THE PICHER PROJECT Will Be Presented At Dixon Place April 26

The Picher Project will showcase a 30-minute preview at Dixon Place on Friday, April 26th at 10pm. Tickets can be purchased through dixonplace.org or here. The event is a double-bill of new musicals.

The Picher Project, a new musical, explores the rise, boom, destruction and fall of the abandoned mining town of Picher, Oklahoma. The town that once was the largest producer of lead and zinc in the world became the EPA's #1 Superfund site, deeming Picher the most toxic place in America. After native lands were mined out for years, the earth was damaged and left to decay. Many health and environmental crises were created due to the toxins that were left to infiltrate the air. Picher officially dissolved in 2013, making it a ghost town. Picher, a town that meant the world to its citizen, was founded and destroyed by the mining industry, leaving its population with no way to return home. More information can be found at The Picher Project Website.

The Picher Project, by Quentin Madia (Conceived/Book/Lyrics), Lauren Pelaia (Music & Lyrics) and Alex Knezevic (Music & Lyrics), stars Jack Boyd, Leana Rae Concepcion, Brett Parker Dixon, Angelica Gorga, Christina Hart, Natalie Largey, Evan Pelaia, Lauren Pelaia, Josh Walker, Madison Wechsler, Sebastian Zuniga. The production team includes Lauren Pelaia (Music Director), Trent Soyster (Assistant Director/Choreo), Jake Sinsky (Accompanist) as well as Direction and Design by Quentin Madia. This production is stage managed by Caroline Duffin and Anna Lieberman. Poster Design by Katie Cozzi.

An artistic incubator since 1986, Dixon Place is a Bessie and Obie Award-winning non-profit institution committed to supporting the creative process by presenting original works of theater, dance, music, puppetry, circus arts, literature & visual art at all stages of development. Presenting over 1000 creators a year, this local haven inspires & encourages diverse artists of all stripes & callings to take risks, generate new ideas & consummate new practices.

Lead Artists

Quentin Madia is a New York/New Jersey-based director, choreographer, and designer. Directing/Choreography Credits include: Two Star Motel (The Dare Tactic) , Bonnie and Clyde (TDT), Little Women (NJ Rep), ...Spelling Bee (NJ Rep), Blood Brothers (NJ Repertory Theatre), Gathering Sparks (GenWhy, International, Thailand), Rent (NJ Rep Theatre), and more. Tech Production Credits: Tennessee Williams 1982 (Off-Bway, Projections), Embodi(ED) (Girl Be Heard, HERE Arts Center, Proj.), Our Class (dir. Cosmin Chivu, Proj), 4.48 Psychosis (TDT, Projections & Lights), Fires in the Mirror (TDT, Projections & Lights), and more. Pace University Directing, International Performance Ensemble. Quentin also works at The Drama League (Development Associate), Dixon Place (Production Manager), and is the Executive Director of The Dare Tactic, a non-profit theatre company in NYC. www.quentinmadia.com

Lauren Pelaia is NY/NJ based singer, song writer, composer and actress. In November of 2017, she released her first EP, March With Me, at The Bitter End. Following the EP, she released two singles, Try To Love You and While We Have Tonight, that were introduced as a two-part music video series. Lauren co-wrote Employee of the Year with Quentin Madia for the production of Employee of the Month, at Dixon Place. Most recently, she orchestrated an entirely original score for the classic play, Our Town, at Villagers Theatre. Performance Credits: Halley, in The Dare Tactic's Two Star Motel; Crystal, in Algonquin Arts Theatre's Little Shop of Horrors; and Sandy in New Jersey Repertory Theatre's Grease.

Alex Knezevic is a Brooklyn based actor, musician, composer, and music producer. Current Projects: The Picher Project (Music & Lyrics, The Dare Tactic), Murder Pass (Music and Lyrics, 54 Below), and Dark of the Moon (Music Director, Orchestrations, Pace Performing Arts). Since taking composition classes, Alex was commissioned to score a piece for Pace University's Presidential Inauguration titled "Pace The Musical" directed by Quentin Madia. Some of Alex's favorite performance opportunities include NEWSIES (Regional, Buttons); Two Star Motel (NYC Premiere, Ryan); Blood Wedding (NYC, Leonardo).