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Original Works Series Reading: The Names-A Jewish Opera Star's Italian Aria by Paul Lewis


Arts Fort Worth

The Names

A Jewish Opera Star's Italian Aria by Paul Lewis

Live reading by Stolen Shakespeare Guild

1943-45. Martina Visconti, a Jewish opera star living in Milan, has remained in Italy during the years of Mussolini, and then the German occupation, in hopes of protecting her impetuous younger sister, Giulia, who has joined the Resistance. Names are everywhere during the years of occupation— the aliases common to times of war; the names which populate the Periodic Table of the Elements; the names of friends and lovers inked onto bare skin. Meanwhile, Joey Rosen, an American GI in an embattled infantry unit south of Rome, dreams of reaching Milan so that he can finally meet his operatic idol. Giulia is captured by the Gestapo. The Nazis offered to spare Giulia's life if Martina agrees to perform a live broadcast on a German propaganda station, thus marking her a Nazi collaborator. Giulia then vanishes from sight; Martina doesn’t know if she’s dead or alive. Joey Rosen is killed outside of Rome. At the war’s end, his Army buddy Sam reaches Milan and takes Martina to the French border, to safety. Giulia is waiting for her there. They decide to remain in Italy together to face uncertain justice — to say, presente when their names are called, and to tell their stories.

Playwright Bio

Paul Lewis is a Seattle-based composer and playwright. His new musical Lost in the Hills was recently workshopped by Willamette University-based Theatre 33. His staged work also includes musical adaptations of two iconic children’s books, The Runaway Bunny and Caps for Sale, both of which premiered at Boston Children’s Theatre; The Crossing, A Musical, winner of a Seattle Times Footlights Award for Promising New Work, and nominated by Seattle Theater Writers for outstanding musical composition (Theater Schmeater and Jewel Box Theatre); Jill Trent Science Sleuth (Cayuga Community College); The Bright Days of Our Youth (Bainbridge Performing Arts podcast); Oblivion (Driftwood); Wish, A Musical (23 Miles South) and The Hours of Life, A Musical (Theatre22). His musical underscoring for The Pride (Theatre22) picked up an additional music nomination from Seattle Theater Writers. Paul’s play The Names has had developmental readings at Equity Library Theatre Chicago, Atlantic Stage, FUSION, and The Field (NYC). His full-length play The Lion in the Snow Globe will receive a staged reading at The Sauk in 2023. Paul’s one-act plays have been staged at play festivals across the country and in Canada, Mexico, and the UK, winning Best of Festival awards in a number of these; and they have been published in Best Ten-Minute Play and Best Stage Monologue anthologies, published by Smith & Kraus. He is a member of BMI and The Dramatists Guild of America.

Official Site  

Price
  • $5-$10
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  • 8172983024


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