#1
Posted: 3/22/22 at 1:12am
Anyone see this? What's it like? A concert or something more?
Oratorio for Living Things at ars nova
#2
Posted: 3/22/22 at 11:13pm
It’s quite a fascinating little piece. I’d say it’s more of a staged choral concert than it is theater. Half English, half Latin. Any words that you can make up get swallowed by overlapping parts so it’s hard to follow any single thread. Absolutely gorgeous music and impressive performances that I’m not quite sure what it added up to. I enjoyed it.
#3
Posted: 4/9/22 at 4:42pm
I just saw this today and absolutely loved it. It sits somewhere between staged concert, immersive theatre, and choral piece. There's no plot to speak of, but it definitely has an arc and a progression, with each section focusing in on a different level of existence - Movement One on the micro/elemental level; Movement Two on the human experience; Movement Three on the cosmic/universal level. And yes, this sounds pretentious and esoteric -- and it is in its way. But it's also deeply moving, and the music is gorgeous. I have a hard time seeing this having a live beyond off broadway, but if you love unconventional theatre and beautiful music, put this high on your list. I saw a lot of Dave Malloy in this - particularly strong connections to Octet and Ghost Quartet in terms of ethos, musicality, and style. So if that's up your alley, this definitely will be, too.
#4
Posted: 4/9/22 at 7:22pm
I also saw it today and was absolutely floored. Genius score, absolutely thrilling and mind-boggling that human beings can create things like this.
Stylistically, the music is like Dave Malloy meets Liz Swados - I’m particularly thinking of things like Octet (as the user above noted) and Nightclub Cantata.
They very kindly handed out copies of the libretto before the show, which I was happy to use to follow along. The physical libretto itself is gorgeous, and for me it was a key component to the experience, and even provided some light annotations about what each section was doing structurally.
#5
Posted: 4/9/22 at 11:41pm
This floored me. I think even if I didn't understand English, I wouldn't have been any less moved; the sonic quality alone is astonishingly moving.
#6
Posted: 4/12/22 at 10:18pm
I left this feeling ecstatic. Go in blind and let it wash over you. I thought it was absolutely transcendent and can’t wait to see it again. Praying they make a cast recording.
#7
Posted: 4/19/22 at 9:19am
anyone have any luck doing standby for this?? the todaytix rush seems impossible, I’ve tried it wayyy too many times lol. really want to see this!
#8
Posted: 4/19/22 at 11:39am
I am curious as well, it seems digital rush and lotteries are even more competitive than just buying tickets anymore.
#9
Posted: 4/19/22 at 1:23pm
For anyone who might happen to be in NYC, it looks like a couple of seats have popped up for tonight's show.
#10
Posted: 4/19/22 at 4:03pm
I lucked out with rush on Friday and was very happy to get a single ticket for $10 pre-fees! It was last row but considering there are 4-5 rows that was not a problem, haha.
I was wandering around the neighborhood a bit early and saw two people in line for cancelation tickets about 40 minutes prior to curtain, then when I returned to the theatre 20 minutes prior to curtain there was no line. I'm going to assume they got tickets, as there were still a few empty seats during the performance. I'm not sure if the cancelation tickets will become more expensive during the extension portion of its run or not, so that may be worth looking into before you plan if cost is a concern.
#11
Posted: 4/19/22 at 4:09pm
Seats are $67-$97 now, and the TodayTix rush is up to $35.
#12
Posted: 4/26/22 at 2:10pm
I’ve seen this 3 times now. It’s been cool sitting in different sections and different proximity to the center of the space. The density of the piece is honestly overwhelming and picking up little snippets of parts I hadn’t heard previously has been super rewarding.
From a ticket perspective, I’ve been able to grab rush tickets each of the 3 times. The key has been queueing up to get the rush tix 5 minutes before and having my finger ready to choose the time/number of tickets right when it opens. If it says the cart is full, keep trying. Separately, there have been at least 5 empty seats at each of the performances I’ve seen, so definitely try cancellation all the way up until curtain. You’ll almost definitely get in as they have no issues reselling no-shows.
Updated On: 4/26/22 at 02:10 PM
#13
Posted: 5/19/22 at 6:32pm
The remaining performances have been cancelled
#14
Posted: 5/19/22 at 6:57pm
The producers are working very hard to get this remounted somewhere soon. Broadway is very much in the conversation but might not happen as soon as they were hoping.
#15
Posted: 5/19/22 at 7:30pm
Broadway? Good luck with that idea. Don't get me wrong. I liked the show but it's definitely not for everyone and would an EXTREMELY hard sell to a mass audience.
"Pardon my prior Mcfee slip. I know how to spell her name. I just don't know how to type it." -Talulah
#16
Posted: 5/19/22 at 7:42pm
Yeah, speaking as someone who adored this show, I have no idea why they think Broadway would or should be in the cards.
Well...actually I do know. It's because people think Broadway is the end-all-be-all for all theatre.
#17
Posted: 5/20/22 at 7:00am
Firstly, there have been any number of shows historically that people said 'would never sell on Broadway' that were surprisingly successful.
Secondly, Broadway is not necessarily JUST about musical theatre. Any number of concerts and theatrical experiences have played Broadway and also been a success.
It goes without saying - in either case, Broadway is a prestige factor not duplicated anywhere else. So why shouldn't it be a goal?
"Oratorio" already has wonderful reviews behind it. Why not a limited run somewhere like Circle in the Square? Wouldn't Heather Christian be a likely front runner for awards for her score?
#18
Posted: 5/20/22 at 8:08am
I wouldn’t mind a commercial off-Broadway run a la Great Comet, but I’d be worried the intimacy of this experience would be lost in a larger house. Great Comet had a sprawling story that already was threatening to overflow its smaller spaces, while Oratorio works so beautifully because it feels like you’re covered in sound. And much of that has to do with how confined it all is.
#19
Posted: 5/20/22 at 10:14am
QueenAlice said: "Firstly, there have been any number of shows historically that people said 'would never sell on Broadway' that were surprisingly successful."
And many, many, many, many more that didn't. Especially when they aren't the lucky show to win Best Musical.
"Secondly, Broadway is not necessarily JUST about musical theatre. Any number of concerts and theatrical experiences have played Broadway and also been a success."
Maybe...but it would tricky to market it as such. Tricky to market it at all. The show isn't really a concert (in the sense that it wouldn't attract the "concert" crowd), nor is it a spectacle, which is what most of the "theatrical experiences" on Broadway have been.
"It goes without saying - in either case, Broadway is a prestige factor not duplicated anywhere else. So why shouldn't it be a goal?"
Look, I get it. When a show I love transfers to Broadway, I can't help but get that little sense of thrill, because I know it means more of a spotlight, more chance for recognition, etc. It just sucks that Broadway is (in many people's minds), the only way to get that prestige. The institution of Broadway is built for an extremely narrow subset of an expansive medium. When I say "Oratorio won't play well on Broadway" I consider that more a criticism of Broadway than of Oratorio. So it sucks that many people don't feel as if a show is truly validated until it goes to Broadway, putting the show at serious risk of bombing commercially for that ideal. And it sucks that the Broadway-centric mindset of many theatre fans only reinforces this unnecessary pressure.
But as some producers have smartly figured out, a commercial run Off-Broadway, heavily marketed off the exclusivity, prestige, and intimate experience of the original engagement, can work much better than a Broadway run in securing the legacy they're after.
#20
Posted: 4/11/25 at 12:58pm
https://playbill.com/article/obie-winning-musical-oratorio-for-living-things-to-make-off-broadway-return
Looks like Heather Christian’s Oratorio for Living Things will be making a return engagement at Signature this fall! Very exciting news.
In addition, her new musical Animal Wisdom will be produced next spring.
#21
Posted: 4/11/25 at 1:07pm
Exciting that it is coming back but boy that is a pretty weak 35th Anniversary season from Signature
#22
Posted: 4/11/25 at 1:09pm
ColorTheHours048 said: "https://playbill.com/article/obie-winning-musical-oratorio-for-living-things-to-make-off-broadway-return
Looks like Heather Christian’s Oratorio for Living Things will be making a return engagement at Signature this fall! Very exciting news.
In addition, her new musical Animal Wisdom will be produced next spring."
YAY!
Separate from their work at Signature, Heather Christian and Lauren Yee also wrote the musical adaptation of A Wrinkle in Time, directed by Lee Sunday Evans, which will play Arena Stage in DC this June-July. Which is a very prestigious team. Diana DiMenna and Aaron Glick are the commercial producers behind it.
Updated On: 4/11/25 at 01:09 PM
#23
Posted: 4/11/25 at 1:40pm
Animal Wisdom was produced 4 years ago during the pandemic as a virtual show by Bushwick Starr and Woolly Mammoth Theatre. I watched the stream and loved it! Can't wait to revisit both shows! What a year for Heather Christian!
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