Encompass to Present ANGEL OF THE AMAZON at The Sheen Center in November

Celebrating 46 years of creative music theatre, Encompass Artistic Director, Nancy Rhodes and Music Director, Liz Hastings will present Angel of the Amazon, a new musical drama with book and music by Evan Mack at The Sheen Center, 18 Bleecker Street, New York, NY 10012. Performances begin Thursday, November 10 and run through Sunday, November 20, 2022. For tickets: https://bit.ly/3fGtfZo

Angel of the Amazon, a compelling musical drama by composer Evan Mack, is based on the true story of Sister Dorothy Stang, who devoted her life to helping indigenous families of Brazil gain land rights and to protecting the Rainforest. In 2005, this 73-year-old nun was murdered by assassins hired by the owner of a logging company, who felt her passion for the Earth and all its gifts to be a threat. Her sacrifice launched a global movement to save the rainforest and to plant trees around the world.

Evan Mack was inspired to write the work, after attending a lecture about Sister Dorothy. "What struck me," explained Mack, "was that Sister Dorothy met her gunmen the day before, fed them, prayed with them, and showed them her work with the peasant farmers of the area. When the gunmen showed up the next day, Sr. Dorothy opened her bible, saying 'This is my only weapon,' and began reading the Beatitudes. 'Blessed are the poor, for theirs is the Kingdom, Blessed are the...' and she was shot six times. As soon as I heard that story, I immediately thought 'I want to set this to music.'" Mack presented Angel of the Amazon to Encompass Artistic Director, Nancy Rhodes, where it was developed and performed.

"Today the Amazon is in crisis and the indigenous tribes are on the front lines to protect it, says Nancy Rhodes, who will direct Angel of the Amazon, "that's why this story is so timely." Music Director Liz Hastings conducts the musical accompaniment of piano, violin, and percussion. The cast includes, Melanie Long in the role of Sister Dorothy. Ms. Long received accolades for her portrayal of Anna Christie at Encompass in 2018.

José Rubio will perform the role of Luiz, Joseph Peterson, the role of the Landowner, and Marie Anello, Danielle Bavli, and Clayton G. Williams complete the cast of singers. Sets are designed by Andis Gjoni, Lighting by Chris D'Angelo, Projections by Charles Wittreich, and Costumes designed by Angela Huff.

Performance Schedule

November 10 - 13
Thurs, Fri, Sat at 7:30 p.m.
Sun. Matinee at 3:00 p.m.

November 17 - 20
Thurs, Fri, Sat at 7:30 p.m.
Sat & Sun Matinees at 3:00 p.m.

An earlier version of Angel of the Amazon was performed in May of 2011 by Encompass at the Baryshnikov Arts Center in New York City and was subsequently released on CD worldwide by Albany Records. Evan Mack then partnered with librettist, Joshua McGuire. In 2016, their production of Roscoe premiered at the Seagle Music Colony and received its orchestral world premiere with the Albany Symphony starring Metropolitan Opera's Deborah Voigt. Their children's piece, Lucinda y las Flores de la Nochebuena has been seen by almost 30,000 children. Their latest, a musical comedy titled, Yeltsin in Texas is currently in development. Evan was named "2018 Professional of the Year" by Musical America, he was a composing fellow at the John Duffy Composers Institute, and a resident artist at Yaddo. He is a Senior Teaching Professor at Skidmore College and lives in Ticonderoga, NY with his wife, Kristin and two sons, Carter and Henry.

About Encompass

Encompass, founded by international stage director, Nancy Rhodes, and producer Roger Cunningham, is one of the nation's leading companies championing new music theatre for more than 40 years. Dedicated to creating, developing, and producing adventurous new productions, the company strives to discover and nurture composers, librettists, singers, and musicians; premiere groundbreaking new productions; and revive important 20th century musical works by outstanding American and international composers.

The many innovative new works staged by Ms. Rhodes include the world premiere of Only Heaven by Ricky Ian Gordon, based on poetry by Langston Hughes. Her acclaimed production of Grigori Frid's The Diary of Anne Frank, went on tour and was a finalist for The Arts Achievement Award in Classical Music, by Ohio Live Magazine.

In 2018, Nancy Rhodes staged the world premiere of Anna Christie, with libretto by Broadway titan Joe Masteroff, and Grammy nominated composer Edward Thomas, based on the Pulitzer Prize-winning play by Eugene O'Neill. The recording produced by Thomas Z. Shepard was released by Broadway Records and reached #6 on the Billboard Charts for Classical and Traditional albums.

Notable Encompass productions include the comic operas Frustration by Sheldon Harnick, and Satisfaction by Charles Strouse; Reginaby Marc Blitzstein; and Elizabeth and Essex by Michael Stewart and Mark Bramble, Richard Engquist and Doug Katsaros, starring Estelle Parsons.

Next season, Encompass will produce the world premiere of The Theory of Everything (John David Earnest/Nancy Rhodes). Theory was commissioned by Encompass with funds from Opera America and the National Endowment for the Arts. www.encompasstheatre.org.

Encompass Theatre's productions and activities are made possible with public funds from The New York State Council on the Arts, the National Endowment for the Arts, American Rescue Plan; and with funding support from the Sisters of Notre Dame de Namur, our Board of Trustees, corporate sponsors and our generous patrons.

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