Interview: Zoe Bradford tells the tale of Joan of Arc in BORN TO DO THIS: THE JOAN OF ARC ROCK OPERA at The Company Theatre

That she was burned at the stake is probably the first, and maybe the only, thing that comes to mind when most people think of Joan of Arc. As a teenager, the 15th-century French peasant girl, Jeanne d’Arc, became a military leader and defender of France, and was ultimately put to death for offenses including wearing men’s clothing.

The new musical “Born to Do This: The Joan of Arc Rock Opera” – which opens at the Company Theatre (TCT) in Norwell on July 28 – aims to depict not only how Joan of Arc died but also how she lived, according to the show’s book writer and lyricist, Zoe Bradford.

Bradford, TCT’s co-founder, artistic director, and president, created the new musical along with composer Melissa Carubia, resident music director of the Academy of the Company Theatre (ACT), who also provided additional lyrics, and Michael Hammond, TCT’s managing director of development, and is co-directing the musical with Sally Ashton Forrest, TCT’s vice president and associate artistic director.

Bradford’s other original works include 1990’s “Gloryland: The America Show” and 2012’s Paragon Park: The Musical,” but “Born to Do This,” five years in the making, is her first original rock opera.

In the 44 years since she co-founded TCT with the late Jordie Saucerman, Bradford has received numerous honors including a Lifetime Achievement Award from the New England Theater Conference for Excellence in American Theater. She is also a five-time winner of the Moss Hart Award for Best Production, New England.

By telephone recently, Bradford talked all things Joan of Arc and more.

Where did you get the idea for “Born to Do This: The Joan of Arc Rock Opera”?

I’d been wanting to do another new musical because they are my favorite. I love working on original shows and collaborating with people to bring them to life. In terms of the subject of this one, I’ve always thought about Joan of Arc – read bits and pieces of her story and seen paintings of her – but that said, I didn’t know all that much about her, except how she died, until I started developing this show.

How did you decide what parts of Joan’s life to focus on?

Mel and I wanted to involve other characters in the story to bring Joan forward as a knight, which was unheard of in her lifetime. Joan was unique in that and many other ways, but she was a girl, too. We go into her childhood and how she found her inner strength and defied all the rules of her time.

With no experience in war strategy, she led a French army at age 17. And she succeeded amazingly. During the battle of Orleans, people were desperate and starving and England was about to take over. Joan led 5,000 men into battle and re-took the city. She also got a king crowned. All this came after she famously proclaimed, “I am not afraid. I was born to do this.”

What makes the story of Joan of Arc relevant today?

Six hundred years after Joan lived, women still need a voice. This show was originally slated for 2024, but we pushed ourselves to get it done this year because of everything in the news today. After all that she did for her country, Joan was imprisoned at age 18 and ultimately burned at the stake by the Church, in part because she wouldn’t stop wearing men’s clothes. That definitely makes her story very relevant. She is a hero for women, the queer community, and anyone who has been treated as “less than.”

But this isn’t just about Joan or her military prowess. It is also about the men and women who were around her. She was romantically pursued by both a male knight and a female duchess, and we explore those relationships, too.

How long was the development process?

It began about five years ago. My first step was to find a composer. I quickly landed on Melissa Carubia. Indeed, Mel was the first one I spoke to about this. She said to me, “I can write this musical in any style you want.” I knew then she was the right choice, and I could tell immediately that she had a very strong respect for my artistic vision.

I enjoy working with Mel, too. We’ve been solid through each step of the creative process and haven’t had any arguments – not so far, anyway. Our only minor disagreement came early on when Mel let me know she wanted the process to be as streamlined as possible and didn’t want to waste time adding and removing characters along the way. We ended up taking Mel’s approach, which allowed us to hone in on just what we would need to tell the story.

How did you decide that this should be a rock opera?

It was probably Mel because she is the one who said, “Rock is the music of rebellion and there’s no one more badass than Joan.” This is a sung-through show, a rock opera done musical-theater style. In addition to a 31-member cast, we have a 14-piece orchestra, under the direction of Robert McDonough, so it won’t be just guitars battling for attention. There will be everything from French horns and violins to guitars to convey the story’s beauty and excitement.

Michael Hammond has a long history with TCT, including co-writing “Paragon Park: The Musical” with you. What’s involved in his role as collaborator?

On a project this big, I believed we needed a three-person team so I invited Michael to serve as collaborator. Michael is very knowledgeable about both Broadway and pop music. He’s helped us refine the different musical styles and fit them to the characters. And he added a lot to the creative process because he is such a good-humored person.

Tell me about the performer you cast to play the title character?

Liza Giangrande is a vocal powerhouse as our Joan. She brings a strength of character and openness to who Joan is.

Photo (L-R): Kaileigh E. Bumpus (St. Margaret), Peter S. Adams (Duke d’Alençon), Dru Daniels (Nanette the Witch), Zion Amparo (St. Michael the Archangel), Laird LaCoste (King Henry VI), Ana Viveros (Clarisse), Zoe Bradford (book/lyrics), Braden Misiaszek (de Metz), Francesca Miele (Young Jeanne), and Liza Giangrande (Jeanne) during a rehearsal of the Company Theatre’s new musical, “Born to Do This: The Joan of Arc Rock Opera.” Photo credit: Carola Lacoste.

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