Backstage Pass(over) is a musical and theatrical performance that tells the story of four musicians -- one wise, one wicked, one simple and one who can't ask -- six minutes before they hit the stage for the biggest, and maybe last, show of their of their creative lives. Together they remix the Passover narrative, stretching and filtering its symbols and themes through soul music, rap, beatbox, live vocal looping and sound collage, to ponder the relationship between personal freedom and collective obligation.
Backstage Pass(over) was inspired by the Arab, Israeli and Ethiopian characters in the portraits of Kehinde Wiley’s The World Stage: Israel and filters those images through the prism of the Four Sons narrative from the Passover Haggadah. It was originally commissioned by The Contemporary Jewish Museum for the Out of Order Seder 2013.
Tracklist
- Intro - The End
- The Freedom Argument
- 10 Plagues
- Future Aramaean
- Mitzrayim
- The Beginning
- It Woulda Been Enuff
- One Drop
- Reconciliation
Created and performed by Juan Amador, Tommy Shepherd, Candice Wicks and Dan Wolf in collaboration with Professor Ari Y. Kelman.
Executive Produced by Dan Wolf for 3200 Stories
Produced by Tommy Shepherd
Artistic Direction/ Post Production/ Recording by Valentino at Freezland Music Studio, Berkeley CA
Mixed by Mike J. Walti, Valentino and Tommy Shepard at WildWood Records, Oakland CA
Mastered by Reto Peter and Valentino at the Tea House, Oakland CA
Music production by Tommy Shepherd with Candice Wicks
Cuts on Future Aramaean by Wonway Posibul
This project was initially commissioned by The CJM and supported by sponsors of the Out of Order Seder. The recording was made possible by the generosity of the Richard Sillins Family Foundation. Special thanks to Susan Sillins.
Watch the video of Backstage Pass(over) from The Contemporary Jewish Museum's Out of Order Seder 2013.