“These first words in the script describing the location of the opening scene provoke an image of immediate contrast. The ghostly history of antiquity is on display within the architectural framework of a contemporary structure.
Emergent from the museum itself, conjured by the inexplicable familiarity that registers between two ‘strangers’, time bends and warps as a flood of what seems to be shared, memory materializes before our eyes. We are transported into a postmodern dreamscape of a unique world that mixes the ancient with contemporary attitude and style. The landscape of this dream- informed at all time by the life of the dreamer(s) – is not naive. The poetry of human ragedy emerges along side the farcical as well as the surreal. Posing questions that may arise in a world of war, racism, betrayal and political agenda, this dream asks how one chooses between lover, family and friend. This dream/reverie wonders if duty reaches beyond the scope of personal fulfillment. Knowing the rapture of love found, but alas, revealing the suffering when it is lost, the dream world of this museum finally considers the transcendent nature of love.”
--Daniel Stewart, Director

“ Aida was one of those rare opportunities for me to write songs that not only served the character and plot, but is what I believe personally. When that happens, you hope that what starts as a personal statement also has universal meaning. That the audience will hear the words and say ’yes, I understand. I believe that, too.”
---Tim Rice
Lyricist

“Man’s inhumanity to Man; the consequences of greed, betrayal, deception; the empty frivolity of vanity; expressions of sublime sexual passion which bloom from the deepest love versus unbridled lust; revolution, refusing to allow your spirit to be extinguished.
These are the universal themes which served as the playground.
The vocabulary: the rich, deeply rooted, organic, powerful movements from Africa; the elongated and fluid lines of European ballet; the sensuousness, and mysticism of East India; the complexity of American jazz.
A timeless tale driven by an equany inspired director whose razor sharp vision led us all to defy our self imposed creative limits.”
--Sarita Allen, Choreographer

“This a story about people torn between personal passion and political responsibility, about love transcending hate and ancient division. And we can offer no easy answer. The text can’t imply, “oh love solves everything,” because it doesn’t. On the other hand, love isn’t impotent. It does affect change – a major social change in the end. I wanted to get as much of that complexity and ambiguity into the story as I could.”
--David Henry Hwang , Book

“Aida has a spiritual center that speaks to us about the power of love and redemption and the transcendence of the spirit.”
--Robert Falls, Book

“Love stories are important to us, yet we don’t see them very often. Aida is a classic tale of lovers struggling against extraordinary odds in an extraordinary social situation. Unlike Verdi’s opera, which starts with Aida and Radames already in love, this version focuses on how these two unlikely people come to know and understand each other.”
--Robert Falls, Book

“It was exhilarating to create a story in which three such disparate people come together. Amneris especially could have been at odds with Aida and Radames. Instead, they choose to love and respect each other. And their choice changes history.”
--Linda Woolverton, Book

“And their story and my journey
And the lesson they provide
Draw their strength and inspiration
From a love that never dies.”
--Tim Rice