Know Theatre to Open 18th MainStage Season with THE BENGSONS' HUNDRED DAYS

An alt folk opera written by and starring husband and wife duo Shaun and Abigail Bengson, Hundred Days is the fierce, triumphant story of a young couple who fall in love, only to have their time together cut short by a fatal illness. With the brash intensity of youth, they decide to try and live the 100 days they have left together as though it were the 60 years they had imagined they would have.

Know Theatre is thrilled to be a part of the next stage in the development of a wildly inventive new musical/opera/theatre/concert hybrid that blends the simple magic of storytelling with a no-holds-barred concert, directed by 2 time Obie Award Winner Anne Kauffman and featuring choreography by Emmy nominated Sonya Tayeh (So You Think You Can Dance).

The Bengsons blend soaring vocals, frenetic rhythms and rousing all-join-hands choruses to create new hybrid indie rock/art/theater performances. Their Americana-influenced brand of Indie Rock has won over fans and critics across the country. In Hundred Days they combine their own love story with a work of fiction that challenges us to imagine how we can live each day to the fullest when we know those we love will die.

Shaun and Abigail lead a cast of rockstar local and national performers, most of whom are making their Know Theatre Mainstage debuts.

Cellist Colette Alexander has played on many recordings including the Grammy nominated work of Angelique Kidjo (Oyé), and Sara Bareilles (The Blessed Unrest), and in live performances with artists including Jens Lekman, Josh Groban, and Rachael Yamagata.

Brian Koch is an actor, director and musician who comes to the Know direct from a tour with his band Blitzen Trapper.

Jo Lampert's extensive resume spans stages around the country, including the premiere of Steven Sater and Serj Tankian's rock opera Prometheus Bound at A.R.T and touring as a musician with The Tuneyards.

Returning to Know Theatre's stage is James Creque, previously seen as villain Dr. X in Know's Season 17 closer Hearts Like Fists.

Rounding out the cast in her Know stage debut is Lindsey Augusta Mercer, co-founder of the Queen City Queer Theatre Collective whose work has also been seen locally at companies such as Diogenes, Concert:Nova, New Edgecliff, and the Cincinnati Shakespeare Company.

Know Theatre is also thrilled to partner with Exhale Dance Tribe for the first time since 2006's Christmas Yet to Come. Four featured Exhale dancers, Sarah Emmons, Katie Farry, Courtney Howard, and Jacob Thoman will be bringing the show's choreography to life.

Choreographer Sonya Tayeh has also created works for Madonna, Florence and the Machine, Kylie Minogue, and Miley Cyrus. Her stage credits include: Martha Graham Dance Company/Lamentation Variation (Joyce Theatre); The Wild Party (Encores/City Center); Kung Fu (Signature Theatre); Spring Awakening (San Jose Repertory Theatre); Walk for Water (Cirque du Soleil); WAVE, NEXT WAVE, QUARTET; (Los Angeles Ballet); The Root of Me, Endurance To Move, and Battles (Tayeh Dance Company).

Director Anne Kauffman directed the original Hundred Days at ZSpace in 2014. Production highlights include You Got Older with P73, The Nether with MCC, Buzzer with the Public Theater, Somewhere Fun and God's Ear at Vineyard Theatre; Detroit and Your Mother's Copy of the Kama Sutra at Playwrights Horizons.

Hundred Days was originally commissioned and produced by Z Space (Lisa Steindler, Artistic Director) and piece by piece productions (Wendy Van Heuvel) in San Francisco, and had its world premiere in in 2014.

An earlier version of the story, then called The Proof, was a Cincy Fringe development project in 2014. Know Theatre is so excited to present the next phase of this beautiful, original, piece of theatre.

Tickets on sale now! https://know.tixato.com/buy/hundred-days

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