World Premiere of SOVIET ZION to Debut in London this Autumn

The new musical drama Soviet Zion will make its debut in London this October. It tells the story of an American family and a Ukrainian family who in 1939 both move to Siberia participating in a movement to create there a socialist Yiddish-speaking utopia. The reality they face is not what they had been led to believe, and great personal sacrifice will have to be made in order for them to achieve the freedom they seek.

Set against a grand historical backdrop, the story of these characters' intertwining lives explores questions of identity, integrity, and faith; and indeed what happened to this alternative homeland. This will be the World Premiere of this New Musical Drama, which its creators hope will be the first of many productions around the world.

"Recent events in the Middle East have made the content of this show unexpectedly topical but we hope that won't distract from what we've set out to achieve: an ambitious musical drama that explores a forgotten though fascinating part of world history" - say the show's creators.

Few people know about this alternative homeland which, although as a social experiment was ultimately a failure, still exists today in the far east of Russia on the border with China. Creating the Jewish Autonomous Region happened years before Israel's independence though most of the tens of thousands of settlers from around the world left quickly after arriving, the land being a forbidding and desolate place to settle. SOVIET ZION looks at the lives of two very different families who chose to stay and persevere building the failed state and at the choices they're faced with making. This production, kindly supported with a Grant for the Arts from The Arts Council of England, is the first time this all-new show will have been presented to the public.

Premieres at The Jewish Museum, London NW1 7NB at 6.30pm on 19th and 20th October 2014 (Nearest tube: Camden Town)
Transfers for one night only to the Lost Theatre SW8 2JU at 7pm on 26th October 2014 (Nearest tube: Stockwell)

Tickets @ £18/£16. To order tickets and to find out more visit www.sovietzion.com

Libretto by Giles Howe based on a story developed with Roberto Trippini
Music by Giles Howe and Katy Lipson
Director: Bronagh Lagan
Musical Director: Joseph Finlay
Assistant Musical Director and Vocal Arranger: Colm O'Regan

This ambitious musical stars award-winning soprano Kate Milner-Evans who as well as West End and film roles has an extensive career headlining in operas around the world under the name Kate Radmilovic; also featuring leading male of operas, theatre and TV Alex McMorran; baritone David Phipps-Davis; and voice of British Airways and the London Congestion Charge the actress and jazz singer Toni Green. Other cast member include Molly Lynch, James Charlton, Bruno Loxton, Daniel Donskoy, Laura Coutts, Mike Baxter, Holly-Anna Lloyd, and, making her professional debut, recent LSMT graduate Michaela Stern.

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