Please Enjoy... The Counterfeit Opera

May 29 - June 15, 2025 at Little Island, NYC

Friends,

Hi. I have thus far spent 2025 transforming into a raw and unkempt writer ogre… in order to bring you an original new musical on a punishing, exhilarating timeline. I’m pleased I can now report to you that the composer love-of-my-life Dan Schlosberg and I have written The Counterfeit Opera. We somehow did this over the last five short months, and we are now in tech for its world premiere at Little Island from May 29 - June 15. Dustin Wills, the director love-of-my-life, is helming and developing this project with his inimitable panache and ambition. None of this would be happening if it weren’t for him.

Dan composed and arranged the music. I wrote the libretto and lyrics. This piece is based on John Gay’s 1728 satire of down-and-out London, The Beggar’s Opera, but we’ve made it our own and sought to address American politics, economics, and history. Our story takes place among the thieves and working women of 1855 New York City. It concerns a rogue man about town with great ambitions— but when his past catches up with him, he finds himself in over his head with women and the law.

Given the brittle state of social cohesion in the U.S., I’ve been especially drawn to thematic questions about how to survive in times of extreme wealth polarization, and how culture shapes how we treat each other and what we believe we owe to each other. The language of the piece is mostly contemporary but mixed with a playful dose of 19th Century criminal slang (if you know me at all, you know I’m a total sucker for offbeat slang).

Here’s a snapshot from our breathtakingly gorgeous first day of tech rehearsal:

And here’s a portrait of how the amphitheater’s looked the past two days. Foreboding, moody, windy, cold, and drenched in standing rain. In other words: impossible for us to continue working in.

We’ve had to improvise our schedule and find other ways to move forward. I’ve never done outdoor theatre before. What a trip! This is such a humbling lack of control. But I’m buoyed by how much I love this piece, by the incredible work everyone’s doing, and by the essential medicine of speaking truth and creating beauty. I can’t wait for this show to go up.

If you’d like to come, I’m not exaggerating when I say now’s your last chance to get tickets (which are all $25).

The show sold out lightening fast and we can’t extend, but there are still standing room tickets available most nights.

Essential tip: If you show up a little early (let’s say 15 to 20 minutes), you might be able to convert your standing room spot to an actual seat.
Also! If you aren’t familiar with this venue, Little Island is an architecturally striking new public park that replaced a dilapidated pier in the Hudson. It’s thoroughly worth visiting and strolling through, and there’s a full summer season of cutting-edge performances scheduled for after our show kicks things off.

Hope to see you there,

love,
Kate

Sitzprobe! How many actors and musicians can you fit in a tiny room?