Thursday, December 6, 2018
1 pm

Public Arts Theater
215 Christie Street in SoHo,
Tickets: FREE with RSVP 
Email for RSVP invites: hello@3rdplaceprojects.com

Between 28 November and 6 December seven extraordinary one-act musicals inspired by the figure and legacy of Ignacy Jan Paderewski will be presented to American audience. Focused on different aspects of his biography, they adopt diverse ways of bringing the famous composer back on stage. All of them visibly draw from the rich tradition of American musicals.

As part of the 100th Anniversary of Poland regaining independence celebrations, Adam Mickiewicz Institute has announced a competition in the United States for a musical inspired by the figure and the legacy of Ignacy Jan Paderewski – the great artist, philanthropist, businessman, politician and diplomat, the first Prime Minister of the Second Polish Republic and a hero of both nations. Through an unprecedented process of offering support to several promising ideas simultaneously, we have arrived at a crucial point in the competition – the public stage presentation of seven One-Act “works-in-progress” in four American cities this November and December.

On Wednesday November 28th in New Orleans, Louisiana, the Paderewski Musical Project tour will open with a presentation of “Virtuoso” by Matthew Hardy (Music, Book & Lyrics), directed by Laura Hope, at the Contemporary Arts Center, New Orleans

In December the tour moves on to Los Angeles for a presentation of four pieces over two days. At the USC Glorya Kaufman School of Dance at 849 West 34th Street on the USC Campus, on Saturday, December 1st, we will see “Three Paderewskis” by Oliver Jai’Sen Mayer (Book & Lyrics) and Jenni Brandon (Music) and “Golden” by Paula Cizmar (Book & Lyrics) with music by Nathan Wang.

Monday, December 3rd “13th Point” by Jeremy Kamps (Book & Lyrics) and Chopper Jacobs (Music) will open the evening at the Geffen Playhouse on 10886 LeConte Ave. in Westwood, followed by “Paderewski in America” by Katharine Noon and Mark Seldis (Book & Lyrics) and David O. (Music).

Our next stop is Albuquerque, New Mexico, where on Tuesday, December 4th Rachel Jendrzejewski and Emily Mendelsohn’s (Book, Lyrics & Concept) “Paderewski! Paderewski! Paderewski!” to the music of Chris Hepola and Jenna Wyse, will be performed at the Tricklock Company (Tricklock Performance Laboratory) on 110 Gold Avenue SW, in the historic Downtown Arts and Culture District.

Finally, Paderewski Musical Project arrives in the mecca of the musical, New York City, for our last performance, the rock musical “Blacksmith” conceived by James Fluhr, Music & Lyrics by Zoe Sarnak, directed and developed with Eliie Heyman, Thursday, December 6th at the Public Arts theater on 215 Christie Street in SoHo.

This project has been commissioned by The Adam Mickiewicz Institute in collaboration with the following Institutions: UCLA TFT, USC School of Dramatic Arts, Ghost Road Company, Playwright Arena, Wang Music International, CAC New Orleans, University of New Orleans, Tricklock Company, The University of New Mexico – UNM, Philadelphia Theatre Company, MASS MoCA, The Consulate General of Poland in Los Angeles, Polish Cultural Institute New York, as part of the international cultural program POLSKA100 accompanying Poland’s Centenary of regaining independence.
Co-financed by the Ministry of Culture and National Heritage of the Republic of Poland as part of the multi-annual program NIEPODLEGLA 2017-2022.

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