I Became We

A

Who would have thought that the inner musings of a mid-thirties Manhattanite could be the basis for a cantata for a 16-member choir? Fortunately, Mona Pirnot (lyrics) and Jack D. Cohen (music and lyrics) thought so and created this delightful work that is now onstage at Atlantic Theater Company’s Linda Gross Theater. This semiautobiographical work turns Pirnot’s day-to-day thoughts about her marriage, her friends, her mother and her future, including the decision whether to have a child, into a seamless musical work of a complexity worthy of a modern-day Bach. The singers (Alison Cheeseman, Paul Chwe MinChul An, Nathan Fletcher, Natalie Holt, Oliver Holt, Heather Jones, Helen Karloski, Kathryn McCreary, Neil Netherly, Logan Pitts, Carrie Quarquesso, AnnMarie Sandy, Michael Steinberger, Gregorio Taniguchi, Tyler Tejada and Zen Wu) all have wonderful voices that blend together beautifully; I wish I could single out the soloists and the quartet that sings a capella, but the program doesn’t identify them. Midway through the piece, a 17^th choir member appears (Paige Nesle), a child who personifies the protagonist as a girl. The contrast between the ordinary, conversational lyrics, which often rhyme, and the elevated musical idiom is pleasurable. The supertitles over the stage are helpful. There are lots of laughs too. The narrative arc runs from lighthearted to philosophical. Mimi Lien’s simple set includes a set or risers and three large wooden acoustic panels. The Steinway grand piano on the left is skillfully played by the composer. Louisa Thompson and Gylanni Carrington have dressed the choir members all in black. The subtle lighting by Tuçe Yasak enhances the production. Andrew Henderson conducts the choir and Sarah Benson is director. It is truly a unique experience that I very much enjoyed. My guess is that many choirs will be eager to perform it. Running time: 70 minutes, no intermission.