Susannah
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Opening Night Champagne Toast
Young Friends Night
ASL Interpretation, Audio Described
Young Friends Night
Audio Described


Susannah
The young and innocent Susannah lives with her brother in a small town in Appalachia. One fateful day, men from her church happen to spot her bathing in a stream and begin to spread vicious rumors about her. As gossip circulates, the community turns their back on Susannah, forcing her to choose between conformity and isolation. But Susannah won’t be made a victim forever. She refuses to give a false confession, inflaming the town around her with tragic, life-altering consequences. Set to a rich score, this classic American opera offers a powerful indictment of religious and social hypocrisy.
Awarded the New York Music Critics Circle Award for Best New Opera in 1956, Susannah is widely praised for its contemporary feminist themes. OTSL will stage the American classic for the first time during its 2023 Festival Season.
Event information
Venue
Loretto-Hilton Center
130 Edgar Road,
St. Louis, MO 63119
Language
Performed in English with projected English supertitles
Accompanied by members of the St. Louis Symphony Orchestra
Running Time
2 hours and 15 minutes (including one 25-minute intermission)
About OTSL’s COVID Safety Protocol
To ensure the health and safety of our company members and guests, Opera Theatre of Saint Louis strongly recommends COVID-19 vaccines and masking for all guests. All OTSL staff, artists, and company members are required to be fully vaccinated.
OTSL continues to monitor the guidelines of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and applicable government mandates, and to be guided by our medical advisors. All policies may be adjusted in response to changing conditions. Thank you for your help ensuring the safety of our guests, staff, and artists!
Creative Team

Gemma New
Conductor

Patricia Racette
Stage Director

Andrew Boyce
Set Designer

Kaye Voyce
Costume Designer

Greg Emetaz
Video Projections Designer

Eric Southern
Lighting Designer

Krystal Balleza
Wig Designer

Will Vicari
Makeup Designer

Seán Curran
Choreographer

Greg Geffrard
Intimacy Coach & Fight Choreographer

Andrew Whitfield
Chorus Master

Jennifer Ringo
English Diction Specialist

Kedrick Armstrong
Assistant & Cover Conductor

Bin Yu Sanford
Repetiteur
Cast

Janai Brugger
Susannah Polk

William Guanbo Su
Olin Blitch

Frederick Ballentine
Sam Polk

Christian Sanders
Little Bat McLean

Elissa Pfaender
Mrs. McLean

Keith Klein
Elder McLean

Joseph Park
Elder Ott

River Guard
Elder Gleaton

César Andrés Parreño
Elder Hayes

Anastasia Malliaras
Mrs. Hayes

Rachel Barg
Mrs. Ott

Melissa Joseph
Mrs. Gleaton

Kellen Schrimper
First Man

Casey Germain
Second Man
Susannah is supported by a gift honoring the memory of Sally S. Levy from The Saucy Foundation by her children: Lucy & J. David Levy, Diane & Paul Jacobson, and Karen & Mont Levy.
Major production support comes from Emily Rauh Pulitzer.
Opera Theatre dedicates this production to the memory of Phyllis Brissenden, whose kindness, generosity, and joy will be celebrated for years to come.
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