Ryan Scott Oliver (the musical genius behind the hit show 35mm, the dark Peter Pan musical Darling, and the modern odyssey Jasper in Deadland) teams up with Canadian author Nessie Nankivell for the politically charged piece OTHERBODY, a brief musical allegory. It’s a musical based on H.P. Lovecraft’s short story “The Outsider” and is created for anyone who has ever felt like an “other” because of their sex, gender, race, sexuality, ability, etc.
“After the election, we knew the best thing we could do was to make ART, and to explore a feeling we felt burning in us, one that had burned in so many of my friends before the election, but now raged in me,” RSO said. “This feeling gave way to this work.”
The sung-thru musical is six tracks and stars Broadway’s killer-voiced Nicholas Christopher (who just finished playing George Washington in Hamilton and this spring will sing “Bui Doi” as John in the first-ever Miss Saigon revival).
“In the eerie, allegorical world of OTHERBODY, a nameless TELLER (Christopher) lives apart, never having seen his own face, heard his own voice, or even experienced daylight. He escapes into the world to find the truth, and discovers a raucous party — and the horrifying reality of his world.”
Give the musical a listen below, and download it for yourself here. Also, as you listen, scroll on to see this awesome Matthew Murphy photo series inspired by the piece.
