LORI GLORI:  THE VOICE BEHIND THE HITS AND THE HEART OF THE STAGE

Her voice defined the hooks of an entire generation. In the 90s, Lori Glori became a Eurodance legend. Joana Tischkau now brings the life story of the California-born singer to the stage as a musical. From her first performances in the gospel band the HAM Sisters, to her appearance with Bill Summers & Summers Heat on the American show Soul Train, to her time as a background and lead singer in various Eurodance productions in Germany. There, an event occurs that will shape her entire life. This collaboration and its consequences tell of a personal tragedy and a tragic chapter in the history of the European music industry. How can one be heard after someone else has had more power, when one's own voice wasn't loud enough? Is there a path to justice?

In her work, Joana Tischkau deconstructs cultural appropriations and questions of authorship and authenticity. She exposes the moments when a supposedly authentic origin can no longer be clearly defined and examines the European understanding of Blackness and Black culture. At the Schauspielhaus Zürich, the director and choreographer, together with the ensemble and Lori Glori herself, stages Lori's story as a fantastical musical memoir.

 

Press and public reactions

"The glitter and shine of textiles, sometimes brightly colored, sometimes iridescent like foil, as well as meter-long, silver-blonde extensions, create a visual spectacle." NZZ

"The actors perform with humor and compelling honesty, pushing music business clichés to the extreme without letting the criticism descend into ridicule." - Nachtkritik

"The evening makes Lori Glori a star! (...) Joana Tischkau has a very strong and intelligent sense of form; the evening spells out pop culture and pop music. (...) The way Tischkau inserts discursive elements into these meaningless Eurodance songs is ingenious!" Deutschlandfunk Kultur

 

" When singer Lori Glori narrates her – somewhat fictionalized and abridged – life story through gospel, jazz, Euro-dance, and, well, storytelling, the audience practically dances along. The beats thump, and the spectators roar with laughter. (...) A docu-musical with a twist. With a soundtrack that propels us powerfully and energetically through the two hours; and with a seven-member ensemble that truly brings stereotypes to life and transforms agile bodies into captivating characters." Tages-Anzeiger

“ Lori Glori is finally on stage: It’s a performance she has long deserved. Thirty years have passed since she lent her voice to DJ Bobo’s world hits – and came away almost empty-handed. The musical ‘Last Night a DJ Took My Life’ tells her eventful life story – with Glori in the lead role. ” Blick

“The Bavarian set designer Carlo Siegfried has created a brilliant backdrop for the story about abused copyrights and structural racism and sexism in the music business.” Tages-Anzeiger

"Very well written. (...) An incredibly entertaining, engaging, and amusing evening, and at the same time an incredibly insightful reflection on and exploration of the production conditions in pop music at that time." Deutschlandfunk Kultur