I Sing the Rising Sea

I SING THE RISING SEA
SEPTEMBER 13 - OCTOBER 9
ODU'S GOODE THEATRE

Book, Music, & Lyrics by ERIC SCHORR

This musical by the coauthor of Frog Kiss tells a sweeping story that flows through generations and across continents—from the shores of Virginia to Japan and Antarctica. Scientists, soldiers, poets, and lovers strive to understand and master the power of the oceans that connect us all. In collaboration with ODURep, this newest installment of the American Soil Series is an original and timely work for musical theatre that captures the urgency of one of humanity's most overwhelming challenges—to survive the rising sea.

"...It’s the kind of adventure that live theater should be." - Mal Vincent, The Virginian-Pilot

Funded in part by The Ensemble Studio Theatre/Alfred P. Sloan Foundation Science & Technology Project.

There will not be a bar or concessions available at the Goode Theatre.

View the Teaser Trailer!

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WHAT PEOPLE ARE SAYING...

"...sheer magic...brilliant, absolutely brilliant." — M.D. Ridge, WHRO

"...It’s the kind of adventure that live theater should be." — Mal Vincent, The Virginian-Pilot

"I really enjoyed everything about the show. The set and projections were out of this world!”

"A GREAT way to begin our season at Virginia Stage!"

"I've been coming to Virginia Stage for fifteen years now and this musical was by far one of the top five I have seen."

"The entire cast of this show worked so well together. I felt like they have been doing this show for years! Excellent!"

"If you’re a resident of this area, you NEED to see this production. It is a wonderful piece of our history in Virginia."

"I've lived here for forty years and have never seen something this clever to explain water rise and the history of our state."

"The costumes and set were just fabulous. So much color and vibrancy!"

"It is a beautifully crafted and written play. The actors connected with the audience and performed so well to bring the story to life."

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BEHIND THE SCENES...

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DIVING DEEPER...

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IN THE NEWS...

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More...

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Grounded

Grounded

March 1-20

by George brant
Directed by laley lippard

An elite fighter-pilot trades the cockpit for a cradle when an unexpected pregnancy forces her from the sky. Soon, she longs to return to her aerial battlefield, but is instead assigned to pilot drones from a windowless trailer in the Nevada desert. Each day she deploys to hunt terrorists and each night returns to raise a family. The boundary between her drone screen and domestic life begin to blur as the urgency of tracking an eminent target and the needs of a family fracture her loyalty. 

Through the Director's Eye

Welcome, dear audience, to Grounded. Like many of you, I grew up in Hampton Roads and experienced the power of live theater from the seats of The Wells. I began my directing career at The Virginia Governor's School for the Arts. Returning to direct this urgent and necessary play with the Virginia Stage Company is a thrill and an honor.

Years ago, on a particularly sublime day in Virginia Beach, I shielded my eyes from the glaring sun as the Blue Angels tore through the sky. Tourists reflexively clapped their hands over their ears. Looking up, a family friend said, “That is the sound of freedom.”

The soundtrack of my youth is uniquely defined by the sound of jets -- the roaring of the airborne Tigers. I was raised by, taught by, and am friends with current and former service men and women. Members of my family served in every war of the Twentieth Century. It is second nature to respect the people attached to those jets.

George Brant was inspired to write this play after reading an article about the growing use of drone warfare. He discussed with me how the description of civilian death and the impact on the pilots struck a nerve -- a rippled ringing of responsibility. Writers create worlds that give space for our polarized and tangled realities to be viscerally felt. They draw us from our heads to our hearts through story. They allow us to hold contradictions. They complicate our absolute certainties.

The Pilot invites us to look up and hear her, without clapping our hands over our ears, so that in witnessing a more complex story of war, we might brush against freedom.

As a director, I am always interested in making invisible narratives visible so that we can be witness to the fullness of the American story. It has been an incredible journey to bring this play to life. I am continually amazed by my collaborators who have poured their heart and soul into this production.

Thank you for your support of and passion for the theater.

- Laley Lippard

Creative Team

DIRECTOR........................................................Laley Lippard

SET DESIGNER...............................................Terry S. Flint

LIGHTING DESIGNER...................................JASON AMATO

SOUND DESIGNER & COMPOSER...........DANIEL PERELSTEIN

COSTUME DESIGNER...................................JENI SCHAEFER

PROJECTION DESIGNER.............................SARAH TUNDERMANN

DRAMATURG....................................................KATHREN MARTIN

PRODUCTION STAGE MANAGER.............MATTHEW G. MARHOLIN

STAGE MANAGEMENT INTERN................SAMANTHA ALONSO