LOST CITY RADIO

Music and Lyrics by Benjamin Velez | Book by Joél Pérez
Based on the novel by Daniel Alarcón

SYNOPSIS

For ten years, Norma has been the on-air voice of consolation and hope for a country whose people are broken by war's violence. They now live under an authoritarian government that has stripped away all names of what came before. As the host of Lost City Radio, Norma reads the names of those who have disappeared in the furiously expanding city. Through her efforts, lovers are reunited and the lost are found, at least that’s the fantasy the radio makes her sell. While the show is mostly political propaganda and puff pieces, occasionally callers slip in to decry the fascist Presidency and find those who have gone missing due to their political leanings. In the aftermath of the decade-long bloody civil conflict, Norma’s own life is about to forever change—thanks to the arrival of a young orphan boy, Victor, who brings with him from the jungle a cryptic clue to the fate of Norma's vanished husband, Rey. Together, they embark on a journey that weaves in and out of their memories to piece together a puzzle of two psyches ripped apart by war.

Lost City Radio probes the deepest questions of war and its meaning: from its devastating impact on society to the emotional scarring each survivor carries for years after, and tells a story of how two souls help heal each other and live with the truth. Set in a fictional South American country, this is a timeless tale of family, power, and corrupt control.

DEMO OF OPENING NUMBER - “FIND ME”
We begin by meeting the “Chorus of the Lost”, followed by an introduction to Norma, her show, and the charade she’s being forced to uphold on air.

MUSIC AND DANCE ELEMENTS

The ensemble acts as a “Chorus of the Lost” to represent those who have gone missing and who live in the memories of those still searching.

The “Reys” - At first, Norma’s memory of Rey is scattered and represented by three members of the ensemble. As she continues to piece his memory together, he comes into focus and becomes one person.

Since the piece isn’t set in a specific country, the music will be idiosyncratic to this piece and not rely on any specific genre or style to indicate time and place.