04 December 2020
Newsdesk
“People want to believe in something. Why not this?”
New York, 1892: Kate Fox, the woman who inadvertently invented séances is holding her last one. A final audience gathers in her apartment to watch as she conjures the ghosts of her two sisters to tell the story of their lives and the religion they accidently began.
Loosely inspired by the loosely true story of Kate Fox, ‘The Fabulist Fox Sister’ is a silly, scathing and sardonic one-person musical inspired by our own era of approximate truth.
In this world premiere conceived entirely for multi-camera streaming, the role of Kate will be played by Michael Conley who also wrote the book and lyrics. This won’t be the first time he’s played to an empty room, though it will be the first time it’s intentional!
Directed by Adam Lenson with music by Luke Bateman and book and lyrics by Michael Conley ‘The Fabulist Fox Sister’delivers the magic of live theatre... but with more legroom and cheaper drinks!
Music Luke Bateman
Luke Bateman studied music at the University of Sussex and singing at the Guildhall School of Music. Other Musical scores include: The Olivier Award-nominated ‘OI FROG & FRIENDS’ (West End - Lyric Theatre, UK Tour), ‘MR POPPER’S PENGUINS’ (West End - Criterion Theatre, New York - New Victory Theater, USA & UK Tours), ‘H.R.HAITCH’ (Union Theatre), ‘ALL I WANT FOR CHRISTMAS’ (Jermyn Street & Upstairs at the Gatehouse), ‘BACHELOR BOYS’ and ‘LORD BYRON’S MISTRESS’ (JST). Music for plays include: ‘THE NIGHTINGALES’ (Theatre Royal Bath & UK Tour), ‘REEL LIFE’ (Ustinov, Bath & St James); ‘DARK TOURISM’ (Park Theatre); ‘THE AUTUMN GARDEN’, ‘ON APPROVAL’, ‘ST JOHNS NIGHT’, and ‘MOTHER ADAM’ (JST).
Book and Lyrics (and performer) Michael Conley
Michael Conley is a lyricist and librettist based in London. After studying musical theatre performance at Abilene Christian University, Michael moved to New York where he performed in and wrote for the cabaret scene. It is there he garnered two MAC Award nominations for his songs and singing in THE GAY & LESBIAN COMEDY FEST and ‘HELLO, BOYS!’ (which he wrote with Matthew Loren Cohen). In London, Michael joined the inaugural edition of the Book Music Lyrics musical theatre workshop (for which he now sits on the board). It is through BML that he met Luke Bateman with whom he has written many musicals (‘THE SORROWS OF SATAN’, ‘THE LITTLE BEASTS’, ‘PERSONALITY;’ (based on the novel by Andrew O’Hagan) and ‘THE FABULIST FOX SISTER’) and one cabaret (‘BATEMAN AND CONLEY: TOGETHER AGAIN FOR THE FIRST (AND LAST) TIME’). Through BML he also met Richy Hughes and Joseph Finlay with whom he wrote ‘SUPERHERO’ (Winner of the 2018 Off West End Award).
Musical Supervision: Tamara Saringer
Tamara is a London-based Musical Director, originally from Toronto, Canada. She trained as a classical pianist at The Royal Conservatory of Music in Toronto and also holds a masters degree from The Royal Conservatoire of Scotland. Upcoming work includes: ‘IDENTICAL’ (Theatre Royal bath), ‘STAY AWAKE JAKE’ (album - produced by Stephen McGill and Pearson productions), ‘SUNDAY SOUL’ - Concert Series (Chiswick Playhouse). Recent/select credits as musical director/supervisor include: ‘THE WIZARD OF OZ’ (Leeds Playhouse), ‘GROWL’ (Leicester Curve+Tour), ‘CRY BABY’, ‘PRISCILLA, QUEEN OF THE DESERT’ (Arts Educational Schools), ‘ME AND MY GIRL’ (as assoc. MD - Chichester Festival Theatre), ‘MAMMA, MIA!’ (Mark Goucher Productions), ‘LOCK AND KEY’ (The Vaults), ‘HEAVEN ON EARTH’ (as assoc. MD - UK arena tour), ‘THE LIFE’ (Southwark Playhouse), ‘VANITIES’ (Trafalgar Studios), ‘ROMEO & JULIET’ (as assoc. MD - UAE/ international tour). Tamara is also the resident Musical Director for ‘SIGNAL’, an ongoing concert series showcasing new musical theatre writing.
www.tamarasaringer.com
Adam Lenson Director/Producer
Adam is a London-based Director, Dramaturg and musical theatre specialist. In 2018 he founded ALP musicals with the goal of developing artist driven musical theatre that plays against traditional notions of what musicals look like, sound like or are about.
Directing includes the world premieres of ‘STAGES’ (Vault Festival), ‘WASTED’ (Southwark Playhouse), ‘SUPERHERO’ (Southwark Playhouse), ‘THE SORROWS OF SATAN’ (Tristan Bates Theatre), ‘LOCK AND KEY’ (Vault Festival), ‘THE LEFTOVERS’ (National Tour).
Other directing includes ‘THE RINK’ (Southwark Playhouse), ‘THE STORM’ (Helios Collective/ENO), ‘35MM’ (The Other Palace), ‘SONGS FOR A NEW WORLD’ (St James Theatre), ‘DISGRACED’, ‘THE DEAD GUY’ (English
Theatre Frankfurt), ‘DARK TOURISM’ (Park Theatre), ‘SEE WHAT I
WANNA SEE’ (Jermyn Street Theatre), ‘REEL LIFE’ (Ustinov Theatre, Bath and St James Studio), ‘ORDINARY DAYS’ (Trafalgar Studios).
He produces and hosts ‘SIGNAL’, a concert series that has held 20 events so far both in the real world and as digital and hybrid livestreams.
‘SIGNAL’ has given over 300 writers a platform to share new songs and shows, and has sold out London venues and been watched by over 70,000 online.
Christian Czornyj for theatrical.solutions Livestream Production
Christian is a sound and video designer who specialises in new musical theatre. He has worked on a range of projects most recently ‘BEASTS OF LONDON’ (Museum of London) ‘CYSIABH?’ (CPT, Holbeck), ‘DEATH SUITS YOU’ (Camden Fringe). He is a co-founder of theatrical.solutions who provide affordable theatre production services and specialise in livestreaming, hybrid, digital, and videography work. Christian has worked as technical producer on a range of hybrid and live-streamed events. Most recently; ‘SHIFT+ALT+RIGHT’ (ALP Musicals), ‘SIGNALxJW3’ (JW3), ‘RHINEBECK WRITERS RETREAT’, (Rhinebeck, NY) STAGES (Vault Festival).
Adam Lenson presents
‘The Fabulist Fox Sister’
by Luke Bateman & Michael Conley
directed by Adam Lenson
A fully stage production
streamed live on
Friday 4 and Saturday 5 December
at 7pm (running time 60mins)
www.ffsmusical.com
Photo credit: Jane Hobson
