'Legend of the Gypsy Bride,' at the Mazer Theater

Sacred Clowns Productions present the musical Legend of the Gypsy Bride, by David Jenness, as part of the NY International Fringe Festival from the 14 - 27 Aug at the Mazer Theatre.

A modern day Beggar�s Opera, the story follows an alcoholic writer who stumbles upon a band of quarrelsome Gypsies under a highway in Queens. Seeing the writer as their ticket to Hollywood riches, they weave a darkly comic tale for him about a depressed Gypsy dancer and her suitors. Filled with passion, intrigue, and the joyous celebration of a Gypsy wedding, the story turns very real for the writer as he becomes involved in the Gypsy Bride�s search for meaning.

�My wife grew up among Hungarian Gypsies and exposed me to their beautiful music and dance,� says creator David Jenness. �Four years ago, I started to recognize in their melodies a music born of suffering, yet filled with defiant joy, which perfectly expresses our current zeitgeist. So I set out to capture that ineffable quality in a musical that would incorporate the melodies and fleet-footed dance of Hungarian Gypsies.�

The Cast for Legend of the Gypsy Bride, directed by Koby Benvenesti, includes: Nedra McClyde (Zazu), Chemda (Luminitsa), Curtis J. Bisek (Wynn Dwyer), Raven Solano (Shadow), LinDel Sandlin (Rupa), Joey Gay (Marko), Keith Malley (The Albanian), Judith Jones (Paprika), David Jenness (G., Bass Guitar), Tom Cirillo (Vosho), Andrea Kalan (Gami), George Kalan (Yojo, Guitar), Gerald Gates (Djivan, Tenor Saxophone), Franca Vercelloni (Jeta, Doris The Head Nurse, Accordion), Jesse Kotansky (Violin).

In Legend of the Gypsy Bride the 15-member Sacred Clowns Performance Orchestra assumes all the roles.

Legend of the Gypsy Bride has book and lyrics are by David Jenness, with gypsy melodies from Transylvania and Hungary adapted by George Kalan, additional music by David Jenness, George Kalan, Aron Szekely and Raven Solano, Gypsy choreography by Andrea Kalan, with additional choreography by Chemda.