“Death Boogie,” the winner of two major Musical Theatre Matters Awards at the 2012 Edinburgh Fringe Festival, will play at the Auditorium Theatre’s intimate new Katten Landau Studio, Sept. 5 – 7. Written and performed by actor/poet Darian Dauchan, the show is billed as “an innovative, modern, hip-hop musical featuring a polished, invigorating spoken-word performance.”
Both a concept album and a theatrical production, “Death Boogie” follows the fictional story of Victor Spartan, a blue collar worker turned revolutionist. While Spartan may lead a comatose lifestyle by day, at night he hears the poetic sounds of revolution. In this political romp — which uses a combination of music (violin, bass and beat-boxing) and comic book illustrations to convey the deeply rooted call to action — Dauchan embodies Spartan, as well as various characters including a Greek Titan, a soldier, a prisoner of war and a child. Along the way he examines the notion of martyrdom, altruism, and courage.
Dauchen, founder of “The Spoken Word Almanac Project,” a poetry collective committed to the writing of poems on current world events, conceived the spoken word show “Slam 101” for Lincoln Center’s Meet the Artists Series, and has a number of Broadway, TV and solo performance credits. He will be accompanied here by local Chicago musicians. The show’s director is Jennifer McGrath.
For tickets ($12 – $20) call (800) 982-2787 or visit www.AuditoriumTheatre.org.
