Waking the Witch: Conspiracy Theories, Misinformation, and Conversation About Making New Opera

This event will feature both the composer and director of Waking the Witch, an exciting new immersive opera being presented by Little City Concerts this fall. Attendees will have a chance to hear about the piece, and participate in a question/answer session with the creative team. DC-composer Ashi Day's Waking the Witch explores human vulnerability to absurd beliefs as well as the danger of mixing authority and religion with black-and-white thinking, fear of those with less power, and conspiracy theories. The libretto is derived from the words of both historical witchfinders and modern-day leaders and movements with eerily similar messaging. Listeners must consider how we might navigate the seemingly impossible logic of power lost in moral panic, while remembering the dangerous reality that these things did, and in many ways still do, happen. During a performance, directed by Lee Cromwell, the audience assumes the role of an accused witch, physically surrounded with a single-minded interrogator and animal familiars of questionable reality (played by the treble instruments of the ensemble).

Ashi Day is a composer and educator whose vocally-driven music explores unconventional intersections between music and theater; using the voice as a compositional tool; strategic use of humor and absurdity; and expanding the canon to embrace and reflect the experiences of performers and audiences, especially women and girls, with an emphasis on compassion and kindness. She has won awards from Opera America and the DC Arts and Humanities Council, and has had her music performed across the country. Lee Cromwell has led a varied career as a director, educator, producer and performer.  He maintains an active role as a guest lecturer and clinician on acting, audition techniques and performance practices for both spoken drama and musical theatre/opera. Lee has directed and worked at a variety of theaters, including the National Theatre, Ford’s Theatre, Rorschach Theatre, Young Playwright’s Theatre, Imagination Stage and the DC Queer Theatre Festival. From 2014 – 2017 he was the Associate Producer of the Source Festival and from 2017 - 2019 was the Festival Producer for Capital Fringe.