Scranton and Mexican musicians debut dystopian musical ‘The Singularity’ at Scranton Fringe Festival Oct. 5-6
From a press release:
Scranton indie folk singer/songwriter LittleStarRun and Mexico City-based composer Galar will present their new play “The Singularity” at the Scranton Cultural Center at the Masonic Temple on Saturday, Oct. 5 and Sunday, Oct. 6 as part of the Scranton Fringe Festival.
Written by LittleStarRun (Rachel Lucille Woodworth) with music composed by LittleStarRun and Galar (Alexei Galar), “The Singularity” will also be performed by the two musicians. The show is an exploration of a future where music has been forbidden and a wall has separated humanity from itself.
LittleStarRun and Galar began the project in the fall of 2018, originally conceived as an album of music. The two began experimenting with a concept album in response to President Donald Trump’s immigration policies and the U.S./Mexico border wall.
Around the same time, LittleStarRun was beginning to try her hand at theatrical writing with the local writer’s group, Diva Dramatists. She wrote a draft and proposed the idea of the play to Galar, so the pair decided to embark on the multimedia theatrical experience that became “The Singularity Project,” an ongoing collaboration across borders between the two musicians that promises more in the future.
LittleStarRun is an indie musician, songwriter, and composer with years of experience as an actress in theatre, film, and other stage endeavors. Her music is often described as ethereal indie rock/folk with dream pop and shoegaze elements.
Woodworth grew up in the East Coast punk/hardcore scene while simultaneously playing clarinet and listening to jazz and more experimental music. Making her home in New York City and eventually Athens, Greece, she became exposed to the wide variety of scenes in her adopted cities, especially the jazz and classical worlds of New York, the diverse international European music scene, and the thriving Greek and Anglophone music scenes in Athens. This complex alchemy of influences became the catalyst for her transformation into a musical artist.
After studying guitar and music theory, Woodworth was forced to leave Greece in 2015 and return to the U.S. to undergo treatment for the severe neurological illness RSD/CRPS that affected her legs and ability to walk. Despite this, she continued to express herself through music and released her first single, “Wilting,” in 2016, recorded in Athens, Greece.
Galar is a Mexican singer, songwriter, musician, and composer who delves into acoustic neo psychedelia and composes music for video games and film. He is also the former lead singer and songwriter of the neo-prog rock band Hombre Bestia, influenced by acts like Porcupine Tree and A Perfect Circle. In 2016, after two albums and minor success, Galar left Hombre Bestia and went on busking around Mexico and Germany to find his new voice. He wrote new music and created the concept that is “Pretty Little Things That Fly Away,” his first solo release. This material, which isn’t understood as a traditional album, but as a collection of short films and stories, is divided into three chapters that will be released in the course of a year.
Both artists are now combining efforts to deliver a unique experience where theatre and music interact to make people reflect on the effect our political and social climate is having on art and culture. “The Singularity is the event that tore us apart, the wall that made us weaker. In this land of separation, we forgot how to feel. Will humanity be able to recover whatever emotion is left?” the description reads.
Following the debut of this dystopian sci-fi meta musical at the Scranton Fringe Festival, an EP featuring all five songs from the show will be released on all streaming platforms and available to purchase as a digital download, with a physical release also planned for a later date.
Showtimes for “The Singularity” are Oct. 5 at 5 p.m. and 8:30 p.m. and Oct. 6 at 5 p.m. in the Junior Ballroom of the Scranton Cultural Center (420 N. Washington Ave., Scranton).
Tickets are $10 and can be purchased via Eventbrite and scrantonfringe.org.
The fifth annual Scranton Fringe Festival will take place Friday, Sept. 27 through Sunday, Oct. 6 in venues across downtown Scranton. It is a performing arts celebration that showcases original theatre, international dramas, music, stand-up comedy, children’s programming, dance performances, and much more.
The festival is dedicated to creating a bold and engaging platform for creative and thought-provoking art with minimal risk to artist and audience. Regional as well as touring artists are welcomed to present work with no censorship placed on content or artistic expression while striving to promote Scranton as a viable and creative environment. The Scranton Fringe is kept accessible and affordable for artists (no application fees, comparably small production fees) and audiences (special free programming, affordable tickets, hopper passes, etc.) alike.
