Abrahamse & Meyer Productions and VR Theatrical will present the world première of a new musical, Star+Crossed, inspired by the life of one of South Africa’s most eccentric women, Elizabeth Klarer, at the Artscape Arena from 9 to 31 December 2022.
Klarer gained fame and notoriety during the height of apartheid with her incredible claim that she was abducted by an alien from the foothills of the Drakensberg, transported to his Utopian planet in the Alpha Centauri System, where she bore him a son, before returning to earth, to spread his message of love, compassion, and his urgent call to protect our planet and find more sustainable ways of living here on earth.
Spanning almost nine decades, from 1910, with the formation of the Union of South Africa, until 1994, when Nelson Mandela was inaugurated as South Africa’s first democratically elected president, Star+Crossed explores how we use stories and fantasies to transmute a dark, barren world into something more meaningful, mythic, and beautiful.
The musical, with book and lyrics by Marcel Meyer and music by Wessel Odendaal, centres on two unlikely people finding each other in extraordinary circumstances while forging a profound connection that transcends, time, space, and South Africa’s oppressive apartheid laws.
Power of storytelling
Librettist and co-producer Marcel Meyer explains: “At its heart, Star+Crossed celebrates the power of storytelling. Which stories we choose to tell, how we tell them and why. We are excited to share this unique and powerful story with theatre lovers in the Mother City.”
Isabella Jane stars as Bess, the role inspired by Elizabeth Klarer. Jane recently won a Fleur Du Cap Award for her breakthrough performance in the international tour of Evita. Apart from being a sought-after actress and vocalist, Jane was also Runner-up during the 2015 season of SA’s Got Talent on local television.
Joining her in the role of Billy, Bess’s childhood friend, is celebrated musical theatre leading-man, Earl Gregory. Gregory is no stranger to Cape Town audiences having made his debut in the title role of Andrew Lloyd Webber’s much-loved Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat at Theatre on the Bay, to his recent award-winning turn as Lola in the Fugard Theatre’s production of Kinky Boots.
What: Star+Crossed
Where and when: Artscape Arena from 9 to 31 December 2022
Tickets: Computicket
Photographs: Fiona McPherson
WS
