Licensing & Production Info
Producer’s Pack | Contact | Production Features | Trailer | Video | Audio | Audience Resources | Work Samples |
“The Golden Cage” is a musical fable about the powerful illusions we trap ourselves in, and how they forge our reality as if it were made of iron and stone. It’s also about how we find freedom through each other.
It’s a two-person, one-set musical by Grammy-nominated composer/performer Deborah Henson-Conant, developed for production in the 2022 Off-Broadway CreateTheater New Works Series, where it received awards including Best Musical Score, and was filmed for the Streaming Musicals network.
The score, originally written for solo piano and reorchestrated for the film, has recently been developed into a small-ensemble version for live production.
PRODUCTION TRAILER
WORK SAMPLES
Work Samples are excerpted from the film version of “The Golden Cage.” The film was performed live with solo piano. Virtual orchestrations was added in post-production. It’s currently being adapted for small ensemble: piano/cello/percussion plus optional synth, clarinet & harp.
Small ensemble score is currently in production.
Note: The audio in the sample is from the film which was recorded with piano/vocal and virtual orchestration was added in post-production
Small ensemble score is currently in production.
Note: The audio in the sample is from the film which was recorded with piano/vocal and virtual orchestration was added in post-production
HERE’S WHAT PEOPLE ARE SAYING:
“Deborah Henson-Conant’s genius is on full display in her stunning musical THE GOLDEN CAGE. A musical and lyrical masterpiece, the score is deeply satisfying in its harmonic inventions that will remind you of both Sondheim and Guettel – but is truly the composer’s own unique voice. The lyrics and the dialogue are expertly woven into this two-person musical that will delight sophisticated audiences”.
Tony-Award Nominee, Paul Gordon (composer/writer of Broadway’s “Jane Eyre” and “Daddy Long Legs” and creator of the new “Streaming Musicals” Platform)
“… a magical trip through an original and modern fairytale that simultaneously feels familiar and new. A blend of The Wizard of Oz-style escapism and Waiting for Godot-like philosophic layers, The Golden Cage has the ability to both inspire and entertain across generations.” Trent Sellars (TheatreHaus Review).
With just two characters and a score described as Guettel-and-Sondheim-esque, The Golden Cage is a whimsical, sophisticated story for multi-generational audiences about our self-imposed cages of isolation and illusion, and the human connection that sets us free. Broadway World
PRODUCTION FEATURES
“The Golden Cage” is a single-set, 2-Character concept musical with open casting for age, race, gender and body-type. It’s performable with solo piano or expandable for small ensemble. Written for multi-generational audiences, it’s effective for both musical-theatre and opera audiences.
TECHNICAL
- 80-Minute One-Act Musical
- 2 Characters – Open Casting for any age, race, gender and body type
- Single unit set
- Scored for Piano or expandable to small ensemble (piano/cello/percussion with optional synth, clarinet & harp)
- Supplementary Audience Resources include the “Cage Unlocker’s E-Journal” and author’s TEDx talk
CONTENT
Through a mythical, whimsical lens, “The Golden Cage” tackles some of the most pressing mental health issues of our day including isolation, behavioral addiction, blind ambition and generational achievement expectations – and the glory of transformation and connection.
- A powerful story of freedom and connection
- For multi-generational audiences
- Effective for both musical-theatre and opera audiences
- “A musical and lyrical masterpiece” Paul Gordon – Tony-Nominee
AUDIENCE RESOURCES
Supplementary Audience resources include “The Golden Cage” downloadable journal with daily prompts from each character’s life choices. The author’s 13-minute TEDx talk about her personal journey developing the themes of the show is also available.
SOUNDTRACK RECORDING of “THE GOLDEN CAGE”
VIEW THE FILM
In 2022 “The Golden Cage” was workshopped in NYC and filmed by the “Streaming Musicals” platform for distribution as a film. Producers please note that the original production was performed with solo piano. The orchestrations you’ll hear in the film were added in post-production.
The Golden Cage
The StreamingMusicals film adaptation of the award-winning
2022 CreateTheater New Works Series production
This musical was developed through the 2022 CreateTheater New Works Festival at Theatre Row in NYC,
presented by CreateTheater: Cate Cammarata (Artistic Director) & Prism Stage Company: Judith Estrine (Artistic Director).
ADDITIONAL AUDIENCE RESOURCES
Unlock The Golden Cage
Dig deeper into the background of “The Golden Cage” to unlock its themes and hear directly from the creatives who brought the story to life.
Or use the “Cage Unlocker E-Journal” to explore the themes as they show up in your own life.
The Composer’s TEDx Talk
How to Get Out of your Inner Cage — Deborah Henson-Conant’s TEDx Talk
There were four questions the author could never answer about the show. Those are the four answers that would unlock the very meaning of the cage in her own life and show her the human connections that were missing.
Conversations with the Creatives
Unlocking The Golden Cage — Podcast & Interview Series
This podcast and interview series contains conversations where Deborah and other field experts unlock the stories that lie within us through the themes of the award-winning musical “The Golden Cage” and the people who inspired, created, and love it.
‘Cage Unlocker’ E-Journal
Cage Unlocker — E-Journal
The Cage Unlocker E-Journal is designed to help you delve deeper into the themes of the show and explore how they intersect with your own life. With thought-provoking prompts, you will gain new insights that can aid you in breaking free from your own cage and unlock your full potential.
Opportunities for Production, Education &
Community Engagement with “The Golden Cage”
Five distinct cultural groups benefit from “The Golden Cage” as both a production and a film:
- Theater & Opera Companies: Can license this award-winning musical, which features a simple set, a small orchestra, open casting for any age, race, or gender, multi-generational appeal and themes of isolation, transformation and freedom through human connection.
- Performers: Any two great performers – regardless of how they fit in standard casting models – can use the piece as a powerful vehicle to showcase their unique talent in a meaningful way in concerts, or theatrical presentations, exploring its rich characters and themes of connection and freedom
- Remote Audiences: Individuals in isolated areas can access the original workshop production as a film, along with supplementary content like the “Unlocking the Golden Cage” podcasts and e-journal, and the composer’s TEDx talk, fostering cultural engagement even in areas that have no access to live theater.
- Educational Institutions: Universities, conservatories and schools can incorporate the show into interdisciplinary projects that connect music, theater, philosophy, health, and women’s studies, encouraging students to explore complex themes of human interaction within a comprehensive educational approach.
- Community Organizations: Local groups can use the show – whether live or on film – to engage with their communities, promoting discussions around themes of isolation, mental health and the search for meaningful life pursuits.
