A New Mythical Musical by Deborah Henson-Conant
The Golden Cage
“A musical and lyrical masterpiece …
that will remind you of both Sondheim and Guettel.”
Paul Gordon (Tony-Nominated composer/writer of Broadway’s “Jane Eyre” )
CreateTheater New Works Festival Awards
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“A musical and lyrical masterpiece” Paul Gordon – Tony-Nominee
The Golden Cage is a Producer’s Dream:
- 80-Minute One-Act Musical
- 2 Characters – Open Casting for any age, race, gender and body type
- Single, simple set
- A powerful story of freedom and connection
- For multi-generational audiences
- Scored for Piano or Piano/Cello/Percussion
- Effective for both musical-theatre and opera audiences
- Supplementary Audience Resources include the “Cage Unlocker’s E-Journal”
Through a mythical, whimsical lens, “The Golden Cage” tackles some of the most pressing mental health issues of our day including isolation, behavioral addiction, blind ambition and generational achievement expectations – and the glory of transformation and connection.
Photos from the 2022 Workshop Production in NYC – Click Photos to see Full-Size
Photos by Rachel Monteleone and Emily Hewitt
From the 2022 “CreateTheater Festival” production in NYC with Chris Isolano: Boris and Maddie Allen: Alphea
The Golden Cage is an award-winning musical about a glorious, mythical cage that’s irresistible from the outside, and inescapable from the inside, This 2-character musical play tells the story of two creatures who meet on either side of its bars. Boris, half-man and half-bird, is stranded on the outside after a lifetime searching for the cage. Alphea, trapped on the inside, is a melodramatic diva, who longs for freedom, yet fears the outside and can’t remember how she got trapped inside. Lyrical musical theater meets operetta meets song-cycle, this poignant new musical comedy reflects the cages in which we trap ourselves and the only way we can unlock them: through connection to each other.
Its universal subject matter, sophisticated music and whimsical characters make The Golden Cage a show for multi-generational audiences to see together. It offers a common language to talk about the trap of isolation, the polarized reality of being an ‘insider’ or an ‘outsider’ — and the discovery that it’s only through human connection that we can break through to our common humanity and the glorious truth of who we most deeply are.
“Imagine chasing a dream your whole life only to find out it’s someone else’s hell,” said playwright and composer Deborah Henson-Conant. “The Golden Cage is about self-created traps of isolation and blind achievement, and the power of human connection to set us free.”
Available for licensing, The Golden Cage is a “producer’s dream,” with its single set, small orchestra, two-person cast with open-casting for any gender, age, race or body type – and its universal message that appeals to multi-generational audiences.
HERE’S WHAT PEOPLE ARE SAYING:
“Deborah Henson-Conant’s genius is on full display in her stunning musical THE GOLDEN CAGE. A musical and lyrical masterpiece, the score is deeply satisfying in its harmonic inventions that will remind you of both Sondheim and Guettel – but is truly the composer’s own unique voice. The lyrics and the dialogue are expertly woven into this two-person musical that will delight sophisticated audiences”.
Tony-Award Nominee, Paul Gordon (composer/writer of Broadway’s “Jane Eyre” and “Daddy Long Legs” and creator of the new “Streaming Musicals” Platform)
“‘The Golden Cage’ is an inspirational musical-comedy fantasy for those of us who sometimes feel trapped in our own minds.” Joan Davidson
“It’s not a coincidence that this show is emerging now because it is about the inner evolution that each of us is experiencing coming out of the last two years.” Simonne Willems
“… a magical trip through an original and modern fairytale that simultaneously feels familiar and new. A blend of The Wizard of Oz-style escapism and Waiting for Godot-like philosophic layers, The Golden Cage has the ability to both inspire and entertain across generations.” Trent Sellars (TheatreHaus Review).
With just two characters and a score described as Guettel-and-Sondheim-esque, The Golden Cage is a whimsical, sophisticated story for multi-generational audiences about our self-imposed cages of isolation and illusion, and the human connection that sets us free. Broadway World
SPECIAL THANKS
Words are not enough to thank you for your continued support of this film and the many live productions of it to come throughout the world! But this is a small attempt to acknowledge your immense contribution:
To those without whom this story would never have made it out of my head:
Rachael Solem & Irving House at Harvard –
a unique bed & breakfast in the heart of Cambridge, Massachusetts
Gloria Hodes & Music & Masque • Paul Gordon • Tim Maurice • Larry Grogin
New Opera & Musical Theatre Initiative • Theater Resources Unlimited
Cate Cammarata’s CreateTheater New Works Festival
The cast & crew of “The Golden Cage” Live NYC production and the Streaming Musicals film and production company.
My Superheroes
Betsy Scott Chapman and John Daggett • Gloria Hodes • Sandy Periera & Family • Rachael Solem
Openhearted Patrons
Kathleen Wiley & Jon Charles Singleton • Elaine Benveniste • Sylvia Woods • Jonathon Conant • Tara O’Brien Pride • Thomas Geraty & Stuart Walker • Jeffrey Biegelsen • Gary Adelson • Rebekah Simon-Peter & Jerry Gonzales • Nancy B. Lamell
Kind Hearts
Sonia Lewin • Emily Brecker Greenberg • Fern Nelson • Judith Taylor • Ben Cohen • Carolyn Sykes • Shari D Rochen • Philip R Gouin • Dan Beach • Andrew Isolano • Susan K Bright • Angela Smith Scoles • Fred Stewart • Rebekah Simon-Peter • Jerry Gonzales • Betty Widerski • Ruth Thomson • Midge Jambor • Claire Sharp • Mary Fallon • Melody Long Anglin • Katrina Czenkusch • Marc Abrahams Abrahams • Sarah Walstrum • Clara Frederickson • Wendy Savage • Joan Davidson • Laurie Grant • Angela Irnich • Daniel Mark • Connie Lo Porto • Pam Jurgens • Kim Wirshing • Holly Heffernan Krelle • Joanne Bayiates • Susan Howland • Christine Van Arsdale • Moira Lethbridge • Elaine Benveniste • Beverly Inman-Ebel • Fern Nelson • Ginger Webb • Moyra Riley • Liz Morgan • Sharon Kabelitz • Shirley Keech • Tina Scholz • Julia Hood • Vimukti Warr • Peter Draymore • Claire & Richard Sharp • Dana Sussman • Michael Bromberg
Warm Souls
Josh Layne • Nancy Knop • A. Parker • Ginette Abbanat • Tera Maxwell • Jude Armishaw • Joy Zahner • Sally Walstrum • Andre Perez • Michael Wartofsky • Angela Mckinney • Paulette M. Miller • Shelley Fairplay • Celeste Cumming • Susan Cohen DeStefano • Tammy Halun • Gillian Beeley • Erene Mastrangeli • Ronald Mallett • Faye Fishman • Joke Verdoold • Joyce Briggs • Lori Fuller • Jonathan Daniszewski • Pumehana Wadsworth • Donna Profeta • Kathy Schalk-Greene • Linda Obedzinski • Arlene Lieberman • Maria Wilson • Jolijne Viergever • Stephanie Osborne • Evelyn Ginsparg • Bernadette O’Rourke • Eileen Riley • Robert Aguilar • Sarah Werners • Mark Hoffman • Susan Regan • Gail Seymour • Helen Sharp • Wendy Savage • Kathryn DeAngelo • Cheryl Fannin • Ron Nathanson • Paulette Miller • Charlene Elderkin • Barbara Irvin • Mary E Rancati •
Sharon Thormahlen • Theresa Renner • Linda Obedzinski • Fred Stewart
This list is growing daily. If you’ve donated to this project and don’t see your name here, it will appear! And if you haven’t had a chance to donate, or want to add more support …
