You're invited to a special in-concert performance of Medusa, the Musical immediately followed by a conversation with the cast and crew of the musical.
Kick-off Discover Summer 2024 for adults with a preview of this new original musical written by D.C. native Wes Braver! In this feminist adaptation of the Greek myth, playwrights Wes Braver and Rachel Dean reintroduce Medusa as a vibrant heroine in her own right, instead of a footnote in the tale of Perseus.
At a party in the temple of Athens one night, Poseidon (god of the ocean) rapes a young priestess named Medusa. When she finds out she’s not the first, she accuses him publicly, and Athena (goddess of justice) takes on her case. The city makes Medusa out to be a monster, but she and the sisters of her temple are determined to tell a new story and redefine her legacy.
Bobby McCoy (Music Director)
Walter “Bobby” McCoy (Music Director) is a noted D.C. based music director and conductor thrilled to be returning to MEDUSA after last year’s reading. He has worked in New York on projects including Xanadu and The World Goes ‘Round (The Mac-Haydn Theatre). He recently was music coordinator for A Strange Loop (Woolly Mammoth Theatre). Other projects include Masterclass (Arizona Theatre Company); Fame: in Spanish (Gala Hispanic Theatre; 2022 Helen Hayes Winner, Outstanding Musical Direction); In The Heights in Spanish (2018 Helen Hayes Winner, Outstanding Musical Direction); Disney’s Beauty and the Beast, Miss You Like Hell, and Annie (Olney Theatre Center); Legally Blonde (Keegan Theatre; 2020 Helen Hayes Winner, Outstanding Musical Direction); A New Brain, A Civil War Christmas, Fly By Night (2019 Helen Hayes Nom), Old Wicked Songs (2016 Helen Hayes Nom), Bat Boy, and Altar Boyz (1st Stage Tyson’s); Little Shop of Horrors (2020 Helen Hayes Nom), Aida (2019 Helen Hayes Nom), and The Wild Party (2018 HH Nom) (Constellation Theatre). Select upcoming project; The Drowsy Chaperone (Shenandoah Summer Music Theatre). @wmccoymusic94
Alyssa Wray (Playing Medusa)
Alyssa Wray is a singer, actor, artist, and extremely clumsy romcom enthusiast from small town Kentucky, currently residing in NYC. You may have seen her in 2021 on ABC's American Idol where she was a finalist (Top 9). Regional: A Little Night Music Music (Petra) at American Theatre Group, Rocky Horror Picture Show (Magenta) at Bucks County Playhouse, A Little Night Music (Petra) American Theater Group, Rent (Maureen) at the Palace Theatre, Murder Ballad (Narrator) at Prima Theatre, Songs for a New World (Woman 1) at the Gateway Playhouse. Other favorite performing credits include her New York City debut solo show at Feinstein's 54 below "Alyssa Wray: Songs that Speak to Me". Extremely grateful for my agents at DGRW, Sarah & Dave at Creative Talent Company, Link '21, and my entire family and community back home as always. Spread the light. @itsalyssawray
Katie McManus (Playing Athena/Eury)
Katie has performed on numerous stages in the Washington, DC area, for the past 20 years. Highlights include Keegan Theatre (Yoga Play, Chicago, RENT), Signature Theatre (Titanic, Chess, Sweeny Todd), NextStop Theatre (Little Women, City of Angels, Into the Woods, Title of Show), Studio Theatre (Bloody Bloody Andrew Jackson), Shakespeare Theatre Company (Two Gentlemen of Verona: A Rock Opera), and Creative Cauldron (Jacques Brel is Alive and Well and Living in Paris, And the World Goes 'Round). UPCOMING: Rewind (featured guest artist) at Capital Pride Alliance/DC Capital Pride.
Wes Braver (BOOK, MUSIC, LYRICS)
Wes is a D.C. native living in Brooklyn writing words and music for stage and film. Musicals: Medusa (w/ Rachel Dean), Vinegar Tom (dir. Carlos Armesto), Galapago (w/ Andrea More), Hear No Evil in the Year 2090. Concept albums: METADATA, about Edward Snowden, Love and Hate and Season 8, (w/ Sophie Capp) about Game of Thrones. A song cycle, Space Cases. Songs for the musical film Chatsworth, (HBO’s New York Latino Film Festival), film scores: Youth, (SXSW, dir. Farida Zahran), The Block Plan (best film, Helsinki Film Fest). Songs featured at the Kennedy Center, Lincoln Center, all the great Centers. Music featured in downtown dance projects and with the Broken Box Mime Company. B.A. in Music, Colorado College; M.F.A., NYU Tisch GMTWP.
Rachel Dean (BOOK, MUSIC, LYRICS)
Rachel Dean is a New York City-based composer, pianist, and music director. She is a pianist for Hamilton and Moulin Rouge on Broadway, and has collaborated alongside the likes of Luis Salgado, Brandon Uranowitz, Alysha Umphress, and Jennifer Jancuska. An ASCAP award recipient, Rachel has had her work performed in New York, Tokyo, Miami, Ohio, Arizona, and New Jersey. Other musicals in development include The Anxiety Project (with David Brush), Unmasked (with Amy Burgess), and The Ballad of Janis Matthews and the Dodo Scouts (with Giancarlo Rodaz). Rachel is a member of ASCAP and Local 802.
Sylvie Scowcroft (PRODUCER)
Sylvie is a New York native who has consistently straddled the performing arts and business worlds. She is the founder of The Financial Grove, a financial planning firm aimed to help creative-minded people gain clarity and confidence around their finances. In her work as a producer she especially loves championing new musical theater, aiming to combine her experience in economic problem solving with her artistic capabilities to create practical, effective solutions for art making and provide more opportunities for artists to more easily be artists. She also proudly serves as the Board Treasurer of the Flight Path Dance Project which is revolutionizing accessibility to dance education.
Bobby Smith (Playing Poseidon)
Bobby Smith appeared on Broadway in Crazy for You, The World Goes ‘Round. His Off-Broadway credits include, Forever Plaid, Of Thee I Sing. And traveled in the first national tours of Brigadoon and The World Goes ‘Round. He has performed at Signature Theatre in 30 shows: Ragtime, Grand Hotel, Passion, A Little Night Music, Titanic, Simply Sondheim, Company, Assassins, She Loves Me, Midwestern Gothic, Road Show, La Cage aux Folles and last season, No Place to Go. He was last seen at Studio Theatre in Fun Home,(winning the 2024 Helen Hayes Award for best leading actor) A Class Act, The Long Christmas Ride Home, Reefer Madness, Jerry Springer the Opera, Grey Gardens and Caroline or Change. Most recently at Theater J; Two Jews Walk into a War. He is the recipient of 4 Helen Hayes Awards and 20 nominations,and the 2019 Anderson/Hopkins Award recognizes artists and actors in the DC community whose creative lives demonstrate great accomplishment to date and promise for the future. He teaches at Catholic University of America.
Born in Wiesbaden, Germany and raised all over the world, Raymond O. Caldwell (he/him/his) is an award-winning director and producer. He is the recipient of the 2023 Zelda Fichandler Award. Raymond has directed for Folger Shakespeare Library, Studio Theater, 1st Stage, Round House, Imagination Stage, Mosaic Theater Company, The Kennedy Center, National Players, Olney Theater Center, SolasNua, CulturalDC, and the Hegira. He spent 7 seasons as artistic director at Theater Alliance of Washington DC. Prior to artistic leadership, he was a faculty member and resident director in Howard University’s Department of Theatre Arts. He also served for 6 seasons as the Community Engagement Partnership Manager at Arena Stage. Raymond is committed to using theatre as a tool to transform communities, and has worked with a number of nonprofits throughout the US. In partnership with the US Department of State he has worked with NGOs based in India, Pakistan, Bangladesh, Nepal, Senegal, Ukraine, and Croatia —developing theatre with artists and activists to promote peace, address gender based violence, and counter violent extremism. MFA, Acting/New Play Development: The Ohio State University; BFA, Acting: University of Florida.
Discover Summer is an all-ages city-wide celebration of reading and learning. With Discover Summer you will enjoy great reads, fun events, and activities that encourage you to explore your neighborhood and D.C. By reading for just 20 minutes each day, you can win great prizes from community partners like tickets to local games and cool library swag. Everything you need to Discover Summer can be found at your neighborhood library! Learn more and sign up for Discover Summer 2024.
AGE GROUP: | Seniors | Adults | 13 - 19 Years Old (Teens) |
EVENT TYPE: | Discover Summer |
