We Might Be Struck By Lightning
This July, LOLA (Local Opera Local Artists) presents a remount of the groundbreaking chamber opera We Might Be Struck By Lightning, conceived and directed by Rebecca Herman with choreography by Rebecca Whitehurst. Performed at Ground Floor Theatre, this bold and genre-blurring work redefines the boundaries of recital and theatre.
Arranged for voice, piano, cello, and violin, We Might Be Struck By Lightning weaves together movement, voice, and music in an intimate, electric harmony. Through the expressive power and intimacy of art song and the physical language of dance, the work explores themes of vulnerability, connection, grief, and the deep complexities of the human experience.
This remount marks a new chapter for the production, which first captivated audiences in 2017 with its aching honesty and evocative visual storytelling.
Show Dates and Times:
Friday, July 11th @ 7 PM
Saturday, July 12th @ 7 PM
Sunday, July 13th @ 4 PM
Thursday, July 17th @ 7 PM
Friday, July 18th @ 7 PM
Saturday, July 19th @ 4 PM
*Tickets are available on a sliding scale of $10 - $100 for matinees and $20-$100 for evening shows.*
*Please note, this show explores themes of depression and intimacy and is appropriate for mature teens and adults.
This project is supported in part by the City of Austin Economic Development Department.
Synopsis:
Act I (Present Day)
Prelude - (arr. B. Tibbetts)
Scene 1 – While on a work trip, Joanne receives news that her mother is dying (Ich hab’ ein glühend Messer – Mahler). As she waits for her flight home, memories of her mother flood in (Songs My Mother Taught Me – Dvořák).
Scene 2 – At home, Annisha struggles to get out of bed while her fiancé works nearby (Romance – Debussy). Unable to express what she’s feeling, Annisha retreats inward. Her fiancé eventually goes to bed alone, leaving Annisha with her spiraling thoughts (Die Nacht – Robert Owens).
Scene 3 – Joanne arrives at the hospital. Her mother is resting fitfully, and Death is already present (Asturiana, Nana – de Falla).
Scene 4 – Annisha and her fiancé attempt to reignite their spark, but Annisha realizes she can no longer fake it. She admits to herself that she is deeply depressed (Recueillement – Debussy). Later, she confides in her fiancé about her struggles. (Die Nacht – R. Strauss).
Scene 5 – Joanne contemplates mortality and all the things left unsaid between her and her mother. As Death leads her mother away, they offer Joanne the chance to follow (Steh’ still – Wagner; Der Tod und das Mädchen – Schubert).
Scene 6 – Feeling trapped in a heteronormative life, Annisha grows restless (The Heart of a Woman – H. Leslie Adams). She and her fiancé argue while preparing for Joanne’s mother’s memorial (Instrumental Interlude – Mahler arr. B. Tibbetts).
Scene 7 – At the service, Annisha notices a woman—Girl—and feels something stir inside her (Vous m’avez regardée avec toute votre âme – Lili Boulanger). Joanne delivers her eulogy (Grief – William Grant Still). As others offer condolences, Annisha remains preoccupied by Girl (Qu’importe que l’hiver – Massenet). Meanwhile, Death watches Joanne closely. Joanne searches for a glimmer of hope, and Death senses she is not yet ready (Um Mitternacht – G. Mahler).
Intermission (15 minutes)
Act II (Three Months Later)
Scene 8 – Joanne remains consumed by her mother’s death. She calls out to Death while drawing a bath (Komm, o Tod, von Nacht umgeben – Wolf). Death and Mother confront each other, as Joanne recoils from the final step, frightened by what she almost embraced.
Scene 9 – Annisha nervously awaits her first date with Girl (Parfois, je suis triste – Lili Boulanger). Girl arrives, and a new chapter begins (Instrumental Interlude – Fauré, arr. B. Tibbetts).
Scene 10 – Joanne, further unraveled, welcomes Death at last (I Want to Die While You Love Me – Rosephanye Powell). That same night, Annisha and Girl share their first night together. (Ständchen – Schumann).
Scene 11 – Joanne's mother, powerless to intervene, watches Death and Joanne draw closer. Meanwhile, Annisha’s fiancé finishes moving out and faces the aftermath of their breakup (Instrumental Interlude - Debussy arr. B. Tibbetts).
Scene 12 – On a beach getaway, Annisha proposes to Girl (Extase – Amy Beach).
Scene 13 – Joanne visits her mother’s grave and prepares to die surrounded by nature (Erntelied – Alma Mahler).
Scene 14 – Death returns to embrace Joanne, just as Annisha and Girl celebrate their wedding (Du bist die Ruh – Schubert).
Cast and Creative Team
Cast :
Joanne Evans – Mezzo-soprano
Annisha Mackenzie – Soprano
EG Gionfriddo – Death
Sarah Navarrete – Girl
Mari Akita – Mother
Matthew Sommers – Fiancé
Orchestra:
Joey Choi - Music Director and Piano
Beth Johnson - Violin
Barbara George - Cello
Ben Tibbetts - Arranger
Creative Team:
Liz Cass – Executive Producer
Rebecca Herman - Show Creator and Stage Director
Rebecca Whitehurst - Choreographer
Natalie George Productions - Lighting and Scenic Design
Desiree Humphries - Costume Design
Wendy Sanders – Hair and Makeup Design
Lisa Goering - Production Coordinator & Stage Manager
Music By:
Gustav Mahler
Antonín Dvořák
Claude Debussy
Robert Owens
Manuel de Falla
Richard Strauss
Franz Schubert
H. Leslie Adams
Lili Boulanger
William Grant Still
Jules Massenet
Hugo Wolf
Rosephanye Powell
Robert Schumann
Amy Beach
Alma Mahler
