“Always keep an eye on the back of the chair in front of you,” sang the women of the New York Star steno room as they introduced Sylvia Golubowsky to the harsh truths of their life at the bottom of the professional ladder. Drawn in by the shimmer and opportunity of New York, Golubowsky was quickly realizing that her dreams were much farther away than she thought.
Welcome to Shimmer, a new musical with which playwright and Guggenheim Fellow Sarah Schulman hopes to join the legacy of New Haven premieres that have gone on to experience Broadway success. Last Thursday, the work came to Yale’s Schwarzman Center for a live workshop and performance of 23 original songs.
It received production help from Long Wharf Theatre and the Midnight Oil Collective, partners both based in New Haven. Last week, it was part of the Yale Innovation Summit’s inaugural arts track Following the June 1 performance, the show will continue its development in New Haven.