This project was generously sponsored by…
Lloyd & Mary Ann Gerlach Bangkok Opera Foundation

Skylight Music Theatre presents…
The Snow Dragon
Music and Libretto by Somtow Sucharitkul
Based on the book The Fallen Country by S.P. Somtow
Synopsis Summary
The Snow Dragon centers on the relationship between Dora Marx, a jaded children’s counselor who has lost her sense of direction, and Billy Binder, a physically abused foster boy whose rage is so powerful it has opened a doorway into another world called the Fallen Country. The Fallen Country is not a colorful kingdom of adventure but a place of perpetual cold, whose citizens have lost the ability to feel. Home of The Snow Dragon, Billy’s guide and ally, The Fallen Country is ruled by an oppressive dictator known as the Ringmaster. Defeating the Ringmaster in the fantasy kingdom is the key to overcoming Billy’s problems in the real world. Dora must put aside the comfort of her complacency and truly believe Billy’s stories, so that she can follow him into the Ringmaster’s kingdom and find redemption for herself as well as the boy. The opera libretto for The Snow Dragon is based on Somtow Sucharitkul’s 1982 short story The Fallen Country. The short story was also adapted into a young adult novel in 1986 but stage work derives from the original short story rather than the novel.
Appropriate for ages 12 and up. Contains strongly suggested violence.
Runtime: 1 hour, 45 minutes (including a 20 minute intermission)
NEW! Somtow Sucharitkul re-releases his book The Fallen Country along with the libretto from the opera! Available only through Amazon.com.
Related Events
Press & Reviews
REVIEW: The Snow Dragon — Auditorium Magazine
REVIEW: Blowing Hot in Chilly Wisconsin — The Nation
REVIEW: Skylight’s 'Snow Dragon' succeeds at illuminating uncomfortable subject — Wisconsin Gazette
REVIEW: Skylight's World Premiere THE SNOW DRAGON Casts Contemporary, Fantastical Spell — Broadway World
REVIEW: Skylight's "Snow Dragon" roars across the stage with passion and elegance — OnMilwaukee.com
REVIEW: In Skylight Music Theatre's 'The Snow Dragon,' an abused boy fights back — Journal Sentinel
Creating An International Opera — Urban Milwaukee
Press Release — Skylight Music Theatre
Videos
Who’s Who
Directors & Designers
Music Director | Viswa Subbaraman |
---|---|
Stage Director | Matthew Ozawa |
Scenic Designer | William Boles |
Costume Designer | Jason Orlenko |
Lighting Designer | David Gipson |
Stage Manager | Kelly Turner |
Asst. Music Director | Anne Van Deusen |
Directing Intern | Sharla Ball |
Cast
Character | Actor |
---|---|
Billy Binder | Luke Brotherhood |
Dora Marx | Colleen Brooks |
Ringmaster/Peter Stark | Dan Kempson |
The Snow Dragon | Cassandra Black |
Princess/Joan | Erica Schuller |
chorus, Dora Understudy | Leigh Akin |
chorus, Stark Understudy | Eric Madson |
chorus, Dragon Understudy | Erin Sura |
chorus | Ian Toohill |
Princess/Joan Understudy | Kaleigh Rae Gamaché |
Billy Binder Understudy | Tyler Johnson |