Kamara Thomas presents developmental production of new musical work

See photo highlights from "Xulgaria," a musical fairytale and ritual for healing by Princeton Arts Fellow Kamara Thomas

Performers gather on a stage in front of an audience in a large open space

Photo by Felicity Audet

Three performers dressed in black gather together making confused faces

Photo by Felicity Audet

Photo by Felicity Audet

Photo by Felicity Audet

A performer in the foreground in front of a chorus dressed in black holding cut outs of birds on sticks

Photo by Felicity Audet

Two performers stand back to back on a stage

Photo by Felicity Audet

A performer dressed in white looks exhausted and leans in to a group of chorus members dressed in black

Photo by Felicity Audet

Individual performers sing in the center as two choral groups flank them on either side

Photo by Felicity Audet

A performer in bright pink stands in the center in front of a chorus dressed in black singing

Photo by Felicity Audet

A performer dressed as a black and white bird with colorful trim sings in the center of the stage

Photo by Steve Runk

A group of performer dressed in black hold back another performer dressed as a blue bird

Photo by Steve Runk

One performer dressed as a yellow butterfly confronts another performer dressed as a blue bird

Photo by Steve Runk

Princeton Arts Fellow Kamara Thomas presented the first developmental production of her new musical theater work Xulgaria in the Forum of the Lewis Arts complex on April 26, 2024. The production featured students from her spring course, the Princeton Playhouse Orchestra and Choir and guest artists from across the country. In this dark but hopeful fairy tale, two friends find themselves in an underworld of eternal winter—Xulgaria. On their journey they must face the great Bird-women who are the land’s rulers as they search for spring and retrieve the parts of themselves thought lost.