Hourglass Group, producers of Beebo Brinker Chronicles (2008 GLAAD Media Award) and Trouble in Paradise (2007 Obie), announce the World Premiere of Elyse Singer's FREQUENCY HOPPING at 3LD Art & Technology Center. Winner of the 2007 STAGE International Script Competition, FREQUENCY HOPPING is a multidisciplinary play based on the 1940 collaboration between glamorous Hollywood star Hedy Lamarr (1914-2000) and composer George Antheil (1900-1959) on a secret communication system. Opening is set for June 5.
Based on a remarkable true story, FREQUENCY HOPPING re-imagines the relationship between film icon Hedy Lamarr (best known for her nude swimming scene in Ecstasy and star turn in Cecil B. DeMille's Samson and Delilah) and George Antheil ("bad boy" composer of the revolutionary 1924 composition Ballet mecanique). In 1940, the duo collaborated on a patent for an anti-jamming device to control torpedo guidance. Although largely ignored at the time, their invention is now recognized as the model for "frequency-hopping spread spectrum," widely used in cellular phone technology. Lamarr was finally recognized for her innovative work when she received the 1997 Pioneer Award from the Electronic Frontier Foundation.
The production will star Joseph Urla as George Antheil and Erica Newhouse as Hedy Lamarr. Urla's recent credits include Enemy of the People at the Shakespeare Theatre of Washington (for which he received a
Helen Hayes Award nomination) and a recurring role on HBO's The Wire. Newhouse is a member of the 2008 graduating class of The Juilliard School.
Written and directed by Elyse Singer, FREQUENCY HOPPING will feature an original score by composer Joshua Fried, performed by a 25-piece robotic orchestra created by LEMUR: League of Electronic Musical Urban Robots. LEMUR's orchestra was originally designed by Eric Singer with programming by Paul Lehrman to perform Antheil's Ballet mecanique at the 2006 Dada Exhibit at the National Gallery of Art. Its centerpiece is 8 synchronized Yamaha Disklavier player pianos. Multimedia design -- including 3D projections using Eyeliner technology--will be created by projection designer Elaine J. McCarthy (
Wicked, Spamalot,
Thurgood). Costumes are by Angela M. Kahler, lighting by Tyler Micoleau, wig design by J. Janas and Rob Greene, and sound by 3-time Grammy Award winner Marcelo Anez.
Hourglass Group develops adventurous new plays and reinvestigate neglected vintage American comedies. Past productions include Beebo Brinker Chronicles (2008 GLAAD Media Award), which transferred Off-Broadway to 37 Arts produced by Lily Tomlin and Jane Wagner; Trouble in Paradise (2007 Obie); and the critically acclaimed revival of Mae West's SEX. This spring, Hourglass is also co-producing Christen Clifford's BabyLove at 45 Bleecker, a provocative new piece developed in the Hourglass Solo Lab. Hourglass is a 2007-08 Company-in-Residence at 3LD. For more info visit
www.hourglassgroup.org.
3LD Art & Technology Center creates and supports challenging large-scale art within a financially sustainable environment. Their goals are to create viable growth oriented business models for experimental art production, revitalize the experimental tradition in New York by improving the working conditions and quality of production, and foster a community of artists who work cooperatively and aggressively to address their own barriers. In order to achieve these goals, they create, re-distribute and re-imagine resources that drive core cost reduction while increasing capacity and revenue. For more info visit www.3leggeddog.org.
FREQUENCY HOPPING runs May 29 - June 29 with performances Wed.-Sat. at 8pm; and Sun. at 3pm. 3LD Art & Technology Center is located at 80 Greenwich Street (at Rector Street -- accessible from the 1/R/W trains at Rector Street). Tickets are $20. To buy tickets, call 212-352-3101 or visit
www.frequencyhopping.net.
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