The Crook: A Revival
A theatrical performance by Empire of Teeth
Written and directed by Rochelle Fabb and Michael Sakamoto
Choreographed by Michael Sakamoto
Sound score by Bob Bellerue
Featuring Rochelle Fabb, Lauren Mace, Michael Morrissey, Michael Sakamoto and Joe Seely
"The Crook: A Revival" is loosely inspired by "The Black Crook" (1866), generally considered the first Broadway musical. A combination of a Faustian folk tale and burlesque-style song and dance numbers that ran over five hours and played across the continent for 30 years, the original show set the formula for American blockbuster stage shows - and eventually movies. Utilizing elements of theater, dance, performance art, and low-tech lighting and sound, "The Crook: A Rehearsal" deconstructs scenes and characters from the original show in a contemporary context. The mass hysteria of Broadway theater and Revival preachers collides with the icy dehumanization of self-referential, postmodern culture, where everyone is a "crook."
Original concept for "The Crook: A Revival" by Rochelle Fabb, Lauren Hartman and Michael Sakamoto