Lempicka | |
---|---|
Music | Matt Gould |
Lyrics | Carson Kreitzer |
Book | Matt Gould Carson Kreitzer |
Setting | Paris, France |
Basis | The life of Tamara de Lempicka |
Premiere | July 20, 2018 : Williamstown Theatre Festival |
Productions | 2018 Williamstown 2022 San Diego 2024 Broadway |
Lempicka is a stage musical based on the life of Polish painter Tamara de Lempicka (1898-1980). The musical features music by Matt Gould, lyrics by Carson Kreitzer, with a book by Gould and Kreitzer from an original concept by Kreitzer.
The show opened on Broadway at the Longacre Theatre on April 14, 2024.
The musical follows the life of de Lempicka as she flees the Russian Revolution to Paris, France with her husband, Tadeusz, and daughter, Kizette. [1] [2] Facing the rise of fascism, Tamara takes to painting to survive, and when she meets the free-spirited Rafaela, a prostitute on the fringes of Parisian society, she's torn between the life she cherishes with her husband and the passion, ambition, and possibility awoken in her by her new muse. [3]
The musical was originally commissioned by Yale Repertory Theatre and New Dramatists. Between 2011 and 2017, the musical underwent a series of labs and workshops. The musical premiered at the Williamstown Theatre Festival on July 20, 2018, running through August 1, 2018. The show is choreographed by Raja Feather Kelly and directed by Rachel Chavkin. [4]
The production made its West Coast premiere on June 14, 2022 at La Jolla Playhouse, running until July 24. [5]
The musical began previews on Broadway on March 19, 2024 at the Longacre Theatre and opened on April 14, 2024. The production team includes most of the team from La Jolla including Chavkin as director and Raja Feather Kelly as choreographer. Costumes are by Paloma Young and scene design by Riccardo Hernandez. [6] It is set to close on May 19, 2024, following low box office grosses. [7]
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Character | Williamstown | San Diego | Broadway [8] |
---|---|---|---|
2018 | 2022 | 2024 | |
Tamara de Lempicka | Eden Espinosa | ||
Tadeusz Lempicki | Andrew Samonsky | ||
Rafaela | Carmen Cusack | Amber Iman | |
Marinetti | Steven Rattazzi | George Abud | |
Kizette | Alexandra Templer | Jordan Tyson | Zoe Glick |
Raoul Kuffner de Diószegh (The Baron) | Nathaniel Stampley | Victor E. Chan | Nathaniel Stampley |
Cara Carolina Kuffner de Diószegh (The Baroness) | Rachel Tucker | Jacquelyn Ritz | Beth Leavel |
Suzy Solidor | Natalie Joy Johnson |
Year | Award | Category | Nominee | Result |
---|---|---|---|---|
2024 | Drama League Awards | Outstanding Production of a Musical | Pending | |
Distinguished Performance | Eden Espinosa | Pending | ||
Amber Iman | Pending | |||
Tony Awards | Best Performance by a Leading Actress in a Musical | Eden Espinosa | Pending | |
Best Performance by a Featured Actress in a Musical | Amber Iman | Pending | ||
Best Scenic Design in a Musical | Ricardo Hernández and Peter Nigrini | Pending |
Tamara Łempicka, better known as Tamara de Lempicka, was a Polish painter who spent her working life in France and the United States. She is best known for her polished Art Deco portraits of aristocrats and the wealthy, and for her highly stylized paintings of nudes.
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