The Sublime Theater presents the world premiere of David Brendan Hopes’ “A God in the Waters,” a delightful, moving, and masterful exploration of the making of art and the forging of family.
Tonight’s the big night: the world premiere of renowned but controversial classical composer Peter Loredan’s second symphony—purportedly his last—at New York’s Lincoln Center. That makes it a big night, too, for his wife Emilia, who’s spent decades managing the maestro’s prickly ego and fits of despair, and for his musician son Anthony, who, along with girlfriend Amy, harbors a surprise he hopes will please the old man. At the post-concert celebration, a hotel worker named Eleven enters the mix and upends expectations in David Brendan Hopes’ delightful, moving, and masterful exploration of the making of art and the forging of family, A God in the Waters. Long a leading light of Asheville writing, with an extensive list of published poetry, novels, and nonfiction, and of produced plays, Hopes may be best known to local theatergoers for his Washington Place and last fall’s Ben & Angela. For the world premiere of A God in the Waters, The Sublime Theater has assembled a marvelous cast and production team, starring Steven Samuels as Peter, Kathy O’Connor as Emilia, Jon Stockdale as Anthony, Olivia Stuller as Amy, and Adam Olson as Eleven, with set and costumes by Kayren McKnight, lighting by Jason Williams, choreography by Kristi DeVille, stage management by Samara Ross-Halleck and Amanda McLoughlin, and production management by Dakota Mann. Samuels, The Sublime’s artistic director, also directs. “It’s a great privilege and pleasure to produce and direct another of David’s plays, and for the first time to act in one,” Samuels says. “A God in the Waters is utterly irresistible. It’s both a profound meditation and a wonderful comedy, a seamless blend of meaning and entertainment. Don’t miss it!”