The Fish Queen of the Gowanus Canal, a new musical, is debuting new songs in upcoming performances at Principles in Gowanus on October 4th & 5th. Will they arrive in Eric Adams’ New York – or some unknown beyond? The crystal ball remains murkier than the Gowanus after a poonami.
Following multiple sold-out shows on a floating stage on the Gowanus Canal over Labor Day weekend, the show continues its improbable journey from where it all started: an embattled backyard in a rapidly changing Gowanus neighborhood. The musical, too, continues to evolve rapidly as it shares songs centered on displacement, sewage overflows, and questions about how and why communities change.
“I feel positively fecund with creativity,” said Wes Braver, the composer of the musical, with a laugh. “I’m writing Gowanusy material like it’s going out of style right now for some reason, so get ready for multiple new songs this next incarnation. The neighborhood’s pretty wild at the moment: will your landlord let the state test for toxic soil vapor intrusion in your home? Will your rent double? Lots up in the air.”
Catchy hits in the making include “Gowanustown” and a song about the extremophile organisms that live in the muck in the Gowanus Canal. Returning favorites like the falsetto-laced “Fish Queen theme” are ready to keep you humming for months to come.
Braver and a cast of top-notch musicians will present the show with the help of local producer Brad Vogel, producer Madalyn Miller, and assistant producer Lindsay Griffin at Principles, a lively Gowanus hub. In addition to cast members Nico Raimonte, Danni Hoshino, Ri Lotz, and Hannah Bailey Nery, newcomers Luana Psaros, Kevin Dorff, Abe Mamet, and Eli Lotz join the ensemble. A special new character will appear, too.
“It’s a joy to see this community-driven musical theater production continue to morph its way forward,” said Brad Vogel, producer. “This seems to be part of the DNA – and the fun – of this show…it mutates as it proceeds on its unusual path. Fitting for a Gowanus tale.”
Tickets are available here. Show time is 7 pm on both October 4th and October 5th.
What: The Fish Queen of the Gowanus Canal, a musical by Gowanus resident Wes Braver
When: Friday, October 4th and Saturday, October 5th at 7 pm both nights. Saturday’s show is sold out. We still have tickets available for the Friday performance.
Where: Principles, a community hub in Gowanus (opened in the past two years) at 139 9th Street, Brooklyn
More: Amidst a radically changing Gowanus neighborhood, the new musical The Fish Queen of the Gowanus Canal presents a suite of songs focused on displacement, environmental toxicity, the parallel challenges of relationships, and how the pollution in the neighborhood both makes the place distinctive, but also presents risks for residents. With songs ranging from poignant to zany, from intensely political to contemplative, the show is a thought-provoking romp. And above all, the music is memorable, catchy, and hard to forget.
The Conceit: The Fish Queen is a composite organism created from all the memories contained in the waste from anyone who’s ever flushed combined sewer overflow into the Gowanus Canal. In the show, different musicians take on different aspects or faces of the Fish Queen to tell some of those stories.
Special Notes: This latest incarnation of the musical will include multiple new songs composed by Wes Braver since the August on-water performances, including a song about extremophile organisms in the Gowanus Canal.
