Graphic Novelist Ben Katchor's and Composer Mark Mulcahy's A Check-Room Romance Premieres May 13 at The New York Public Library, Commissioned by the Cullman Center for Scholars and Writers. Second Performance Added, May 15
World premiere of A Check Room-Romance by Ben Katchor and Mark Mulcahy presented by Conversations at the Cullman Center.
In this new graphic musical tragicomedy one man's casual obsession with the architecture and culture of coat checkrooms, ensnares him in a desperate struggle between employment agents, maître'ds, lovesick podiatrists, low-budget contractors, and paraphilic playboys. This piece is performed in concert to a projected backdrop of Katchor's evocative illustrations.
Check-Room was commissioned by The New York Public Library's Dorothy and Lewis B. Cullman Center for Scholars and Writers.
The Cullman Center is an international fellowship program open to people whose work will benefit directly from access to the collections at the Humanities and Social Sciences Library. The Center appoints 15 Fellows a year for a nine-month term at the Library, from September through May. In addition to working on their own projects, the Fellows engage in an ongoing exchange of ideas within the Center and in public forums throughout the Library. For more information, please see http://www.nypl.org/csw.
Ben Katchor, former Cullman Center Fellow, is the author of four books, has national weekly strips and a monthly strip in Metropolis Magazine. Mr. Katchor created the libretto and drawings for Check-Room.
Mark Mulcahy is a composer and singer with several albums. He has also written music for Nickelodeon's The Adventures of Pete and Pete and several films such as The Crush and Spring Forward. Mr. Mulcahy created the music for Check-Room and will sing the roles of Marcus Yule, Caesar DuRag, Myrna and others.
Musicians Ken Maiuri (Architect, keyboard, percussion and vocals), Flora Reed (Lena Bascilicia, Yule's wife) and Dave Trenholm (Policeman, guitar, sax, flute, clarinet, bass and vocals).
Wednesday, May 13, 2009 and Friday, May 15, 2009 7:00 p.m.
The New York Public Library
Stephen A. Schwarzman Building
42nd Street and Fifth Avenue
South Court Auditorium
