''Lempicka'' is a musical based on the life of

Polish Polish may refer to: * Anything from or related to Poland, a country in Europe * Polish language * Poles, people from Poland or of Polish descent * Polish chicken *Polish brothers (Mark Polish and Michael Polish, born 1970), American twin screenwr ...

painter

Tamara de Lempicka Tamara Łempicka (born Tamara Rosalia Gurwik-Górska; 16 May 1898 – 18 March 1980), 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 De ...

with music by Matt Gould, lyrics by

Carson Kreitzer Carson Kreitzer is an American playwright currently based in Minneapolis, Minnesota. She graduated magna cum laude from Yale University in 1991 with a B.A. in theatre and literature and an M.F.A. from the Michener Center for Writers at the Univer ...

, with a book by Gould and Kreitzer from an original concept by Kreitzer.

Synopsis

The musical follows the life of de Lempicka as she flees the

Russian Revolution The Russian Revolution was a period of Political revolution (Trotskyism), political and social revolution that took place in the former Russian Empire which began during the First World War. This period saw Russia abolish its monarchy and ad ...

Paris, France Paris () is the Capital city, capital and List of communes in France with over 20,000 inhabitants, most populous city of France, with an estimated population of 2,165,423 residents in 2019 in an area of more than 105 km² (41 sq mi), ma ...

with her husband, Tadeusz, and daughter, Kizette. Facing the rise of

fascism Fascism is a far-right, authoritarian, ultra-nationalist political ideology and movement,: "extreme militaristic nationalism, contempt for electoral democracy and political and cultural liberalism, a belief in natural social hierarchy an ...

, Tamara takes to painting to survive, and when she meets the free-spirited Rafaela, a

prostitute Prostitution is the business or practice of engaging in sexual activity in exchange for payment. The definition of "sexual activity" varies, and is often defined as an activity requiring physical contact (e.g., sexual intercourse, non-penet ...

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.

Productions

The musical was originally commissioned by

Yale Repertory Theatre Yale Repertory Theatre at Yale University in New Haven, Connecticut was founded by Robert Brustein, dean of Yale School of Drama, in 1966, with the goal of facilitating a meaningful collaboration between theatre professionals and talented student ...

and New Dramatists. Between 2011 and 2017, the musical underwent a series of labs and workshops. The musical premiered at the

Williamstown Theatre Festival The Williamstown Theatre Festival is a resident summer theater on the campus of Williams College in Williamstown, Massachusetts. It was founded in 1954 by Williams College news director Ralph Renzi and drama program chairman David C. Bryant. I ...

on July 20, 2018, running through August 1, 2018. The show is choreographed by

Raja Feather Kelly Raja Feather Kelly is an American dancer and choreographer based in Brooklyn who is notable for his "radical downtown surrealist" productions which combine "pop and queer culture". He has choreographed numerous theatrical productions, including ' ...

and directed by

Rachel Chavkin Rachel Chavkin (; born July 20, 1980) is an American stage director best known for directing the musicals '' Natasha, Pierre, & The Great Comet of 1812'' and ''Hadestown,'' receiving nominations for a Tony Award for Best Direction of a Musical f ...

. The production made its West Coast premiere on June 14, 2022 at La Jolla Playhouse, running until July 24.

Musical numbers

;Act I *"Opening" *"Our Time" *"Starting Over" *"Paris" *"Burn It Up" *"Time/Two Paintings" *"The Exchange" *"A New Vision for the Future" *"Stillness" *"L’Amour Fou" *"My Kingdom" *"Woman Is" ;Act II *"The Grind" *"The New Woman" *"The Most Beautiful Bracelet" *"Adam and Eve" *"What She Sees" *"New Vision (Reprise) " *"Spinning" *"Women" *"Speed" *"I’d Like Him to Remember Me" *"The Time I Didn’t Know You" *"The New Woman (Reprise) " *"Brush and Oils" *"Blasted California Sun" *"Finale"

Characters and original cast

References

{{Reflist 2018 musicals Biographical musicals Musicals inspired by real-life events Cultural depictions of 20th-century painters Cultural depictions of Polish women