"Intimate and soulful...elegant...don't wait for the next iteration to see it." -Gwendolyn Rice, Isthmus
HELD: A Musical Fantasy
A Madison original returns home!
"If I believe I am dreaming, does that mean I'm still alive?"
October 17-19, 2019, 7:30pm
Threshold, 2717 Atwood Avenue
Click here for a map. Street parking available in nearby neighborhoods.
Please note: Due to the configuration of the stage, there will be no late seating. If you have pre-purchased a ticket and have not arrived at show time, we will hold the curtain a few minutes for you. HELD runs 80 minutes with no intermission.
Threshold is accessible for audience members with limited mobility. Please let us know at tickets@mtmadison.com if there is anything else we can do to make your visit comfortable.
Music by Meghan Rose, Book and Lyrics by Kelly Maxwell
Directed by Isabella Anastasia Leigh
Music Direction by Lisa Erdman
Choreography by Marin Johnson
Please note: The October 17 performance is currently at capacity. There may be some no-shows. Please arrive at 7:00 pm to be put on a waiting list, or get tickets now for the Friday and Saturday shows!
For performances October 18 and 19:
Admission is $20. Tickets are available online by clicking below or by calling Brown Paper Tickets at 1-800-838-3006. Tickets may also be available at the door beginning 30 minutes before the performance, depending on availability. There is a $1.99/ticket surcharge to order online or by phone. Tickets are also available at the door starting a half hour prior to show time. (7:00 p.m.)
HELD is presented in collaboration with
This project is supported by Dane Arts with additional funds from the Endres Mfg. Company Foundation, the Evjue Foundation Inc., the charitable arm of The Capital Times, the W. Jerome Frautschi Foundation, and the Pleasant T. Rowland Foundation.
This project is funded in part by a grant from the Madison Arts Commission, with additional funds from the Wisconsin Arts Board.
In a different world, three childhood friends are trapped in a cell by a mysterious captor, The Blood Wizard. Zig-zagging through time, we learn the deep, complex relationships of the three: Korin, a dreamer with the power to conjure images, reckons with her vital role in their universe. Mera, a descendant of fierce warriors, contends with her destiny. Bardo, a baker, strives for peace, even as the threat of war is upon them. Complex feelings of friendship and love weave their way into the trio's relationship as they careen closer to finding the identity of their captor, and accepting their true feelings for one another. Luxurious music and sumptuous lyrics make Held a heartrending, one-of-a-kind musical experience.
Held is presented in an artistic partnership with Arts for All of Wisconsin and XTension Dance Company. The three organizations will use their strengths to collaborate for a multi-faceted and exciting theatrical experience.
PAST PRODUCTIONS
Held was born from a sketch performed with Madison's Are We Delicious? Soon after, it was developed into a full piece, premiering at Broom Street Theater in the spring of 2015. The production then traveled to the New York Fringe Festival in 2016, and earned a coveted spot in the New York Musical Theatre Festival in summer of 2018.
Learn more about the show's history and see more pictures at www.heldmusical.com.
Broom Street Theatre, 2015: Patrick Chounet as Bardo, Sarah Streich as Mera, Erin McConnell as Korin
NYC Fringe Festival, 2016: Alex Van Handel as Bardo, Hannah Ripp-Dieter as Korin, Katie Bakalars as Mera
Check out our YouTube Channel here for rehearsal videos!
Cast recording: (2016 New York Fringe Festival Cast)