Wooden Spoon notes

Performance April 21, 2000, Austin, TX, UT Austin Recital Hall
Larisa Montanaro, Lila
Tim Giradot, actor
Neil Flory, narrator
Brent Baldwin, conductor
with members of the UT-Austin New Music Ensemble
[video by Paul Bissell]

PROGRAM NOTE

THE WOODEN SPOON (1997-1998) is a short music theater work that chronicles the events of an unfortunate incident between a small child and her father. An eclectic mixture of serious and popular music are the backdrop for the emotional, dark stage action.

Little Lila is at home playing with her doll.
Her father sits in a chair reading, occasionally watching her.
A seemingly normal, happy home.
Unexpectedly, Lila smashes her doll.
Angered by this, he reprimands her with a ferocious spanking.
In pain, hurt, and withdrawn, Lila hides.
A terrible verbal attack ensues.
Miraculously, she finds deep within herself,
the courage to take a stand against her father,
once and for all.

-- April 21, 1998, Austin, TX, Recital Hall, Austin, TX by Larisa Montanaro, Neil Flory, Tim Girardot,
with member of the University of Texas New Music Ensemble, conducted by Brent Baldwin.

-- March 18, 2000, Britton Theater, Ann Arbor, MI, Phoenix Ensemble, conducted by Anuziata Tomaro CANCELLED

-- Premiered March 22, 2000, Recital Hall, Austin, TX by Larisa Montanaro, Neil Flory, Tim Girardot,
with member of the University of Texas New Music Ensemble, conducted by Brent Baldwin.