Wonder Woman resigns from the U.S. military and finds that Paradise Island has changed—or maybe it's her.  In her new life as a touring artist she explores invincibility, invisibility, the limitations of the magic lasso, and the author's own adolescent preoccupations with amazons.

Artist Statement/Project Description
Recently, I took a trip back to my adolescence by watching the pilot episode of Wonder Woman, a television series popular in the 1970’s, and one which I was particularly fond of.  However, my experience of re-viewing the idol of my youth was somewhat painful.  I was shocked at the excessively careful liberal feminist approach that the show took, where Wonder Woman herself seemed never to be claiming more than reciprocal attention in the workforce—and as a secretary embarrassingly in love with and subservient to her (male) boss!  True, the Amazon island where Wonder Woman grew up was without men, and some of the conversations between Wonder Woman and her mother might subtextually lead the viewer toward “subversive” thoughts.  However, after Wonder Woman’s exodus from her birthplace, the show was fueled almost primarily by her love for Major Steve Trevor, and her undercover endeavors to keep her superhero(ine) identity secret from him, lest he be turned off by her enormous powers.  Ultimately, Wonder Woman relays a caution against radical feminism:  whereas a little bit of independence is alright, ultimately women should take care with the amount of power they exercise, especially around men.

Wonder Woman the Musical is my attempt to make sense of 1970’s lesbian feminism, separatism, and superheroines as cultural icons.  This piece is written and performed in a campy narrative style characteristic of my work, now with added cabaret features!  The show opens with a narrative reflection (told by my second grade self) on my adolescent adoration of Wonder Woman/Lynda Carter, and ponder how an adolescent—such as myself—might make sense of the conflicting queer and feminist messages relayed by the show.  The piece then transitions into Wonder Woman’s (the real Wonder Woman, not that Lynda Carter actress-imposter) current tour!, opening with an innovative cover of Helen Reddy’s famous “I am Woman,” and moving into Wonder Woman’s reflections on her close friendship with Major Steve Trevor and the homophobia of the military, lessons in coalition building, gender essentialism, and subsequent alienation from Paradise Island.  She also covers other standards in unique ways (i.e. “Stand by Your Butch”), shares her fan letters, and responds with eloquence to the inevitable questions concerning her cleavage, affairs, and the invisible plane. 

Technical Requirements
Wonder Woman The Musical runs one hour, and has relatively minimal technical needs.  The piece works best in an intimate, cabaret/club setting. Ideal lighting includes a downstage wash with blues, ambers, and reds, and a red and blue flashing sequence.  All sound cues are on cd. Full tech rider availalable upon request.