Rachel Chavkin ’08 is directing the new musical Lempicka, which is headed to Broadway in March of next year.
The musical features book and lyrics by Carson Kreitzer, book and music by Matt Gould, choreography by Raja Feather Kelly, and stars Eden Espinosa in the titular role. Lempicka will explore the life of Tamara de Lempicka, a Polish painter known for her distinctive Art Deco cubist paintings and involvement in early 20th Century Parisian artistic circles.
Previous theatrical work about Lempicka’s life has included the 1981 stage play Tamara and a one-woman show, Deco Diva, from 2005. This is the first time the story has been brought to Broadway, and following the production’s release of a trailer for the musical, enthusiasm over its premiere is high.
Chavkin is a two time Tony-award-winning director whose work has been seen both Off-Broadway and on Broadway. Off-Broadway she has directed work at a variety of theaters, including Lincoln Center, New York Theatre Workshop, and the Edinburgh International Festival. She has frequently collaborated with playwright Taylor Mac, directing his Obie Award-winning five-hour play The Lily's Revenge, amongst other Mac-written projects. Chavkin’s first Broadway musical was Natasha, Pierre & the Great Comet of 1812, the glittering War and Peace-inspired smash hit, followed by Hadestown, which has been running on Broadway since 2019. Chavkin received Tony Awards for both shows.
Lempicka originally premiered in 2018 at the Williamstown Theater Festival, and then moved to La Jolla Playhouse. In their review of the musical’s run at Williamstown, The New York Times said, “[Lempicka] delivers a surprising, intricately shaded portrait of an artist as a conflicted woman.”
“Tamara de Lempicka’s life spanned some of the most consequential eras in modern history," said Chavkin, "and her deep and complex story is an ideal subject for exactly the kind of show I love to both see and create: one that is simultaneously intimate and epic.”
Lempicka will premiere on March 19, 2024. Tickets can be purchased here.
