RETURN HOME BY MOONLIGHT is a new opera musical theater piece adapted from the poetry of Fern Green Baldwin, mother of eight, wife, artist, grandmother and great-grandmother. His writings offer a singular perspective on rural America, industrial transformation, and migration, an expression and chronicle of a life articulated from a Minnesota “sense of place” and a wonder of unseen things. Stories emerge occasionally through conversation, frequently through narration, and always with images. The sense of place is deep and natural elements (family, weather, landscape, animals) often come up as themes. Now his daughters Jennifer Baldwin Peden (soprano) and Christine Baldwin (mezzo) join the composer Daniel Nass and director/playwright Ben Krywosz to create a lyrical meditation for theatre, adapting Fern’s writing to moments that sing, giving voice to a spirit that describes, remembers, celebrates, laments and predicts a life of quiet substance. Under the musical direction of sonja thompson, this hyperlocal chamber opera is composed for piano, violin and ukulele, and is presented in the intimate studio-theatre of Nautilus. Places are very limited. The show lasts approximately 70 minutes, with no intermission.
It was my first time at this theater and I really enjoyed the intimate space. I like the set with the bottom, the bridge, the swing and the lights. It worked well in space and the actors made great use of it. What I liked about this musical was that it was more of a musical theater opera as a classically trained singer who loves musicals I really enjoyed it and both actresses had great voice, blend and chemistry with their characters. I felt connected to them and their story through poetic music and dialogue.
I would recommend seeing Moonlit Walk Home while you have the chance.
For show tickets and information, click here
Photo courtesy of Nautilus Music – Theater
Comments are closed.