'Born To Do This,' Joan of Arc's story as a rock opera, now at Norwell's Company Theatre
NORWELL - A brand new, contemporary rock opera about Joan of Arc just had its world premiere at The Company Theatre in Norwell.
"Born To Do This" has been in development for five years. Zoe Bradford, the artistic director and founder of the non-profit theater, is the production's co-writer and director. She says the French teenager from the 15th century is the perfect subject for a show like this.
"Rock is the music of rebellion. And if there was ever a rebellious woman, it was Joan of Arc. She defied all the rules of her time," Bradford told WBZ-TV.
The show's star, Liza Giangrade, says it's rare for community theater actors to have the opportunity to originate roles.
"I've never had a process before where the musical was still being written and we actually got to put our input and our voices into these characters," Giangrade says.
Braden Misiaszek, who plays de Metz, the knight who falls in love with Joan, told WBZ, "It's really liberating - almost because you don't have to sort of follow any sort of blueprint in terms of character work or in terms of the way this needs to be sung. It's just you and the writer, you and the director."
While many stories about Joan of Arc focus on her death, this production looks at her life.
"I think there are so many beautiful messages to take away, but the biggest one is that, like, what can one girl do? And it's so much," says Giangrande
Born To Do This runs through August 20.