PROPHET$
A Pageant on American Evangelicalism
About PROPHET$
PROPHET$: A Pageant on American Evangelicalism is a multimedia opera-theatre work by Calvin Hitchcock, Delilah McCrea, and David Grandouiller which explores the complexity of a child’s religious experience growing up in American Christianity. By interweaving hymn tunes, Sunday school songs, sacred classical music, children’s literature, and 1950s US military propaganda with the parables of Jesus, PROPHET$ lives in the space between the Sacred and the Profane, challenging binaries, certainties, and ultimately cynicism.
DEVELOPMENT TEAM
Music + Concept by Calvin Hitchcock
Text by Calvin Hitchcock, Delilah McCrea, + David Grandouiller
Development support from Nancy Manocherian's the cell theatre 2022-23 Artist Residency Program, The New School 2022-23 Student Research Award, and individual donors
PERFORMING FORCES
Actor [non-singing role]
Child Soprano
ATB Trio (with 3 electric razors)
Video^
Instruments:
Keyboard/synthesizer*
1-3 Melodica(s)*
Pre-recorded electronics* [triggered via MIDI keyboard in Logic Pro]
Woodworking percussion* (wood saw, hammer, sandpaper, electric drill)
* All instruments performed by the composer. Expansion of instrumentation TBD. ^ Video component not included in either workshop presentation, but may be integrated in a future production.
WORKSHOP HISTORY
First Public Reading // April 13, 2023 @ the cell theatre
First Public Workshop Run // May 26-27, 2023 @ the cell theatre
Runtime: c. 60min
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Score/Libretto, Audio Demos, and Full Workshop Video available upon request. A Solo Performer version of this work is also in development; Solo Workshop Performance videos available upon request.
Performance Excerpt
the cell theatre // May 26-27, 2023
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EXCERPT SCENES
Station V: Simon of Cyrene picks up the Cross
Station VI: Veronica Wipes the Face of Jesus
Station VII: Jesus Falls for the Second Time
PERFORMERS
CHILD: August Felsenfeld
TELEVANGELIST: David Widder-Varhegyi
TRIO: Pamela Terry, Paul Pinto, Paul Chwe Minchul An
MUSICIAN: Calvin Hitchcock
CREATIVE TEAM
Madeline Whitesell, workshop director/lighting designer
Calvin Hitchcock, music director
Avery Redic, choreographer
Matt Lazarus, technical director
Yuchang Xiao, costume/masks/prop design
Karl Ronneburg, dramaturg
Murphy Severtson, stage manager
Isaac Knapp + Zach Lowe, marketing images
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Development support from Nancy Manocherian's the cell theatre 2022-23 Artist Residency Program, The New School 2022-23 Student Research Award, and individual donors
Rehearsal Footage
the cell theatre // April 13, 2023
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PERFORMERS
CHILD: August Felsenfeld
TRIO: Heather Jones, Garret Eucker, Mark Risinger
MUSICIAN: Calvin Hitchcock
CREATIVE TEAM
George R. Miller, workshop director
Calvin Hitchcock, music director
Murphy Severtson, stage manager
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Development support from Nancy Manocherian's the cell theatre 2022-23 Artist Residency Program
