‘Not-quite-a-musical’ The Exultant Stag hits the stage at Lawrence Arts Center this weekend

This weekend, Lawrence musician Jeff Stolz takes the varied musical influences and styles in which he works to create something amazingly ambitious with his original play-with-music, The Exultant Stag, which premieres this weekend at the Lawrence Arts Center.

It is somewhere in the vein of an opera, but not, as well as not quite being a musical.

You know what? We’ll let Stolz explain it himself:

“Writing an opera, I’m sure is an absolutely magical, incomparable experience. Sadly, it is an experience that I will probably never have, because I do not have the musical experience, talent, or skill to do that. I thought I had written a musical, however, and I was even told by people who know better that it’s ‘not-quite-a musical.’ If we must call it something, it is simply ‘a play with music.’

Well, that sounds boring as hell. But The Exultant Stag will not be boring! It’s about a man with a severe bathtub phobia who’s having distressing nightmares. With help from his therapist, he learns how to craft his dreams into a Roman myth that ends badly. The play features dancing teacups, a talking dog, a prince transformed into a stag, seven new original songs performed by The Frightened Stag with vocal assistance by Heidi Gluck, Raven Naramore, and Hannah Novaria, as well as a new single by Drakkar Sauna!”

That’s right! New music featuring some of your favorite area musicians, with the added bonus of the first new Drakkar Sauna music in six and a half years. How’s that for a weekend, am I right?

The Exultant Stag is at the Lawrence Arts Center from Friday, September 22 through Sunday, September 24. Details on those performances here.