![]() Liz's plays tend to be musicals, but not in the conventional sense. The music in these theatrical works covers many styles and characterizations, ranging from reggae to Tibetan chanting. Liz weaves music and words together in her plays to create a unique and captivating style. Published plays available for purchase: |
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Runaways:
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Alice in Concert: |
Meryl Streep made a great impression in this musical directed and produced by Joseph Papp at the Public Theatre. An extremely imaginative rendering of the Alice in Wonderland story, performed on a bare stage. The music encompasses everything from country-western to calypso, all transmogrified by Ms. Swados' inimitable style. "Ms. Swados' new dramatized cantata ... made me think of Carroll very deeply.... [She] magnificently catches most of Carroll's divine nuttiness.... Her best musical to date."-- N.Y. Post Click here to buy Alice in Concert. |
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Doonesbury: |
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The Red Sneaks: |
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The Haggadah: |
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Jewish Girlz: |
A weekend retreat sponsored by two female rabbis where adolescent Jewish girls from all types of families and backgrounds exchange stories and songs, transcending stereotypes to find individuality, heart and humor. Examines the fast pace of this decade and what it means to be a girl - not just a Jewish girl - in modern society. Songs range from contemporary pop tunes to upbeat numbers based on religious liturgy. Underwritten with a series of major grants from the Hadassah Foundation. Click here to buy Jewish Girlz. |
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Other Plays by Elizabeth Swados: |
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Bible Women: |
A song cycle that presents women from the Bible as strong rock and
cabaret singers with their own version of traditional stories. Debuted
in New York at Bottom Line and La Mama, toured seven cities. |
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JABU:
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An absurdist musical extravaganza based on the life of French playwright Alfred Jarry and starring his monstrous creations, Ma and Pa Ubu. Recently completed a succesful 9-week run at The Flea Theater in New York. Commissioned by The Alley Theater in Houston. This musical comedy combines the French Absurdist classic play Ubu Roi with the wild life of young playwright Alfred Jarry. In JABU, scatological Pa Ubu and his bumbling cronies murder the King and throw the country into mindless chaos. This is juxtaposed against the colorful life of Ubu playwright Alfred Jarry, a vibrant young man determined to be his own comic star. JABU is staged using elements of vaudeville, circus, puppetry, clowning, and musical theater mixed with slides and video. It features a cast of eighteen. |
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Missionaries: |
A sung play dedicated to the four women who were murdered in El Salvador
in 1980. Performed in 2005 at The Cathedral of St. John the Divine.
First performed with New York Stage and Film at Vassar and the Brooklyn
Academy of Music. |
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Night Club Cantata: |
A cabaret which sets the work of well known poets and writers to music.
The show deals with extremes of both subject and emotion, covering such
diverse topics as birdcalls, Delmore Schwartz, Frank O'Hara, ragas and
circus. First performed in New York at The Village Gate,
also in Boston and Washington D.C. |
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Rap Master Ronnie: |
Political cabaret created by Garry Trudeau
and Elizabeth Swados during Regan's administration. First performed in
New York at The Village Gate. |
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The 49 Years: |
A play about a 70 year-old female composer
and her 47 year-old sexy, suicidal mother who comes back to visit her
from wandering the spheres. 49 Years is the amount of time the mother
must wander the spheres as punishment for her suicide. First performed
in New York at The Actor's Studio Theater. |
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The Trilogy: | Medea, Electra, and The Trojan Women. In ancient Greek and Latin,
created with Andre Serban. First performed at La Mama in New York. |
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Plays for Children and Teens: | |||||||||||||||||
The Hating Pot: |
A musical about racism and anti-Semitism. Rooted in New York and its
boroughs, but applicable anywhere. |
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The Violence Project: |
A piece concerning the atmosphere of violence in our culture, how it
affects young people, and how we draw the line between rage and
injustice in ourselves. |
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Loss and Gain: |
A play devoted to testimonies from kids about their loss--whether tiny
or huge--how they deal with it, and how we can grow from loss. |
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The Future Hearts and Minds: | A piece about mental illness in children. When they're not crazy, but they think they are, and when they might be crazy but think they're not. The reality of being a teenager and the unreality of being a teenager. | ||||||||||||||||
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