At left, one half of the Marie Christine lighting design team, Jules Fisher, and director-choreographer Graciela Daniela celebrate the opening of Marie Christine Dec. 2. At right, Tony winner Donna Murphy (Passion) plants a kiss on the cheek of her husband, Shawn Elliott, who plays Gates in the musical.
Marie Christine is a modern American retelling of the Greek Medea story by Euripides (circa 431 B.C.). The tale is set in New Orleans a century ago. Audra McDonald plays a passionate young woman willing to do anything to preserve her love for an ambitious sea captain, the Jason figure, played by Anthony Crivello. Act One is set in the South, Act Two is in Chicago. Michael John LaChiusa wrote the lead role with McDonald in mind.
The musical runs though Jan. 9 at Lincoln Center's Vivian Beaumont Theatre.
