Theater
Rimbaud in New York
Written and directed by Steve Cosson
The Civilians
Poems by Arthur Rimbaud translated by John Ashbery
Produced by BAM with major support from the Poetry Foundation
He smoked a clay pipe, stole books, wrote hymns to bodily orifices, and, by the age of 21, had changed the face of literature forever. But then Arthur Rimbaud disappeared.
In this prismatic collage of song and story, theater company The Civilians (Paris Commune, 2012 Next Wave) use music-theater to consider the life and lasting influence of modernism’s most elusive enfant terrible. Staged musical renditions of original texts—John Ashbery’s seminal translations of the poet’s Illuminations, Rimbaud’s letters to his lover Verlaine—complement writer-director Steve Cosson’s meditations on the poet’s sexuality and influence on artists like Bob Dylan and Patti Smith. The result is a kaleidoscopic portrait of a man whose verbal alchemy made the bourgeois world blush.
Scenic design by Andromache Chalfant
Costume Design by Paloma Young
Lighting Design by Eric Southern
Sound design and additional compositions by Daniel Kluger
Music direction by Matthew Dean Marsh
Choreography by Sam Pinkleton
Seats to sold out performances may become available on the day of the performance due to returns. These seats are sold on a first-come, first-served basis right before the show starts.
For updates on availability, follow @BAM_Brooklyn on Twitter.
Civilians artistic director Steve Cosson leads this class on bringing non-traditional text, including a selection of poems by Rimbaud, to the stage.
Thu, Mar 3 immediately following the performance
Free for same-day ticket holders
Steve Cosson and members of The Civilians discuss Rimbaud in New York.
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