Synopsis

Monica, the daughter of the medium “Madame Flora” (in reality named Baba) and Toby, a mute boy who lives in the same household, play dress-up. When Baba returns, violently drunk, she is angry that they have not gotten ready for her séance later that night. Once they prepare, three guests arrive: The Gobineaus, who come regularly, and Mrs. Nolan, who has not been to a séance before. All three are there in hopes of reconnecting with their dead children. However, the séance is a sham: Unbeknownst to the guests, Monica is acting out the dead’s voices and Toby is rigging the lights. In the middle of the séance, something unseen grabs Madame Flora’s throat, and in a panic she stops the séance early and sends the guests home. Baba at first accuses Toby, but when Monica comforts her with a lullaby Baba hears an eerie ghostly voice.

Monica and Toby make a puppet show and dance for one another, and she realizes he is in love with her. Baba enters and tries to make Toby confess to having grabbed her throat, but he is unable to say anything. The séance guests from earlier arrive, interrupting her. Baba attempts to show them that the seances weren’t real, even having Monica perform the voices in front of them, but the guests aren’t convinced and want to believe their experiences were real. Baba kicks them- and Toby- out of the house. Once the house is quiet again, she drinks and questions her own mind. Toby tries to sneak back into the house but accidentally makes a noise doing so. Baba, thinking the noise is from a spirit who had to have grabbed her earlier, gets her gun and shoots him. She triumphantly exclaims that she has “killed the ghost”. As Monica panics over Toby’s dying body, Baba asks: “Was it you?”

Written by Ursula Sturgeon

Content Warning: Gun Violence, Gunfire, Excessive Violence, Abuse.
There will be a 20 minute intermission between shows.

About the Performance

Cast

Viktoria Vizin

Madame Flora (Baba)

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Laura McCauley

Monica

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Lauryn Nelson

Mrs. Nolan

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Gisella Milla

Mrs. Gobineau

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Jonathan Wilson

Mr. Gobineau

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Alex Iacobucci

Toby

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Harry Silverstein

Director

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Sir Emanuele Andrizzi

Conductor

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Crew

Chorus Master, Reid Taylor
Director, Harry Silverstein
Asst. Director & Supertitles, Hannah Zizza Stanfield

Stage Manager, Magda Travis
Stage Manager, Katie Meine
Asst. Stage Manager, Bruno Diaz Miranda

Lighting Designer, Mike Goebel
Costume Designer, Emily Daugherty
Scenic Designer, Eleanor Kahn
Props Master, Isa Noe

Production Manager, Darren Lee Brown
Front of House Manager, Haley Rayfield
Master Electrician, Hannah Wien
Recording Engineer, Mary Mazurek

Opera Festival of Chicago Symphony Orchestra

Conducted by Sir Emanuele Andrizzi

Sponsors

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