“I like your voice, by the way.”
A young woman waits alone in a room for her number to be called. On the other side of the wall, a young man watches her and weighs a choice that could change her destiny and his. The line between dreams and reality blurs in this “riveting fever dream of a play” (The New York Times). In a dangerous, dystopian world, what if love is the most powerful act of resistance?
“Well, ain’t no call for a boys’ band in this town…”
You got that right. We’re assembling an all female one. In this stripped-down staging of an American classic, we probe a question we’ve been asking since last season’s Men on Boats: who gets to tell our most foundational stories? What if the Music Man you’ve been waiting for all this time wasn’t a man at all…
Adjust the lens. Challenge the tradition. Hear it again for the first time.
Last year Third Rail’s Wild Card events kicked off with the jazz-inspired pop band The Bylines. The show, with original music by lead singer Marianna Thielen and pianist Reece Marshburn, a killer band, and featuring special guest actors and dancers, was a resounding success— so much so that Third Rail is bringing them back this summer for more. The Willamette Week describes their music as having an “all-access pop sound that samples generously from its past, but has trudged into the future, filling a keen sonic niche all its own.” Their story-driven writing is innovative, fun, and heartfelt, their delivery both dynamic and charming, and the evening promises to be a magical one.
See The Bylines in action HERE!
The Bylines have spent years performing in clubs, music venues, and at festivals. They know how to write good songs and put on entertaining shows. But this show is different. “We’re getting a little more personal…a little more intimate, a little more theatrical…..this is something you will sit up in your seat for, a story you will get caught up in. We’re partnering with Third Rail Repertory Theatre, a company that knows us and believes in what we do.”
Written by Reece Marshburn and Marianna Thielen
The show will start at 7:30 at the Imago and run for about 90 minutes with an “after party” to follow each performance. This will be an opportunity for the audience to make requests and each night surprise guests, including members of Third Rail, will show up to perform with Marianna and Reece. (Amy Beth Frankel tap dancing?? You’ll have to come to find out….) The Imago Theatre is an intimate space that seats up to 200 people. Beer, wine and snacks will be available in the lobby. It is located in the heart of SE Portland with myriad places to dine or enjoy preshow cocktails.
The mission of Third Rail Repertory Theatre is to provide a dynamic artistic home for theatre audiences in Portland by fostering a professional local company, which, through collaboration and discipline, brings to life exceptional stories that provoke dialogue, encourage empathy, and inspire curiosity.
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