The Material World

A Musical by Dan Fishback
Directed by Stephen Brackett
Music Directed by Dane Terry

Cast Recordings from Dixon Place Production (2012) and La MaMa Workshop (2014) Executive Produced by Dan Fishback

All tracks mixed and mastered by Casey Holford

Vocals and acoustic instruments on tracks 1, 2, 3, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9 & 14 recorded at Flux Studios by Daniel Sanint, Vocals and acoustic instruments on tracks 4, 10, 11, 12 & 13 recorded at Golden Rule Studio by Casey Holford.

1. COMRADES HELP ME: Vocals: Sarah Stiles, Piano: Dane Terry

2. COUNTER-REVOLUTIONARY: Vocals: Natalie Joy Johnson, Sarah Stiles, Lisa Clair, Backing track produced by Casey Holford

3. SAVE THE PLANET: Vocals: Jed Resnick, Piano: Dane Terry

4. COUPLA LOSERS: Vocals: Cole Escola, Megan Stern, Piano: Dane Terry, Guitar: Lior Ben-Abu Hadar

5. KABBALAH IS A SYSTEM (PART 1): Vocals: Natalie Joy Johnson, Lisa Clair, Backing track produced by Matt Katz

6. KABBALAH IS A SYSTEM (PART 2): Vocals: Natalie Joy Johnson, Lisa Clair, Sarah Stiles, Backing track produced by Matt Katz

7. WHOLE REVOLUTION MADE ENTIRELY OF PAMPHLETS: Vocals: Chip Zien, Molly Pope, Natalie Joy Johnson, Lisa Clair, Sarah Stiles, Piano: Dane Terry

8. NO ONE KNOWS CRAP: Vocals: Eleanor Reissa, Molly Pope, Chip Zien, Natalie Joy Johnson, Piano: Dane Terry

9. REVOLUTION HANGOUT: Vocals: Jed Resnick, Sarah Stiles, Piano: Dane Terry, Guitar: Dan Fishback

10. WHO DOESN'T LOVE A BABY?: Vocals: Lisa Clair, Backing track produced by Casey Holford

11. PRODUCTIVE: Vocals: Amy Gironda, Backing track produced by Matt Katz

12. THE GREATEST: Vocals: Molly Pope, Piano: Dane Terry, Guitar: Lior Ben-Abu Hadar

13. NEVER SAY NO: Vocals: Cole Escola, Lisa Clair, Guitar: Lior Ben-Abu Hadar

14. USED: Vocals: Eleanor Reissa, Sarah Stiles, Piano: Dane Terry, Guitar: Casey Holford

SYNOPSIS:

Humorless twelve-year-old revolutionary Gittel Fenster wants to destroy capitalism, and there's only one person who can help her: Madonna.

Set in a boarding house in 1921, "The Material World" features an anachronistic cast of neurotic Jews, all trying to save the world. While young Gittel studies Marxism to prepare for global socialist revolt, gay nerd Ian Fleishman tests the revolutionary power of Facebook, and Madonna, the Queen of Pop herself, meditates on secret Kabbalistic codes to fix a broken universe. The characters grapple with their lofty ambitions and reckon with their capacity for failure, to an outrageous, eclectic score of electro dance pop, bouncy folk, touching ballads, preposterous klezmer and classic Tin Pan Alley. As the ridiculous tenants of "The Material World" sing out their anxieties, they speak to our boldest dreams and tiniest goals, and tell a bittersweet story about the the history and future of Jewish radicalism in America. 

The second installment of “The Material World Trilogy,” and a sequel to Fishback's erotic Chanukah comedy "You Will Experience Silence," this completely unique musical was the surprise hit of the 2012 HOT Festival at Dixon Place, extending its sold-out, critically acclaimed run three times, and returning for a sold-out series of concerts at Joe's Pub in 2013.  Dan Fishback is currently developing the final installment in this series of plays.

PRESS: 

"The Material World is the best downtown musical I have seen in years." - Time Out NY (Top 10 Plays of 2012)

"In a better, smarter world, perhaps, thoughtful musicals like this one would be on Broadway instead of Spider-Man" - The Village Voice

"The best musical I’ve seen in a long time." – Scott Wittman (lyricist, “Hairspray,” “Smash”)

"The Material World is unmissable. Fishback's songs and book are superb." - IndieWire

"The best new musical I have seen come from downtown in a decade, maybe longer." – Culturebot

"Molly Pope gives one of the greatest downtown performances I have ever seen." - Backstage

Productive

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