This project was made possible by a grant from the Harpo Foundation.
NOTE TO LISTENERS: You can use the navigation tool to jump directly from Act 1 to Act 2.

Act 1 of Lady Liberty: Tragic Story of a Torch Singer, a radio play begins with an interview between performance artist, Kalup Linzy and collaborator
Noah Fischer.

Act 1: The play opens with impressionist painter Paul Gauguin moping on his death bed in 1903 French Polynesia, when his nosey landlady, Madame Monroe bangs on the door demanding six months back rent. When he doesn’t have it, the Madame suggests Gauguin let her examine his figure as down payment. Obviously Gauguin is feeling a little down on his luck – but! Not to fear, our heroine, Lady Liberty, intercedes in a dream where she speaks in rhyming couplets.

Does Gauguin get his act together? Can he "paint from your soul, not from your head / paint from life, not from death" as Lady Liberty instructs? Find out in the Act II of Lady Liberty: Tragic Story of a Torch Singer.

Act 2: Gauguin visits Bartholdi and his wife in the studio while he is building the Lady. Within the artists's families, admiration, jealousy, and bickering ensue. But the one who excites the most passion is the statue itself who has gained a soul and a voice and begins to interfere with the great men. But who needs whom more? And when the men are separated from their muse, will they heal? And even so will their women forgive them? In the end, will love triumph?

This segment is preceded by Linzy and Fischer discussing other projects and includes some samples.

Noah Fischer grew up on the Green Gulch Organic Farm and Zen Buddhist Center where he made an unlikely acquaintance with a famed New York curator. From that point on, Fisher knew he'd make it to New York City one day soon.

Kalup Linzy is a Florida-born video and performance artist known for pieces satirizing the tone and narrative approach of television soap opera. In late 2010 he struck up performing duo partnership with artist and actor James Franco.