Kickstarter

Born Blue has been evolving since the first draft was written in 2003, and has been steadily cultivating  an eclectic and healthy underground following.  Thus far it has been a project of the heart for Caren Lyn Tackett and her dynamic and multi-talented creative team. Now, however, Blue has reached a critical point; the time has come to birth it into FULL production, for it's world premiere at The Cutting Room, in New York City this Spring/Summer !! This is exciting and challenging on many levels. The professional theater community has been hit with hard economic times, as has the rest of the country and world.  Because of this, many mainstream producers seem to think that the answer is to carry dilluted but expensive spectacle shows to a short life span on The Great White Way. Born Blue has been received enthusiastically by such types of money-folk, who praise Blue up and down, recognizing it's relevance and following but fear investing, citing it as too much of a risk.  The post-apocalyptic, other-worldly, mystical concept of Blue, combined with its  exploration of very real and challenging humanitarian issues; its use of visual art, performance art, film, live-feed camera projection, etc; its musical diversity that strays from a theatrical formula; all of these elements add up to risk in the eyes of most mainstream producers, investors and backers today.  "So I turn to you...."  

Backing "Blue" means that you believe in acceptance of others, regardless of race, sex, religion, or sexual orientation.  Backing "Blue" means that you believe that art has the power to effect positive change in ourselves, each other and therefore, the world we live in.  Backing "Blue" means you're tired of being told that you only have a three minute long attention span. Backing "Blue" means you disagree that being entertained means you shouldn't have to think. Backing "Blue" means you believe in the interconnectedness of all living beings.  Backing "Blue" means that you believe there is a place for experimental theater, not just in an underground vein, but also in the mainstream, for all to see, feel, connect to and prosper with. Backing "Blue" means you dig the music.  Backing "Blue" means you are bored with mind-numbing puff pieces. Backing "Blue" means you believe it's never too late to heal ourselves and our world.  Backing "Blue" means WE LOVE YOU AND APPRECIATE YOU. And above all, WE THANK YOU.

All funds received will go towards:

* rehearsal space for cast and band (one of the largest expenses)

* paying performers and creatives

* gear rentals - sound (PA, mics, amps, stands, lights, chairs, projectors, screens, cameras)

*music and vocal arrangements - (another big one, so big that in ALL past productions, our cast has learned their vocal parts simply by listening and repetition. It made for amazing cohesiveness, but wasted buttloads of time.

* makeup, hair and wardrobe supplies

* Blue Brew production - yup.  We're developing our own product.

*merchandise

* misc supplies: paper, paper clips, copies, folders, notepads, etc.

PRESS

"I'm honored that Caren asked me to bring her bold and inventive and utterly original show to life. She's a consummate artist and a great friend." - Anthony Rapp, Broadwayworld.com - September, 2011

"Okay. So you're not into the whole new-age, reincarnation-karmic-retribution thing. No matter. You don;t have to like The Salvation Army to like 'Guys and Dolls'. There's enough going on here to keep you more than entertained.  If it opens your mind and gets you thinking about the nature of the universe, that's icing......"  "Nearly two hours of music here, and nothing feels like filler, and many songs are outstanding, with memorable melodies and hooks....." "(Caren) doesn't try to steal the show, but instead writes generously for the many unique voices she's assembled." "She never lets the energy drop, and builds to a crescendo that has the audience on it's feet.  Let it lift you up, too." - David Pumo, nytheater.com , review from NYC Fringe Festival, 2004. 

"It's not just an exploration of the cycles of fear and prejudice regarding sex, race, sexual orientation and organized religion.  It's also my own life experience told in metaphor and myth." - Caren Lyn Tackett, Broadwayworld.com, 2010.

"Rapp, who directed a few Off-Off-Broadway productions when he first came to New York and was featured in Six Degrees of Separation, said directing "is something that I've always been interested in, but because it takes a tremendous amount of energy and time, I really only want to pursue projects that I really am drawn to or excited by because I don't want to just pad my resume with directing gigs just to direct. . . I want to do things that I feel I have something to contribute [to] and that speak to me."  "This is a piece that's taking risks in story telling and in subject matter," Rapp continued. "To me, that's very exciting, but you never know exactly how that's going to work until you have it up on its feet, and you have to see how people connect to it." Rapp said that auditions for the workshop were especially exciting. "There are a couple young performers that I believe are true discoveries," he explained. "I am thrilled. When they left the room after their auditions, we were like, 'We feel like we've just seen superstars!' I mean, you never know, of course, but I just think that's really exciting. And, that's one of the things that's great about being on the other side of the table. If in some small way, if this experience can help open doors for these incredibly talented people who have not yet had their break, if this can be one little step on their ladder, I'd be thrilled to have been a part of that for them." -  playbill.com - April, 2010

BORN BLUE PLOT SUMMARY

Upon entering "The Atomic Bar & Chill", life as you know it has ended.  You are now a part of 'The Blaze' - a soul collective.  This purgatorial dive bar resides on another plane of existence- a place of transition and retrospection.  The house band - Creatrix, Great Mother of All Things, is God/Goddess of this universe.  Their front womyn, Infinity Blue, believes herself to be deity as well.  She is mortal, like The Blaze, however, and in denial of her own truth.  

The Blaze are in the process of detaching from their previous lives. They are becoming raceless, sexless - indicated by their grey and blue skin tones.  The more Blue a soul is, the more highly evolved.  One a soul in the Bar & Chill evolves to the enlightened state of being entirely Blue, they're ready to move on.  

The one beverage served here is called Blue Brew.  This watered down version of The Elixir - the Divine juice that flows from Creatrix's sacred music - helps The Blaze to unwind, shed their previous life baggage and open their souls to new reality.

The most potent form of The Elixir flows through the lead microphone, which Infinity has become addicted to and refuses to share as often as she should. Therefore, she is the only one of The Blaze who is pale/white in some areas - a sign of regression. The Divine Elixir of Creatrix can either be the most healing medicine or deadly drug, depending on how it's used.

Tonight is a special night at the Bar & Chill.  Earthly apocalypse has occurred and an overwhelming mass of souls pours in.  Creatrix is unhappy with the quality of life those from Earth have been perpetuating throughout its universe.  Seizing the opportunity to resolve many issues at once, Creatrix uses Infinity to lead The Blaze through a musical exploration of three of their life stories, from three time periods:

1) The Salem Witch Trials, 1692 - Ms Black, an eccentric young widow, is raped and impregnated by Sir Luther, the town's district attorney.  His Suspicious Wife finds out and accuses Ms Black of witchcraft. She has a hoax of a trial, with Luther prosecuting.  The presiding Judge Sewall is being blackmailed by Luther- he caught Sewall in bed with a man - to sway his trials in his favor. Ms. Black in convicted of Witchcraft and hung.

2) American Slavery, Jefferson plantation, 1875 - Jude, a young slave womyn, is in love with Master Jefferson, who returns her love but refuses to publicly claim her child as his own.  This dashes Jude's naive idealistic dream of this being the end of this kind of life for her, her Mother and Father - also on the plantation. Father suspects Jude's affair and confronts her, outraged. Mother begs Father to hear Jude out, but before he can she has taken her own life while trying to self-abort her child.

3) Pine Ridge Lakota Sioux Reservation, 1969 - the most impoverished and politically corrupt rez in the country.  Catori is a young activist and folk singer with her African-American lover, Ophelia.  They met at a rally/Love-In, where Catori also conceived a child.  Their relationship is kept secret from her father, Dell, who gave up on life after seeing his wife murdered in a federal raid when Catori was a child.  Talon, tribe shaman, practically raised Catori and supports her relationship and activism.  Catori and Ophelia wish to raise their child together - an act that Dell knows will result in her excommunication.  Despite societal and familial pressure to conform, Catori chooses love.  Catori leaves the tribe, settles with Ophelia and births a baby boy - whom they name Blioux.

In the process of reenacting these life cycles, Infinity realizes that these are her own life experiences Creatrix is resurrecting - she was the unborn child of each pregnant womyn in each story.  This epiphany triggers Infinity's ability to let go, give up the mic, evolve and finally move on from the Atomic Bar & Chill.  By the end of the evening;s events, all have become significantly more Blue than when they arrived.  

Born Blue is an existential rock and soul musical that is highly audience interactive. All in attendance become a part of The Blaze.  Live-feed camera projections, intense artistic design, and stunning wardrobe concept increase the layers of intimacy.  The audience leaves with as many questions as answers, and that's GOOD. They are welcome to return, bringing more into The Blaze - so we may continually explore more of each other, ourselves,  and our universe.