a chamber opera for a changing climate

Let's Blow Up A Gas Station!

Music by ZW Buckley and Libretto by Spencer Young

Margaret, Rory, and Badger are three disenchanted climate activists trying to make change flow in their small, Midwestern town. Will their actions ripple?

Watch & Listen

Let's Blow Up A Gas Station! was commissioned by Seattle Opera as part of the Jane Lang Davis Creation Lab.

As performed by:

  • Margaret (Mezzo-Soprano): Myah Rose Paden

  • Rory (Baritone): Micah Parker

  • Badger (Tenor): Chad Demaris

  • Maestro: Bobby Collins

Characters:

Margaret – Mezzo-soprano. Margaret has lived in the Midwest for most of her life. She loves to stare at the sky. A disenchanted climate activist, Margaret has been slowly unraveling while working for a nonprofit.

Rory – Baritone. When his family’s farm was passed down to him, Rory sold the land and ran away. Now, a giant gas station sits where the farm once stood. Rory is furious and filled with shame—he never meant for his family’s land to be used this way. 

Badger – Tenor. No one knows where Badger came from. Badger is just always kinda... there.

Location:

A Midwestern highway, rows of corn framing the road. Early evening. The sun is beginning to set.

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