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What began as the thesis of two New York University graduate students is now making its debut at The Studio Theatre in Washington, D.C. (1501 14th St. NW) on July 13 and running through August 7.
Maggie-Kate Coleman (the research enthusiast) and Anna K. Jacobs (the pop culture aficionada) found a happy medium when writing POP! because they share an interest in the ’60s and are fascinated by the artistic influence and mystery of Andy Warhol. The musical revolves around one of the most traumatic incidents of Warhol’s life—when a deranged groupie shoots him at his home-for-misfits-hangout called The Factory.
“Our play is framed as almost a film noir mystery where Andy deals with the trauma of being shot by turning it into a piece of pop art,” explains Coleman. “It's by no means a biopic or historical piece. And the great thing about using the '60s and this real-life traumatic incident as source material is that there is no reliable narrator because Andy is notorious for falsifying his life.”
Viewers can expect to gain a better understanding of Warhol and how he created art using his own friends as the subjects—a habit that caused detrimental consequences in his life. The musical score is just as dramatic. All the songs were written by Jacobs and feature, “Lyrics made up of pop idioms as well as every genre from country rock to '60s funk to high Catholic mass,” says Jacobs.
Although the protagonist is Warhol, the cast, “Creates an ensemble piece where they all want things from Andy, and he struggles to follow through on all their expectations,” adds Jacobs.
The cast includes: Tom Story (Andy Warhol), Matthew Delorenzo (Candy Darling), Rachel Zampelli (Valerie), Deborah Lubega (Viva), Marylee Adams (Edie Sedgwick), Sean Maurice Lynch (Ondine), and Luke Tudball (Gerard).r
Getting to The Studio Theatre is easy; patrons have the option of taking the metro, driving and parking in the Colonial Garage, or even requesting cab service directly through the theater. For more information, visit studiotheatre.org or call 202-332-3300.
