Nietzsche
“Say yes to life, all of it!”
When given the opportunity to direct an original musical about Friedrich Nietzsche, my first goal was to invite the audience into the world of a philosopher they likely didn’t know much about. When the audience entered the theater on opening night, they were greeted with a up-close and personal view Nietzsche frantically writing at his desk, and his own musical compositions playing in the house, transporting them back in time, all before the musical even began.
To create a sense of intimacy, I designed the show in thrust. When imagining the set, I pulled from Nietzsche’s childhood and what was to be expected of him. I saw the inside of a church with pillars, and more importantly an altar. The altar soon became Nietzsche’s desk that lived upstage center. A calendar on the desk indicated the year, to help guide the audience through time. Since the show travels 50 years through Nietzsche’s life, this was a great tool to help the audience understand when we are. As each scene would pass, an actor would flip the calendar, ending one chapter and starting a new.
Flanking the desk are two Trees of Knowledge. At their base, they are both chiseled in the shape of pillars, representing the expectations of Nietzsche becoming a pastor while he was growing up. As the trees grow, they break from their religious form, growing branches as they return to their true natural organic state. At the ends of the branches sprout the fruits of knowledge and labor, represented by the pages of Nietzsche’s life. They are religious text, essays, and sheet music.
One theme I was drawn to when telling this story, was Greek tragedy. Since Nietzsche spent most of his young adulthood studying the classics, it only seemed fitting. From Greek tragedy came idea of a Greek chorus. Ours was made up of a collection of four dancers and an ensemble of eight who doubled many characters within the musical.
The four dancers represented the four animals most representative of Nietzsche’s life. The serpent who represented wisdom, instinct, and Friedrich’s connection to the earth. The eagle who represented pride and aspiration. The camel, with her strong backbone, who was made to hold heavy tasks and the weight of life’s great responsibilities. Lastly, the lion who represented freedom, one that has conquered all and is able to be a free spirit. By giving each dancer a designated animal, it gave countless possibilities for the actor to create expression within movement.
Having the full chorus of 12 weave through scenes and adding them into numbers both vocally and physically, elevated the story telling and helped bring the show to life.
As the audience left the theater, I hope they got to know a person who lived a complicated, yet brilliant existence and were curious to learn more about Nietzsche and all the people in his life. But ultimately, I hope that they were inspired to say yes to life, all of it.
A.R.T./New York’s Mezzanine Theater 502 W 53rd St. NYC
Produced by Off-Brand Opera
Fall 2025
You can view the entire album of this production’s photo by clicking here.
CREDITS
Book, Music, Lyrics, and Choreography by Kimerer LaMothe
Music and Orchestrations by Geoffrey Gee
Directed and Additional Choreography by Liz Bealko
Music Directed by Erin Kennedy
Lighting Design by Dan Drew
Costume Design by Anna Larranaga
Photography by John Beier
MEDIA COVERAGE
https://offbrandopera.org/nietzsche
https://www.aprilonline.org/a-musical-about-nietzsche/
https://www.theatermania.com/shows/new-york-theater/nietzsche_1794127/
