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August 1, 2023
Happy 7th Birthday to
Paradise Lost in Space!
Seven years ago, we staged Paradise Lost in Space for the very first time with a brilliant cast and crew at Faerie Camp Destiny in Vermont. We continue to be grateful to all the magical, radical queer artists who helped bring our show to life.
We're Still Going
Since that first show in 2016, we've rewritten the play, performed it in Tennessee, reimagined it as a musical, teamed up with Fiora as our composer, staged a concert in Manhattan, written over 10 new songs, and are continuing to pursue the dream of bringing Paradise Lost in Space to theaters in New York!
Two Brand New Songs!
Please excuse our absence from email and social media. It's been for a good reason, though. We've been focusing on the most important work–finishing the script and songs!
We're finally ready to release two new songs we've been working on!
Believe Me
As Adam and Eve's lover's spat rises in intensity, their fundamental differences emerge. Can they face the challenge of living together in Eden?
In The Beginning
The very first lyrics we wrote for PLIS, with a brand new composition by Fiora. This finale song gives voice to the origin myth of creation and separation.
Happy Lammas!
Today, as we do every August 1, we celebrate Lammas, the midsummer harvest holiday.
Our community of radical faeries is gathering in Faerie Camp Destiny in Vermont for our annual Lammas celebration, which includes the making of community ritual theater. We are proud to be part of this tradition, and we send you all warm Lammas blessings!
Nov 16, 2022
We've got a
BRAND NEW SONG
to share with you!
At long last, Adam has his own solo!
It's a soulful rock ballad called
Feelin' Just Fine.
The scene:
Eve has just wandered off, and Adam finds himself alone for the first time in his life. There's a fiend loose in Eden Laboratory, and Adam has sworn to protect his love. He’s waited up all night, fearing that she might be in danger—or worse, that she’s plugged into the forbidden Motherboard!
Struggling to contain—or even understand—his feelings, Adam sings Feelin' Just Fine.
We're so proud of this new musical number.
It's a sweet contemplation on the nature of emotions, masculinity, and humanity, as felt through the innocent character of Adam, who's just beginning to see the complexities of life.
This song is so hot off the presses, none of you have heard it yet, even if you've been following us since Day 1.
Song Credits:
Lyrics: Joshua Fesi & Omri Navot
Composition, arrangement, and production: Fiora Wise
Vocals: Milo Longenecker
Recording Engineering: Ricky Allson
You're missing out!
Cuz we're having a lot of fun over here!
Soon we’ll be sharing a video of world-renowned heartthrob Milo Longenecker belting out his rendition of Feelin’ Just Fine. Milo played Adam in our last concert, and we’re so excited to have him back, singing this track.
Last week, we gathered with Milo and a new friend, recording engineer Ricky Allson, to lay down character vocals. You can catch all the shenanigans on our Instagram, which is where we share all the juicy content, and it’s not too late to follow us.
And in case you missed it: you’ll want to check out the nifty lyric videos we’ve been posting. Plus, if you’re feeling celestially inspired, you can record a reel of yourself singing along, like these freaks:
It’s been a whole year since our Staged Concert & Reading at The Players, which took place on October 27, 2021! In the past year, we have been writing and recording new songs, extensively reworking the script, applying for grants and residencies, and sharing our output on social media.
Watch a video clip from that magical night at The Players.
It’s Adam and Eve’s comedic duet A Symmetry, with Milo Longenecker and Izzy Leonardo singing, and Patrick Gallagher accompanying on piano.
In the Spotlight:
Milo Longenecker
We’re so thrilled to collaborate with Milo, a trans-genre theatre artist, on our new recording of Feelin’ Just Fine. After last year’s staged concert, we decided that Adam, the only main character who didn’t have a solo, deserved a musical number all his own. When it came time to write and record Feelin’ Just Fine we knew Milo would be the perfect person to voice the track, since he’s given Adam’s character so much depth.
In addition to his role in Paradise Lost in Space, Milo has been busy! He’ll be starring as Edmund in Hamlet Isn’t Dead’s production of King Lear, playing at The Center at West Park from December 2 - December 10, 2022. He also recently played the character Pain in Show Me Eternity (music and lyrics by Sam Caps, book and lyrics by Annie Dillon), which played at 54 Below on November 9th.
We caught up with Milo and asked him to share his perspective:
On his artistic goals
“Telling queer and trans stories is important to me. I’m also a big fan of any work where I can really sink my teeth in, and where the human condition is being deeply examined. If there’s movement and music involved, all the better!”
On portraying Adam in Paradise Lost in Space
“I think Adam is doing his best within the framework that he’s stuck with, and the tools he’s being offered -- not very helpful ones! And I think he’s very lucky to have Eve as a partner who has the courage to crack open those structures and go beyond them. I don’t think he would have made it beyond them himself. Which I think is a lovely way to tell the Adam and Eve Story. Thank god she grabbed his hand and pulled him out with her!”
On training as an actor
“I love all the different combinations of artistry that can be called upon, and exploring all the different ways to mix and match them. The best thing about being an artist is keeping all the balls in the air. The demands are always shifting and that’s a fun job to have. Pop quiz every day!”
Follow Milo on Instagram @milo_longenecker to see what he’s up to next!
If you’re not following us on Instagram…
Down Memory Lane...
Aug 1, 2022
Calling All Rebels!
Pandnemonium! Satan convenes a council of demons. Illustration by Gustav Doré.
Our newest song:
The Rebel Rabble-Rouse
An exciting update from Paradise Lost in Space!
We've just finished writing and recording “The Rebel Rabble-Rouse,”
a rollicking anthem sung by three rebel demons as they debate which action to take against the supreme leader of the universe, Lord El.
Lucifer convenes a council, calling on Betelgeuse, Thuban, and Acamar to make their case for going to war or surrendering. This labor of love was long in the making because it smashes together three different rock styles—heavy metal, pop punk, and disco pop—to convey the pandemonium of this very demonic debate!
Happy Lammas!
It's August 1st, which marks the celebration of the Lammas festival!
It's also the 6-year anniversary of the very first production of Paradise Lost in Space, performed at Vermont's Faerie Camp Destiny in 2016. We are eternally grateful to the magical cast, crew, design team, musicians, faerie cooks, and wizards that brought that show to life.
Happy birthday to Paradise Lost in Space!
In the Spotlight:
Our new collaboration!
As part of this anniversary, we're celebrating our ongoing collaboration with Fiora Wise, our brilliant composer. Fiora, a multi-talented songwriter, producer, and performer, whose single “I Am Not Afraid” was shortlisted for a 2022 Grammy Award, has officially joined the Paradise Lost in Space team. We joined forced in May 2021, and have been cranking out songs together ever since!
Rewriting our play as a musical is no simple feat!
Over the past year, we’ve been hard at work restructuring the script, composing new lyrics, locking down melodies, and recording demos that capture the weird, wonderful spirit of our queer musical.
Our collaboration began right in our home neighborhood of Bushwick. When Fiora moved to the West Coast in the fall, we continued meeting over zoom, writing and producing songs long-distance. We have about five more songs to compose and record, and with each week we steadily move towards the completion of our musical. As we get closer to the finish line, we look forward to sharing more songs with you!
Follow us on Instagram for a first look at fresh content!
A Big Thanks to
Allied Productions, Inc.
It takes a village!
Allied Productions, Inc. is an incredible artist-run organization that supports community building through collective artistic projects. Allied is a vital resource for many projects and helps locate funds, materials and production space for underserved and marginalized communities.
Check out the Allied Productions website to see what they’re up to and give them your support!
In addition to the creative development of our musical, we've been busy applying to residencies and grant opportunities. We'd like to thank Allied Productions for their generous assistance in helping us submit a grant application to the New York State Council for the Arts.
Nov 3, 2021
A Night to Remember
Paradise Lost in Space Debuts in New York
with a Special Staged Reading and Concert
Paradise Lost in Space made its New York City debut last Wednesday with a special staged reading and concert at The Players NYC. The historic venue, the superb cast, and the loving audience made it a night we'll never forget.
Stay tuned for the a video of the reading, to be released in the coming months.
In the Spotlight:
The Cast at The Players
Eight talented performers helped bring Paradise Lost in Space to life at our first reading and concert. We couldn't be more grateful to these magicians.
Support our cast by following them on social media!
Bizzy Barefoot as
Lucifer Morningstar
Bizzy has been performing professionally since the age of 13 and has been seen on hundreds of stages across the U.S., Canada, and Europe.
IG: @cosmic_travesty
Coleman Drew (aka Judy) as
Betelgeuse / Centauri
Judy is a writer, artist, and witch, originally from California and now based in Brooklyn, NY.
IG: @thejudydarling
Jason Eddy as
Acamar / Antares
Jason trained at The American Musical & Dramatic Academy and The Guildhall School of Music & Drama in London. He recently moved to NYC from London.
IG: @jaseddy
Monica Hunken as
The Motherborg
Monica is a Brooklyn-based theater performer, anti-fascist punk singer, activist and direct action trainer. She has toured around the world (mostly by bicycle).
IG: @monicahunken
Isabella Leonardo as
Eve
Isabella is a New York City based Actor/Singer/ Dancer/Songwriter who recently graduated from AMDA. Look for her upcoming EP as "Izzy."
IG: @bellajea.n
Milo Longenecker as
Adam
Milo is an actor, musician, movement artist, and queer theater pioneer.
IG: @milo_longenecker
Bryce Payne as
Lord El
Bryce is a multi-talented performer who has spent the majority of xyr adult life making performance art in New York City.
IG: @the.nice.bryce
Tamara M. Williams as
Thuban / Regulus
Tamara is an actress/dancer/writer hailing from New York City! She is a classically trained performer by way of Harlem School of The Arts.
IG: @tamara_viaergivens
Know Someone Who Knows Someone?
We are actively seeking collaborators to join our team and help us bring a full production of our musical to the stage.
We're in Search of:
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Producers
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Stage Managers
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Theater Companies
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Grants, Residencies, and Fellowships
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Directors
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Choreographers
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Designers
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Performers
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Musical Directors