Magpie Artists' Ensemble

Magpie Presents: The World Premier of

BriarRose, a Queer Musical Fairytale

If you’ve been wandering through the woods searching for the mirror that truly reflects you - you found it! Welcome.

BriarRose is the age-old story of a fairytale Princess banished by an evil Queen, with a twist: the “Princess” is actually Briar, a young trans man just discovering his identity. With help from budding sorceress Ellen, Briar is able to magically transform into his true self, and together they make a new life for themselves deep in the enchanted woods. But when dashing Prince Alister and Lady Knight Brunhilde appear after Ellen casts a seemingly harmless charm, Briar and Ellen’s simple lives are suddenly much more complicated - and the Queen still casts a long shadow over what should be a happy ending.

Join this cast of familiar characters as they explore a world where magic can unlock what lies inside your heart - for better or for worse…

BriarRose will have its world premier run at Theatre Off Jackson in Seattle on Pride Weekend 2023 (June 24 & 25). The production will also have a proshot!

Downloads and in-person tickets can both be purchased by supporting our Kickstarter campaign, launching in May.

Stream BriarRose, A Queer Fairytale Musical!

BriarRose is the age-old story of a fairytale Princess banished by an evil Queen, with a twist: the “Princess” is actually Briar, a young trans man just discovering his identity. With help from budding sorceress Ellen, Briar is able to magically transform into his true self, and together they make a new life for themselves deep in the enchanted woods. But when dashing Prince Alister and Lady Knight Brunhilde appear after Ellen casts a seemingly harmless charm, Briar and Ellen’s simple lives are suddenly much more complicated - and the Queen still casts a long shadow over what should be a happy ending. Join this cast of familiar characters as they explore a world where magic can unlock what lies inside your heart - for better or for worse…

An exciting update on the world premier of Briar/Rose: our production will be partially funded by the Seattle Office of Arts & Culture! Their generous grant will help cover the costs for the venue, Theatre Off Jackson.

THE MYTH CYCLE is now available for streaming!

Experience this epic queer saga of love, loss, and triumph in the face of adversity.

MEDUSA'S BLESSING reimagines Medusa's origin story to become one of empowerment and connection between queer women in the face of patriarchal violence.

ICARUS FALLS is a queer retelling of the myth of Icarus and Daedalus. While Daedalus spends years devising a way for him and his son to escape their prison, Icaus grows up without his father noticing - and catches the eye of the Titan Helios.

PHOENIX RISING is a fresh addition to the Greek canon, following a "forgotten" child of Zeus as he dares to defy his father and live as the man he knows himself to be. Drawing inspiration from other mistreated mythological figures, he finds the strength to rise again in the face of adversity.

CALL FOR ARTISTS

Visual artist needed for posters + character sketches to promote an upcoming queer fairytale musical!

Project Details:

• 1-2 poster designs

• 6 character sketches for promotional posts

First poster deadline in late January, with additional deadlines between February and May.

To Apply:

Please email your portfolio or work samples and rates, along with any questions, to [email protected].

Our first BTS post for the workshop of "Achilles + Patroclus" - an article on the writing process from playwright James T. Washburn - is live! The article, BTS footage, and performance will all be available to Patrons at any tier.

Now Streaming: RUST: A Ghost Story

Our February production will be a workshop reading of Rust, a new Shakespearean thriller by James T. Washburn with music by Fiona Balbirona.

Part medieval drama, part horror movie, Rust follows a cast of familiar archetypes after the curtain has fallen on their story - "Shakespeare after Shakespeare."

A skeleton crew of courtiers and servants wander the abandoned hallways of a once-great castle, haunted by the dramatic events that led to the fall of the royal family. As a strange song fills the halls, each member of the court begins to succumb to their own form of madness. The survivors are forced to confront their roles in the story - and decide whether to accept their fates as written, or try to create their own destinies.

Streaming available tickets now on Ko-Fi!

Sealed with Honey Podcast Voice Actor Auditions

Open November 2nd - 15th

Information + Audition Slides Available Here

Characters:

Bridget Arnold Female | 19 | Accent: RP | Pay: $100 for ~5 minutes of recordings

Henri Bélanger Male | 26 | Accent: French | Pay: $40 for ~2 minutes of recordings

Sealed with Honey is an immersive queer epistolary novel set in England and France in the 1850s. We are creating a podcast adaptation that will be available for free to both our readers and the general public.