Slideshow: Berklee Presents World Premiere Musical The Kiss
Berklee presents the world debut of "The Kiss," a new musical theater work that brings to life the characters in Austrian painter Gustav Klimt’s famed painting of the same name.
Image by Dave Green
Students Nathan Schwartzberg and Rhys Conklin give outstanding performances as the musical’s main characters, Klimt and Emilie.
Image by Dave Green
Conklin, Schwartzberg, and company perform "Dreaming in Vienna/Stay with Me" during the opening scene in Act I.
Image by Dave Green
Director Rene Pfister and Associate Director Kristin Holland Bohr introduce the production and laud those involved, including playwright Cheryl Coons and composer Peter Eldridge, who were in the audience.
Image by Dave Green
Students Janina Salorio and Alex Blanco deliver compelling performances as the characters of Adele and Ferdinand, respectively.
Image by Dave Green
Students Grace Stephenson, Josie Long, and Rebecca Fisher play the characters of Rose, Serena, and Sonia, drawing laughs from the crowd with their witty dialogue and lively gestures.
Image by Dave Green
Conklin and Schwartzberg sing a moving duet, "Something More," following the opening of Act II.
Image by Dave Green
Salorio performs a poignant solo number, "What Might Have Been."
Image by Dave Green
Conklin captivates the audience with her powerful, pristine voice as she sings "Shine."
Image by Dave Green
The cast prepares to take a bow, taking in the thunderous applause of the audience who witnessed the musical's premiere at the Berklee Performance Center.
Image by Dave Green
On April 26-27, the Berklee Performance Center hosted the world premiere of The Kiss, a new musical theater work inspired by Austrian artist Gustav Klimt's painting of the same name. The brilliant new show, part of this season's Signature Series at Berklee, captivated the audience for two nights with humor, beautifully capturing the mystique surrounding the life of Klimt and others who were close to him.
The Kiss was directed by Rene Pfister, associate professor in the Voice Department, and featured book and lyrics by playwright Cheryl Coons, and music by Voice Professor Peter Eldridge, who worked in collaboration with Coons to compose the music and bring the story to the stage.
"The Kiss also is the debut of the Contemporary Musical Theater Initiatives's new page-to-stage series, in which students, alumni, and faculty produce new original stage productions each year," according to Pfister.
The cast and orchestra featured dozens of Berklee students involved in the Berklee Musical Theater Ensemble and the Berklee Musical Theater Orchestra. The production came to life with behind-the-scenes work on lighting, sound, and projection from students taking Berklee's new minor in stage management.
Pfister offered his thanks to all those involved "for putting your heart and soul into this project."