PARIS COMMUNE  /
Photos by Carol Rosegg and Manuel Rotenberg

The Civilians brings an explosive event to life.

In 1871, working class Parisians overthrew the French government, declared Paris autonomous and launched an attempt to radically reinvent society. In this musical play, The Civilians brings this explosive event to life. Paris Commune employs a bold theatrical form to tell the story of this first socialist revolution in Europe. Paris Commune uses found texts and original songs from the time period to tell the story of this extraordinary event in which the Parisian community radically reimagined its entire society.

CREATIVE TEAM  /

Created by:
Steven Cosson and Michael Friedman

PRODUCTION  /

STAY TUNED FOR NEWS OF THE WORLD PREMIERE OF PARIS COMMUNE COMING SOON

A work-in-progress version of PARIS COMMUNE was presented as a workshop production as part of The Public Lab Series, The Public Theater, New York City, opening April 4, 2008. It was directed by Steven Cosson, with the following cast:

La Bordas, The Dressmaker and Others: Kate Buddeke
The Seamstress and Others: Aysan Celik
Elisabeth Dmitrieff and Others: Nina Hellman
The Soprano: IVA
Louise Michel and Others: Jeanine Serralles
French Army Soldier, Adolphe Thiers, Raoul Rigault and Others: Brian Sgambati
The Baker and Others: Jeremy Shamos
Le Père Duchêne, Paris Guardsman, General Rossel and Others: Sam Breslin Wright

Paris Commune has been supported in its development by a workshop production produced by The Civilians; a residency with New York Theatre Workshop; the MacDowell Colony; and a Page to Stage workshop production at La Jolla Playhouse.

Performed as a workshop at The Mazer Theatre, NYC; Summer Residency with New York Theatre Workshop; produced as a "Page to Stage" workshop at La Jolla Playhouse; and showcased in The Public Theater's New Work Now! festival.

PRESS  /

The Public Theater
New York, NY, 2008

• World Socialist Web Site: "A turn toward history we need"
• Indypendent: "A stirring tale"

MoMA
Special Concert, New York, NY, December 11 & 12, 2007

LaJolla Playhouse
"Page to Stage" Workshop Production, July 27 to August 15, 2004

• San Diego Union-Tribune: "the events of 1871 have strong contemporary reverberations"
• North County Times: "In 'Paris Commune,'...we delve even deeper into the past"
• Gay & Lesbian Times: "The Civilians...create original work that is connected to and inspired by the contemporary landscape"

Mazer Theatre
Workshop Production, New York, NY, April 3 to 6, 2003

INVESTIGATE  /

MP3

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