BABY FAT: Act I
La MaMa presents in association with Columbia Stages
WORLD PREMIERE of
BABY FAT: ACT I
A Screeching Weasel Rock Opera
Music and Lyrics: Ben Weasel
Libretto: Ben Weasel (after Victor Hugo and Francesco Maria Piave)
Director: Michael Scholar, Jr.
Music Director and Arranger: Andy Peterson
Choreographer: Samantha Sheppard
A November Theatre Production
Verdi’s classic opera Rigoletto gets a punk rock overhaul by iconic frontman of Screeching Weasel (“Cool Kids”), Ben Weasel. In Baby Fat: Act I, we find ourselves in The Reptile House, a Chicago club where the house band Serpentello and its entourage are at the center of a dark vortex of debauchery from which seemingly no soul can escape unharmed. Michael Scholar, Jr. (The Black Rider) directs this advance showing for a strictly limited run.
STARRING:
Russell Fischer* | Marlene Ginader | Kwame Michael Remy*
Please note that Screeching Weasel does not appear in this production of Baby Fat: Act I.
Featuring
Anne Bragg | Ryan Connolly*
Matt Felkey | Mallory Gladman*
Ryan Halsaver* | Darian Marchetto
Maggie Politi* | Dan Rosenbaum
Basit Shittu | Alexander Tomas
BAND
Guitar: Mike Hunchback
Guitar/Keys/Band Leader: Keith Patchel
Bass: Billy Smolen
Drums: Derek Swink
Creative Team
Director: Michael Scholar, Jr.
Music Director & Arranger: Andy Peterson
Choreographer: Samantha Sheppard
Set and Props Designer: You-Shin Chen
Costume Designer: Joseph Blaha
Lighting Designer: Oona Curley
Video Designer: Conor Moore
Sound Designer: John Sully
Dramaturg: Anchuli Felicia King
Assistant Director: Ran Xia
Set and Props Associate: Yu-Ting Lin
Casting Director: Jamibeth Margolis, CSA
Production Team
Producer: Kyle Cadotte
General Manager: Lucia Xiaoran Zhu
Associate Producer: Sipei Fang
Production Stage Manager: Joan Wyatt
Assistant Stage Manager: Abraham Marlett
Marketing Manager: Erik Kaiko
Company Manager: Michael Leibring
* Appears courtesy of Actors Equity
“While a handful of bands are prepping storylines for the stage, this may be the first opera in punk rock, and is a creative leap from the Weasel aesthetic.”
– Scott Murry, New Noise Magazine