Ars Nova to Present World Premiere of Rags Parkland Sings the Songs of the Future

Ars Nova has announced the first production of its 2018-19 season: Rags Parkland Sings the Songs of the Future, a "sci-fi folk concert" created by Andrew R. Butler and directed by Jordan Fein, running September 25-October 27 at Ars Nova, with opening night set for Monday, October 8.

Rags Parkland is described as follows: "Two hundred fifty years from now, constructed humans are built in black market labs, Mars is a forced labor camp, and underground outlaws are brewing rebellion. You might not remember how Beaux Weathers and her band of 'illegal intelligence' fought for the right to exist, but Rags Parkland does. Back on Earth for the first time in 10 years, Rags plays the music that carried us to where we are today. But on this planet, the more things change, the more we stay the same."

The cast includes Butler as Rags Parkland, with Rick Burkhardt, Jessie Linden, Stacey Sargeant, Debbie Christine Tjong, and one more artist to be announced. The creative team includes Madeline Smith (music director), Laura Jellinek (scenic design), Andy Jean (costume design), Barbara Samuels (lighting design), Mikaal Sulaiman (sound design), Jhanaë K-C Bonnick (production stage manager), John C. Moore (assistant stage manager), and Henry Russell Berrgstein, CSA (casting director).