Fringe First: ClassiqueNouveau and The Fifth Musketeer

Paco Jose Madden is a graduate from Catholic University of America with a B.A. in Drama.  He has received four DC Larry Neal Writer’s Awards and a Young Artists Grant and Artist Fellowship from the DC Commission on the Arts and Humanities.  His play Pioneer on the Trail of Tears is published by Brooklyn Publishers.

Is this your first Fringe Experience?
Yes, this is my first Fringe experience, and I am really excited about it.
 
What drew you to this piece?
I had been thinking about doing a women's warrior piece for some time.  Not a fantasy adventure like Xena--but something that takes a serious look at a woman training to become a sword fighter.  DC actress and Molotov Theatre Group Artistic Director Tara Garwood, who plays Cecile in The Fifth Musketeer, was really excited about the idea because of the lack of dramatic roles where women get to sling steel. 
 
Tell us a little about the concept for the show.
The Fifth Musketeer takes place fifty years after the Dumas' Three Musketeers.  D'Artangan is an old man and he and his daughter are about to get kicked off their land.  D'Artangan is too old to defend his claim, so his daughter Cecile must become a musketeer.  There is also a subplot about religious intolerance which reflects today's conflict between East and West.
 
Why Should Fringe Patrons see your show?
The play has something for everyone--drama, adventure, comedy, tragedy, and lots of sword fighting. Fight Director Matthew R. Wilson has done a wonderful job with the fight choreography, and the cast is fantastic. 

What's next for you and/or for the company? 
I have a few other projects in the works.  One Thousand and One Days, is a role reversal play of The Arabian Nights in which the legendary Scheherazade is not telling tales but taking heads.  A young shepherd boy comes along and tells Scheherazade feminist stories to stay alive.  I am also working on another sword fighting play for women that takes place in ancient Greece, The Last of the Amazons (not to be confused with the novel of the same name) which examines the origin myths of our patriarchal society.  Part of the mission of ClassiqueNouveau is to create works based on the classics that provide different roles for women and other minorities.

Anything else you want to add?
First, come see the show.  Second, donations are always welcome, especially if you would like to see productions like The Fifth Musketeer in the future.  A check can be mailed to ClassiqueNouveau,

1646 Hobart Street, NW, Washington, DC 20009

.  We're not a 501(c)3 yet, so your donation won't be tax deductible.  But we do hope to become a 501(c)3 soon.  We're also still working on the website but the mission statement and information regarding The Fifth Musketeer including a scene from the play and the press release can be found at www.classiquenouveau.org.  I hope to have more information about The Fifth Musketeer up soon.
 
Performances of The Fifth Musketeer are as follows (All performances are at The Apothecary @ The Trading Post; 1013 7th St. NW (around the corner from the Fringe office on New York Ave., next to Warehouse Theatre)
 
Thursday July 9 @ 6:30pm
Sunday July 12 @ 7:45pm
Friday July 17 @ 9:45pm
Saturday July 18 @ 1:30pm

Fringe venues are small, so purchase tickets early to avoid disappointment.