Jody Oberfelder Presents a Modern L'histoire du Soldat
26th April 2011

In this fresh version of The Soldier’s Tale, choreographer/director Jody Oberfelder places the post-World War I story — originally sourcing two Russian folktales — in a modern world. The dramatic trajectory of the tale is conveyed through acrobatic physicality of the characters and the distinct storytelling of the narrator. Without changing the basic plot or existential journey of the Soldier, Oberfelder has contemporized librettist C.F. Ramuz’s text to convey an environment strikingly familiar to us all. Instead of arriving home along a winding road, he arrives at the airport. Later, he meets the Princess by participating in the reality show, “Who Wants to Marry an Heiress?” He is a hapless Everyman equipped with human foibles, marching on and on, challenged by the Devil in various guises.
Christian Coulson, acclaimed actor for the screen, stage and television, previously seen onscreen in "Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets," "The Hours" and "Gossip Girl," joins the cast as Narrator.