Above: Artwork for BORN BLUE

Imagine this: somewhere between life and death, you find yourself in a post-apocalyptic dive where lost souls drink Blue House Brew to flush away their previous life experiences and prepare them for rebirth. This is the setting for Caren Tackett’s new musical, Born Blue, will receive a reading tonight at Touch New York City.

Directed by Anthony Rapp, the cast includes Adam Halpin as Master Jefferson, Nicolette Hart as Suspicious Wife, Justin Johnson as Luther, Andy Señor as Leonard, Tiffani Barbour as Ophelia, Ashley Betton as Jude, Danielle Lee Greaves as Mother, Molly Hager as Miss Black, James Moye as Judge Sewall, Joe Shane as Talon, Richard E. Waits as Father and Miranda Zickler as Catori. The ensemble features Tracy McDowell, Brandan Uranowitz, John Watson, King Aswad, Judah Frank, Nate Gray, Happy McPartlin and Jahmila Adderley. Tackett herself will perform the role of Infinity Blue, the front-woman of Creatrix, the god of the world being created in this show.

Tackett wrote the show while performing as a swing in RENT and deals not only with the cycles of fear and prejudice regarding sex, race, sexual orientation and organized religion in the show, but also with her own life experience as told in the ‘metaphor and myth’ she has created for Born Blue. The reincarnation-themed concept for the show sounds pretty out there, but I’m intrigued enough by it to want to know more.

Proceeds from the event will benefit the New York City based not-for-profit organisation, Friends In Deed.