AESOP'S FABLES
Premiered Season 2017-18
Music and Libretto by Tony Plog
AESOP’S FABLES is composed of short scenes, about 4-8 minutes in length. Each is based on a classic fable: The Tortoise and the Hare, The Mouse and the Lion, The Fox and the Billy Goat, and The Mule. Audiences will discover the moral within each entertaining story, and laugh along with these
silly, crafty, and wise animals!
Appropriate for all ages, best for elementary schoolers and families | Sung in English
Performance length: approx. 30 minutes
Premiered Season 2017-18
Music and Libretto by Tony Plog
AESOP’S FABLES is composed of short scenes, about 4-8 minutes in length. Each is based on a classic fable: The Tortoise and the Hare, The Mouse and the Lion, The Fox and the Billy Goat, and The Mule. Audiences will discover the moral within each entertaining story, and laugh along with these
silly, crafty, and wise animals!
Appropriate for all ages, best for elementary schoolers and families | Sung in English
Performance length: approx. 30 minutes
ANA Y SU SOMBRA
Premiered Season 2013-14
Performed Season 2020-21
Composed by Gabriela Ortiz
Libretto by Mónica Sánchez
ANA Y SU SOMBRA follows the story of a young girl, Ana, who is the daughter of diplomats to the United States. Out of terrible homesickness for Mexico, she hides herself away - however, her shadow wants to explore and participate in the world where they are living. The two part ways over this disagreement, and ultimately discover whether they can live separately, or must reconcile.
Appropriate for young audiences and families | Sung in Spanish, with English narration
Performance length: approx. 30 minutes
Premiered Season 2013-14
Performed Season 2020-21
Composed by Gabriela Ortiz
Libretto by Mónica Sánchez
ANA Y SU SOMBRA follows the story of a young girl, Ana, who is the daughter of diplomats to the United States. Out of terrible homesickness for Mexico, she hides herself away - however, her shadow wants to explore and participate in the world where they are living. The two part ways over this disagreement, and ultimately discover whether they can live separately, or must reconcile.
Appropriate for young audiences and families | Sung in Spanish, with English narration
Performance length: approx. 30 minutes
THE FIREBRINGERS
Premiered Season 2014-15
Composed by Chappell Kingsland
Libretto by Ben Allen-Kingsland
THE FIREBRINGERS takes us on a journey around the world to explore the fire myths of three different cultures: first, “Rainbow Crow,” from the Lenapé Indians of North America; then, the story of Prometheus from Ancient Greek mythology; and, finally, “Murilé and the Moon-Chief,” from the Chagga of Kenya and Tanzania. Fasten your seatbelt, it's time for take-off!
Appropriate for all K-5 audiences and families | Sung in English
Performance length: approx. 30 minutes
Premiered Season 2014-15
Composed by Chappell Kingsland
Libretto by Ben Allen-Kingsland
THE FIREBRINGERS takes us on a journey around the world to explore the fire myths of three different cultures: first, “Rainbow Crow,” from the Lenapé Indians of North America; then, the story of Prometheus from Ancient Greek mythology; and, finally, “Murilé and the Moon-Chief,” from the Chagga of Kenya and Tanzania. Fasten your seatbelt, it's time for take-off!
Appropriate for all K-5 audiences and families | Sung in English
Performance length: approx. 30 minutes
THE LUNCHBOX PROJECT
Premiered Season 2018-19
Composed by Lauren Bernofsky, Malcolm Dalglish, Rosey Lee, Chris Neiner, Yuriria Rodríguez,
and Wilson Shitandi
Libretto by Alejandra Martinez
THE LUNCHBOX PROJECT uses traditional music as the setting to explore the many cultures revealed in our lunchboxes. Students' own stories will be integrated into performances, as they will be able to submit poems about their lunchboxes, which cast members will select - and sing! - during the opera. This interactive experience will create meaningful connections between students as they celebrate the uniqueness, and recognize the similarities, of their cultures.
Appropriate for all ages, best for elementary schoolers and families | Sung in English
Performance length: approx. 25 minutes
Premiered Season 2018-19
Composed by Lauren Bernofsky, Malcolm Dalglish, Rosey Lee, Chris Neiner, Yuriria Rodríguez,
and Wilson Shitandi
Libretto by Alejandra Martinez
THE LUNCHBOX PROJECT uses traditional music as the setting to explore the many cultures revealed in our lunchboxes. Students' own stories will be integrated into performances, as they will be able to submit poems about their lunchboxes, which cast members will select - and sing! - during the opera. This interactive experience will create meaningful connections between students as they celebrate the uniqueness, and recognize the similarities, of their cultures.
Appropriate for all ages, best for elementary schoolers and families | Sung in English
Performance length: approx. 25 minutes
MOOCH THE MAGNIFICENT
Premiered Season 2012-13
Performed Season 2019-20
Composed by Lauren Bernofsky
Libretto by Scott Russell Sanders
MOOCH THE MAGNIFICENT is set in a zoo of the future, populated not by animals but by robots in animal form. Mooch, an orphan girl, convinces the zookeeper to hire her to fix the robots when they break down... but actually reprograms them to be increasingly wild! Follow the adventures of an intelligent engineer and her robot menagerie.
Appropriate for young audiences and families | Sung in English
Performance length: approx. 40 minutes.
Premiered Season 2012-13
Performed Season 2019-20
Composed by Lauren Bernofsky
Libretto by Scott Russell Sanders
MOOCH THE MAGNIFICENT is set in a zoo of the future, populated not by animals but by robots in animal form. Mooch, an orphan girl, convinces the zookeeper to hire her to fix the robots when they break down... but actually reprograms them to be increasingly wild! Follow the adventures of an intelligent engineer and her robot menagerie.
Appropriate for young audiences and families | Sung in English
Performance length: approx. 40 minutes.
RUFUS AND RITA
Premiered Season 2016-17
Composed by Lauren Bernofsky
Libretto by Kelsea Webb
RUFUS AND RITA features the adventures - and sometimes mis-adventures! - of a silly dog named Rufus and his owner, Rita. Through a "flexible libretto," the audience votes for what happens next at several points in the narrative. The performers are given frequent opportunities for improvisation, in both the spoken dialogue and the singing. Combined with the audience participation, every show is different!
Appropriate for all ages, best for elementary schoolers and families | Sung in English
Performance length: approx. 30 minutes
Premiered Season 2016-17
Composed by Lauren Bernofsky
Libretto by Kelsea Webb
RUFUS AND RITA features the adventures - and sometimes mis-adventures! - of a silly dog named Rufus and his owner, Rita. Through a "flexible libretto," the audience votes for what happens next at several points in the narrative. The performers are given frequent opportunities for improvisation, in both the spoken dialogue and the singing. Combined with the audience participation, every show is different!
Appropriate for all ages, best for elementary schoolers and families | Sung in English
Performance length: approx. 30 minutes
SPIRITS
Premiered Season 2017-18
Music and Libretto by Tony Plog
SPIRITS is an opera that follows the lives of four friends in the years before and during a war: Thomas, a priest; Anna, his friend; Robert, an artist; and Maria, his wife. Audiences will observe how the characters' decisions and choices change their friendships in unexpected ways, and inevitably lead to the ultimate conflict between good and evil.
Appropriate for middle schoolers, high schoolers, and families | Sung in English
Performance length: approx. 25 minutes
Premiered Season 2017-18
Music and Libretto by Tony Plog
SPIRITS is an opera that follows the lives of four friends in the years before and during a war: Thomas, a priest; Anna, his friend; Robert, an artist; and Maria, his wife. Audiences will observe how the characters' decisions and choices change their friendships in unexpected ways, and inevitably lead to the ultimate conflict between good and evil.
Appropriate for middle schoolers, high schoolers, and families | Sung in English
Performance length: approx. 25 minutes
WORKING TITLE
Premiered Season 2016-17
Composed by Benjamin Dean Taylor
Libretto by Kelsea Webb
WORKING TITLE is an innovative musical experience that returns musicians and audience members alike to the playfulness and limitless freedom of theatre! Guided by audience suggestions, the musicians will craft an original opera, making up music, lyrics, and plot as the performance unfolds. The audience enjoys a unique glimpse into the creative process, answering the question, "What goes on in the mind of a composer at work?" to blur traditional boundary lines between singer, instrumentalist, and audience member.
Appropriate for middle schoolers, high schoolers, and families | Sung in English
Performance length: approx. 30 minutes
Premiered Season 2016-17
Composed by Benjamin Dean Taylor
Libretto by Kelsea Webb
WORKING TITLE is an innovative musical experience that returns musicians and audience members alike to the playfulness and limitless freedom of theatre! Guided by audience suggestions, the musicians will craft an original opera, making up music, lyrics, and plot as the performance unfolds. The audience enjoys a unique glimpse into the creative process, answering the question, "What goes on in the mind of a composer at work?" to blur traditional boundary lines between singer, instrumentalist, and audience member.
Appropriate for middle schoolers, high schoolers, and families | Sung in English
Performance length: approx. 30 minutes
THE WORLD IS ONE
Premiered Season 2018-19
Composed by Dominick DiOrio
Libretto by Terry Pinaud
A dramatic work that examines the plight of refugees, THE WORLD IS ONE poses questions from a perspective accessible to teenagers: What is home? What does it mean to be displaced? How do we empathize with and support those facing such uncertainty? This collaboration invites students into a story that questions assumptions and invites cultural inquiry.
Appropriate for middle and high school audiences | Sung in English
Performance length: approx. 25 minutes
Premiered Season 2018-19
Composed by Dominick DiOrio
Libretto by Terry Pinaud
A dramatic work that examines the plight of refugees, THE WORLD IS ONE poses questions from a perspective accessible to teenagers: What is home? What does it mean to be displaced? How do we empathize with and support those facing such uncertainty? This collaboration invites students into a story that questions assumptions and invites cultural inquiry.
Appropriate for middle and high school audiences | Sung in English
Performance length: approx. 25 minutes