Araby (click link for updated site)

A chamber musical inspired by James Joyce's Dubliners

Text, lyrics, music & video by Chris Rael

Wednesdays-Saturdays, April 8, 9, 10, 11, 15, 16*, 17 & 18 at 7:30pm

Fri & sat, $20 (general), $15 (student/senior)
Sundays, April 12 & 19 at 3:00pm
$15, (gen) $12 (stu.sen)

*April 16 - Special Araby Event!
- Composer and ensemble talk back with post performance reception. $25

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Singers: Dudley Saunders, Nancy Magarill, Carlos Ponton & Chris Rael.

Chamber Ensemble: Rima Fand, Ina Litera, Pinky Weitzman, Matthew Goeke, Maria Jeffers, Reuben Radding, Brian Geltner & Chris Rael.

Directing Consultants: John Kelly & Eric Wallach

Vocal coach: Barbara Maier

Dramaturgy: Dudley Saunders & Penny Arcade

A uniquely structured "chamber musical" re-telling 15 short stories by James Joyce, Chris Rael's Araby re-conjures Dubliners in original lyrics accentuating emotions common to all eras and cultures, accompanied by a 9-piece chamber ensemble and video projections from contemporary Dublin. The composition reflects Rael's rich world music orchestral background. The libretto is impressionistic, recounting characters' internal experiences- an approach inspired by the depth of Joyce's psychological portraiture.

CHRIS RAEL is the singer, sitarist and founder of renowned New York Indo-pop ensemble Church of Betty. Church of Betty has performed in the Knitting factory, the Bottom Line, Lincoln Center, the Brooklyn Academy of Music, Prospect Park Band Shell, the Brooklyn Museum, Brooklyn Botanic Garden, the Jewish Museum, Brooklyn Museum of Art, and virtually every music nightclub and public radio station in Manhattan during the last 20 years. Composer of more than 300 songs, he has also performed all over the world, including Sydney Opera House and New York's Town Hall. He has worked with artists such as Penny Arcade, Bow Wow Wow, and Oasis. Drawn to theatre and film in recent years, he won the Outstanding Score Award at Outfest Film Festival in Los Angeles.

Araby is made possible with generous support from the Mary Flagler Charitable Trust, The Greenwall Foundation, the Andrew W. Mellon Foundation & the Peg Santvoord Foundation.