''Queen of the Mist'' is a musical with music, lyrics and book by

Michael John LaChiusa Michael John LaChiusa (born July 24, 1962) is an American musical theatre and opera composer, lyricist, and librettist. He is best known for musically esoteric shows such as '' Hello Again'', ''Marie Christine'', '' The Wild Party'', and ''See Wha ...

. ''Queen'' tells the story of

Annie Edson Taylor Anna "Annie" Edson Taylor (October 24, 1838 – April 29, 1921) was an American schoolteacher who, on her 63rd birthday, October 24, 1901, became the first person to survive a trip over Niagara Falls in a barrel. Her motives were financial but ...

. Produced by Transport Group Theatre Company, the musical first opened

Off-Broadway An off-Broadway theatre is any professional theatre venue in New York City with a seating capacity between 100 and 499, inclusive. These theatres are smaller than Broadway theatres, but larger than off-off-Broadway theatres, which seat fewer tha ...

in 2011.

Production

The musical was the inaugural show of

Transport Group Transport Group Theatre Company is a non-profit, off-Broadway theatre company in New York City that stages new works and revivals of plays and musicals, with a focus on American stories told in visually progressive way. History Transport Group was ...

's 20th Century Project.Hetrick, Adam
"John LaChiusas 'Queen of the Mist' With Mary Testa Extends Off Broadway"
playbill.com The musical premiered

at The Gym at Judson on November 6, 2011 and closed on December 4, 2011. The musical received positive reviews.Brantley, Ben
"Theater Reviews. Obsessed With Taking the Plunge"
''The New York Times'', November 7, 2011 The show received its UK Premiere at the Jack Studio Theatre in London, produced by Pint of Wine Theatre Company, on April 9, 2019 and closed on April 27, 2019.

Cast and crew

Off-Broadway

The musical was directed by Jack Cummings III, with musical director Chris Fenwick, choreographer Scott Rink, assistant choreographer Megan Kelley, set design Sandra Goldmark, costume design Kathryn Rohe, lighting design R. Lee Kennedy, sound design Walter Trarbach, assistant set design Aaron Sheckler, assistant light design Robert Eshleman, orchestrations

Michael Starobin Michael Starobin (born January 25, 1956) is an orchestrator, conductor, composer, arranger, and musical director, primarily for the stage, film and television. He won Tony Awards for the orchestrations of '' Assassins'' (2004) and ''Next to No ...

, and wig design Paul Huntley. The band consisted of David Byrd Marrow (French horn), Chris Fenwick (keyboard 1), Susan French (Violin), Martha Hyde (woodwinds), Jeffrey Levine (bass), Mark Mitchell (keyboard 2), and Anik Oulianine (cello)."''Queen of the Mist'' Program"
transportgroup.org, accessed September 28, 2015 The cast was led by

Mary Testa Mary Testa (born June 4, 1955) is an American stage and film actress. She is a three-time Tony Award nominee, for performances in revivals of Leonard Bernstein's '' On the Town'' (1998), '' 42nd Street'' (2001) and'' Oklahoma'' (2019). Early life ...

(

) and Andrew Samonsky (Mr. Frank Russell) with D.C. Anderson (A New Manager),

Stanley Bahorek Stanley Bahorek is an American actor who has appeared on Broadway. Bahorek grew up in Worthington, Ohio and graduated from the University of Michigan at Ann Arbor in 2003 with a B.F.A. in Musical Theatre. He starred as Tom Sawyer in '' Big River' ...

(Mike Taylor), Theresa McCarthy (Jane),

Julia Murney Julia Kathleen Murney (born January 14, 1969) is an American actress and singer, also known for television commercial voice-overs. Until 2005, she was commonly known as the Broadway actress who had technically never appeared on Broadway. This wa ...

(Carrie Nation), and Tally Sessions (Man with his Hand Wrapped in a Handkerchief). The musical was made possible by major support by the Shen Family Foundation.

Off-West End

The musical was directed by Dominic O'Hanlon, with musical director Jordan Li-Smith and associate Connor Fogel, design by Tara Usher, costumer Lemington Ridley, sound design by Adrian Jeakins. The production was produced by Blake Klein for Pint of Wine Theatre Company. The cast was led by Trudi Camilleri (Annie Edson Taylor) and Will Arundell (Frank Russell) with Emily Juler (Jane), Emma Ralston (Carrie Nation), Tom Blackmore (Mike Taylor), Conor McFarlane (Man with his Hand Wrapped in a Handkerchief) and Andrew Carter (A New Manager). The band was conducted by Jordan Li-Smith, and consisted of Maude Wolstenholme (French horn), Connor Fogel (keyboard 1), Grace Buttler (Violin), Claire Shaw (woodwinds), Jack Cherry (bass), Ashley Jacobs (keyboard 2), and Hannah Thomas (cello). The production was nominated for two 2020

Off West End Awards Off West End refers to theatres in London which are not included as West End theatres. The term is a relatively recent one, coined after the similar American term " off-Broadway" (though without the same strict definition). It is usually used synon ...

, winning for ‘Best Musical Director’ (Jordan Li-Smith). The Original London Cast Recording is available to buy and stream.

Plot

In the early 1900s, in western New York State, at Niagara Falls, Anna Edson Taylor is a 63-year-old teacher. Needing money, she decides to become the first woman to go over Niagara Falls, and designs her own barrel. She is helped by her manager, Frank Russell. "Navigating both the treacherous Falls and a fickle public with a ravenous appetite for

sensationalism In journalism and mass media, sensationalism is a type of editorial tactic. Events and topics in news stories are selected and worded to excite the greatest number of readers and viewers. This style of news reporting encourages biased or emotion ...

, this unconventional heroine vies for her legacy in a world clamoring with swindling managers, assassins, revolutionaries, moralizing family, anarchists, and activists. Convinced that there is greatness in her and determined not to live as ordinary, she sets out to battle her fear and tempt her fate." The score incorporates turn-of-the-century themes. Anna attempts to take advantage of her fame on the lecture circuit, but that does not last. Anna dies in a nursing home at age 82, a pauper.

Musical numbers

;Act 1 * Opening—Company * There Is Greatness In Me—Anna Edson Taylor * A Letter to Jane/The Tiger—Anna, Jane * Charity—Panhandlers, Anna * Glorious Devil/The Waters—Barker, Company, Anna * The Barrel/Cradle or Coffin—Anna * Types Like You—Mr. Russell, Anna * Do the Pan! -- Company, Anna, Mr. Russell * Floating Cloud/Cradle or Coffin Reprise—Rivermen, Anna * Laugh at the Tiger—Anna * On the Other Side—Mr. Russell * Act One Finale—Mr. Russell, Company, Anna ;Act 2 * The Quintessential Hero—Anna, Company * Million Dolla’ Momma—Mr. Russell * Expectations—Mr. Russell * Bookings (Part One) -- New Manager, Company, Anna * Break Down the Door—Carrie Nation, Company * The Green—Anna * Bookings (Part Two) -- Anna, New Manager * Postcards—Company * The Fall (Act Two Finale) -- Anna, Company

Reception

Ben Brantley Benjamin D. Brantley (born October 26, 1954) is an American theater critic, journalist, editor, publisher and writer. He served as the chief theater critic for ''The New York Times'' from 1996 to 2017, and as co-chief theater critic from 2017 to ...

of ''

The New York Times ''The New York Times'' (''the Times'', ''NYT'', or the Gray Lady) is a daily newspaper based in New York City with a worldwide readership reported in 2020 to comprise a declining 840,000 paid print subscribers, and a growing 6 million paid ...

'' said the show "moves forward with a steady, fixed intensity that makes it feel as if it never moves forward at all". Steven Suskin of ''

Variety Variety may refer to: Arts and entertainment Entertainment formats * Variety (radio) * Variety show, in theater and television Films * ''Variety'' (1925 film), a German silent film directed by Ewald Andre Dupont * ''Variety'' (1935 film), ...

'' said LaChuisa "developed a reputation for shows that are more esoteric than involving", but that ''Queen'' "breaks the pattern", and also noted that the score was "intelligent" and "tuneful". Aubry D'Arminio writing for

Entertainment Weekly ''Entertainment Weekly'' (sometimes abbreviated as ''EW'') is an American digital-only entertainment magazine based in New York City, published by Dotdash Meredith, that covers film, television, music, Broadway theatre, books, and popular cul ...

referred to the show as "beautifully odd".D'Arminio, Aubry
''Queen of the Mist''
ew.com, November 10, 2011

References

External links

* {{Michael John LaChiusa 2011 musicals Biographical musicals Niagara Falls in fiction Off-Broadway musicals Cultural depictions of American women Cultural depictions of stunt performers Cultural depictions of educators Musicals set in New York