The Painted
BOOK AND LYRICS BY DEBORAH BERENSON
- in development -
“I am my own muse. I am the subject I know best.
The subject I want to know better.”
- Frida Kahlo -
We know their faces. We know their bodies. We may even know their names. For centuries, male artists have appropriated the likenesses of the women who've inspired them... but what about the lives those women lived beyond the canvas? When a woman becomes a muse, does her image eclipse her personhood?
The Painted is an exploration of six women, immortalized by the work of one of the world's most famous male painters. This musical reimagines the story from their perspectives, exploring the dynamic between artist and muse, and giving them a chance to depict their own ending.
The Painted is intended to be a full-length musical with a predominantly female-identifying cast.