Nathan Leigh's 'Sealand' Takes Over WHAT Lab

By: iO Staff, March 19, 2012

Imagine Lord of the Rings as performed by an inept community theatre troupe who are failing by way of Monty Python. WHAT Lab experiments with that theme in a Nathan Leigh musical that carries a title that will (literally) take your breath away:

The Glorious Tale of the Founding of the Great Nation of Sealand: A Metatheatrical Musical Odyssey Who's Title Is Probably Longer Than the Musical Itself; Sort of Like That Fiona Apple Album That Pretty Much Ended Her Career, I Forget What It's Called But You Know The One I'm Talking About: A True Story (title aka Sealand)

Inspired by the founding of the micro-nation, Sealand, the musical is the irreverent and often surreal story of Roy Bates and his children, Michael and Penelope, as they battle the Queen of England, various sea monsters, and each other to found the world's smallest principality.

Why conduct the WHAT Lab?           

 “It’s part of our shared mission to be at the forefront of regional, professional theater,” explained WHAT Lab Director Dan Lombardo, who is also the Wellfleet Harbor Actor’s Theater artistic director.            

“There is very little that is more rewarding than discovering new talent for the theater, whether it is a young playwright, actor or composer,” he said. “The fact that we can do it here in Wellfleet, even in the middle of the winter, contributes to the cultural quality of life of the Lower and Outer Cape – especially when we can share our work with our neighbors now, and visitors next summer.”

Tentative Cast List for Sealand:

Dominic Spillane: Prince Roy Bates I of Sealand

Maren Langdon: Melusine, Queen of the Merfolk

Kate Michaud: Prince Michael I of Sealand

Katherine Folk-Sullivan: Princess Penelope

Ugo Chukwu: The Kraken, Oliver the Lobster

Eric Folks - Queen Elizaebeth II, Alexander Achenbach