlet Pimpernel (Chauvelin), Les Misérables (Javert). REGIONAL: Sweeney Todd (Sweeney Todd), The Light In The Piazza (Guiseppe), A Tale Of Two Cities (Carton), Elmer Gantry (Elmer Gantry), Assassins (Booth), Brigadoon (Tommy); Hartford Stage Company: Children, Pericles, Androcles And The Lion (The Lion). TV: "Law and Order", "All My Children", recurring roles on "Guiding Light" and "One Life To Live" (Morgan Guthrie); TLC's "Broken Homes", HGTV's "My First Place", Splurge and Save" (set to air in June 2009). |
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LEARN MORE ABOUT COMPOSER MICHAEL JOHN LaCHIUSA
Enter the Musical World of Michael John LaChiusa.
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Michael John LaChiusa |
This spring, Signature salutes the incredible work of Michael John LaChiusa with the Washington premiere of See What I Wanna See and the world premiere of Giant.
When thinking of words to describe the musical world of Michael John LaChiusa, hundreds of words come to mind, such as groundbreaking. Unconventional. Thrilling. Bold. And always, original.
His is a unique voice for the American theater that brings true emotional intensity and deeply complex characters to the stage. The First Ladies…Van Gogh…Medea…a blackface vaudevillian and his fading chorine…a tyrannical mother who locks away her unmarried daughters - these tragic figures may seem, to some, unfit for the musical stage, but not to Michael John LaChiusa.
Mr. LaChiusa has made a career by defying audience and critical perceptions of what makes a musical. Where others gravitate towards nostalgic and lighthearted stories, he finds inspiration in the fatal and unforgiving. His work creates and inhabits worlds that would be appropriate for playwrights like Harold Pinter or Eugene O'Neill - but are realms that most musical theater composers and librettists would not dare enter.
Mr. LaChiusa is without question one of the most intriguing and important musical theater composers in the country today. And while he has many credits to his name, including five Tony Award® nominations and multiple productions of his works - from Broadway to theaters throughout the country and the world - it would seem that he always falls into the category of the new generation, of "up and coming" musical theater composers. Perhaps this is because Mr. LaChiusa is constantly challenging the medium, the audience, and himself. He is nothing if not surprising. Those who follow his work wait anxiously to hear what story and musical idiom he will tackle next.
Luckily for us, what's next… is here.
ABOUT THE COMPOSER:
Michael John LaChiusa SIGNATURE: The Highest Yellow, First Lady Suite. Other works include: Send (who are you? I love you), written for Audra McDonald and commissioned by the Houston Grand Opera; Tres Niñas (written with Ellen Fitzhugh); Bernarda Alba (Lincoln Center Theatre); See What I Wanna See (The Public Theatre); the Broadway productions of The Wild Party and Marie Christine; Lovers & Friends: (Chautauqua Variations) (Lyric Opera of Chicago); Little Fish (Second Stage); Hello Again (LCT); First Lady Suite (Public Theatre); Break/Agnes/Eulogy for Mister Hamm (Playwrights Horizons); additional material for the Tony®-nominated Chronicle for a Death Foretold. RECORDINGS: 2001 Grammy-nominated Original Cast Album of The Wild Party (Decca Broadway), Marie Christine (RCA Victor), Hello Again (RCA Victor), First Lady Suite (PS Classics), Little Fish, See What I Wanna See, Bernarda Alba (Ghostlight). His songs have been recorded by artists ranging from Lea DeLaria to Audra McDonald. He has also provided scores for the children’s television show on Nickelodeon’s Nick Jr., The Wonder Pets. AWARDS: Emmy Award, Grammy nomination, multiple Tony® nominations, Obie Award (Hello Again and First Lady Suite), Gilman-Gonzalez-Falla Musical Theatre Award. Mr. LaChiusa has been a contributing writer to The New York Times, Opera News, American Theatre and other periodicals. He is currently on the faculty of New York University and is a guest lecturer at many universities and colleges in the US and abroad. UPCOMING: Signature: World Premiere Giant, April 2009.
Click here to purchase tickets to the visionary See What I Wanna See and the Texas-sized Giant.
TAKE A LOOK AT THE DESIGNS FOR THE VISIONARY MUSICAL SEE WHAT I WANNA SEE
Designs by Helen Hayes-nominee Kathleen Geldard, costume designer of Les Misérables, The Lieutenant of Inishmore, and The Happy Time.
Designs by Adam Koch, nominated for a Helen Hayes Award for his dramatic set in Signature's Kiss of the Spider Woman.
To see these designs live, click here to buy tickets now.
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