Howard Fishman's A STAR HAS BURNT MY EYE to Play Skidmore Theater

Skidmore Theater has announced that it will host a limited engagement run of A Star Has Burnt My Eye, written and performed by special guest artist Howard Fishman, presented by Skidmore College.

The production, which had its world premiere at BAM (Brooklyn Academy Of Music) in November 2016, and was a New York Times Critics' Pick, is directed by award winning director Paul Lazar of Big Dance Theater, and coincides with Fishman's residency on Connie Converse this semester at Skidmore.

A Star Has Burnt My Eye is presented with the support of the President's Discretionary Funds, Dean of Faculty's Office, Tang Museum, Theater Department, English Department, Gender Studies, Art Department, and Music Department.

Synopsis: A Star Has Burnt My Eye is a multimedia theatrical meditation on the life and music of polymath Elizabeth "Connie" Converse (1924 - ?), who some have taken to calling "the first singer songwriter." A prototype of the DIY artist, Converse wrote and self-recorded an extraordinary collection of songs in the early 1950's before deliberately vanishing years later in despair of ever finding her audience. The show features a group of New York musicians, led by playwright and composer Howard Fishman, who perform her songs, read from her letters, and make the case for Converse's particular genius, and her belated status as a great lost American artist.

Howard Fishman, composer, guitarist, songwriter, singer and bandleader, has toured the world as a headlining performer, fronting ensembles versed in pop, New Orleans jazz, country, bluegrass, classical, punk, gospel and experimental music, but tied to no particular genre. The New York Times has written that his work "transcends time and idiom," and The All-Music Guide has called him "an important force in creative music." He has appeared on stages ranging from Lincoln Center to rural Romania, produced and released eleven albums of his music, been profiled on numerous syndicated NPR programs, composed music for theater and film, written and directed plays, and has been an artist-in-residence at academic institutions like The Hotchkiss School, Skidmore College and Mercyhurst Institute.

Tickets: $18 general admission and $12 for the Skidmore community and senior citizens. Tickets are available at theater.skidmore.edu, or by contacting the Box Office at boxoffice@skidmore.edu.

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