Madison Lyric Stage, a professional theater company on the Connecticut shoreline, will present the world premiere of Marc Deaton’s new play Elegy for a Fallen Angel for two performances only, Saturday and Sunday, Aug. 12 and 13. Featuring original music by Nathaniel Baker, and utilizing themes by Purcell and Handel, Elegy explores a world of child neglect and abandonment as it intersects with a fantasy realm of angels, demons, and monsters.

Elegy for a Fallen Angel follows siblings Arielle and Uriel as they escape the tormented home of their mother, Belinda, and begin a path of self-discovery and recovery. Along their journey, they encounter a chorus of mythic angels and demons, including Azrael (the Angel of Death), Gabriel (the Herald), Lilith (the Night Monster), and Lucifer (the Prince of Darkness). The cast features seven principal performers and a chorus of ten, accompanied by a five-piece orchestra.

Madison Lyric Stage has premiered a number of Deaton’s plays, including Swan Knight in 2012; his one-man-show We Lived Only for the Music: Max Lorenz and the Third Reich in 2018; and, in 2020, his memoir A Memory of Truth? with music also by Nathaniel Baker.

“I am honored to be able to present this final work in what I think of as a trilogy of plays that began with Swan Knight over 10 years ago, continued through A Memory of Truth? three years ago, and now comes to completion with Elegy for a Fallen Angel,” said Deaton, who is also the artistic director of Madison Lyric Stage. “All three plays are very personal to me and are reflective of my experiences growing up. I understand that the topics are difficult, but my hope is that my stories inspire others who have experienced abuse and trauma–and survived.”

Tickets are $40 and can be purchased by visiting madisonlyricstage.org, or by calling 203-215-6329. Show times are Saturday at 7 p.m., and Sunday at 4 p.m. Performances will be held inside MLS’s brand-new enclosed tent on the grounds of the historic Deacon John Grave House located at 581 Boston Post Road in Madison.

Madison Lyric Stage’s 2023 season continues in September with Climb Every Mountain: An Evening of Rodgers & Hammerstein, followed by Maidens, Witches, and Femme Fatales … The Women of Opera in October.

Madison Lyric Stage is supported in part by generous gifts from The Community Foundation for Greater New Haven, Guilford Savings Bank, the Maureen E. and Peter F. Dalton Fund of The Madison Foundation, and the Madison Rotary Foundation, along with support from the Connecticut Office of the Arts, which also receives funding from the National Endowment for the Arts, a federal agency. Support has also been provided from CT Humanities (CTH), with funding provided by the Connecticut State Department of Economic and Community Development/Connecticut Office of the Arts (COA) from the Connecticut State Legislature.

Madison Lyric Stage is an award-winning, professional theater company serving the Connecticut shoreline. Its mission is to expand participation in the arts by presenting accessible, inclusive, and affordable professional-quality opera, musical theater, and drama.

For more information about Madison Lyric Stage, visit madisonlyricstage.org.