In honor of Women's History Month, go inside Musical Theatre Factory's jam session with Agent 355 by Preston Max Allen and Jessica Kahkoska. Click below to see Laura Dadap (VOCA PEOPLE) sing "Kind Eyes", Lauren Zakrin (We Are The Tigers, Natasha, Pierre...) sing "Quiet Day", and Lauren Patten (Jagged Little Pill, Fun Home) sing "Good Guy". Backup instrumentation and vocals by Debbie Christine Tjong (Rags Parkland, Red Roses, Green Gold), Cathryn Wake (The Other Josh Cohen, Hello Girls, Natasha, Pierre...) and Elena Bonomo (Waitress, Rock of Ages) with Music Direction by Madeline Smith (Waitress, Ragtime on Ellis Island).
Good Guy: https://youtu.be/uS_T1g_Az9c
Kind Eyes: https://youtu.be/Pl66VDnz3AQ
Quiet Day: https://youtu.be/3o459K0ArXY
"MTF artists create vibrant and powerful musicals that are paradigm shifting," said Mei Ann Teo, Producing Artistic Director, Musical Theater Factory. "We are launching this new video series to share the work widely, amplifying the work of folx within the intersections of queer, trans, women, and POC makers to be accessible to all. Preston and Jessica's thrilling Agent 355 was the perfect musical to begin this series with, centering on the story of the first female spy ring, and filled with electric anthems to rouse us into action."
The Culper Spy Ring famously helped George Washington win the American Revolution, but there's one secret they never revealed; the identity of their female member. Now, an all-female/TGNC punk-rock band will reveal the truth about the unknown woman that helped America's first spy ring "outwit them all." Challenging a history written by men, Agent 355 explores the loyalty, heritage, and courage of six real Revolutionary women whose stories, sacrifices, and secrets shaped the nation. These jam session songs are from the perspectives of historical figures such as Nathan Hale (Lauren Patten), Anna Smith Strong (Lauren Zakrin) and Sally Townsend (Laura Dadap).
Agent 355 was originally developed through the generous support of the Marion International Fellowship for the Visual and Performing Arts Fund of the Fredonia College Foundation, State University of New York at Fredonia. In 2018, Agent 355 was the recipient of an "At The Table" Residency with Village Theatre and a Musical Theatre Factory Developmental Residency at Playwrights Horizons.
This August, Agent 355 will appear in Chautauqua Theater Company's 2019 Season as a New Play Workshop, funded by the Roe Green Foundation. Learn more at https://chq.org/2019-season. Agent 355 was also selected for a 2019 American Antiquarian Society Fellowship for Creative and Performing Artists and Writers.
ABOUT AGENT 355
Book, Music and Lyrics by Preston Max Allen
Book and Dramaturgy by Jessica Kahkoska
Line Produced by Maggie Snyder
Sound Editing by Asa Horvitz
Cinematography and Video Editing by Jon Burkland
Music Direction and Piano - Madeline Smith
Electric Guitar - Debbie Christine Tjong
Bass - Cathryn Wake
Cello - Laura Dadap
Drums - Elena Bonomo
"Good Guy" Soloist - Lauren Patten
"Kind Eyes" Soloist - Laura Dadap
"Quiet Day" Soloist - Lauren Zakrin
Musical Theatre Factory is a nonprofit artist service organization dedicated to helping musical theatre makers develop and present new work in a collaborative environment free from the pressures of critical or commercial success. For more information, visit mtf.nyc.
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