The Transit Rider
Encyclopedia
The Transit Rider is the title of the fourth album by Faun Fables
and the theatrical production on which it was based.
from when she relocated there in 1994. As a live performance, The Transit Rider premiered as a full-length theater show in San Francisco in 2002. In April through June 2006, the four-member version of Faun Fables including Jenya Chernoff and Matt Lebofsky
toured North America. The tour culminated in a large-scale performance at the Oakland Metro Opera House in Oakland, California on May 26 and 27.
The stage was set to resemble a light rail
train, with a row of chairs along the upstage wall. Behind the actors portraying the riders, three large windows showed projected images which are the work of visual artist Eric S. Koziel. The first act began with the performers entering the stage as if entering a rail car. As each character reached his or her stop (announced with increasingly cryptic commentary by Frykdahl as The Train Conductor
) he or she moved to a microphone near the door of the train car, performed a song, and then exited the stage. Performers included Sean Lee, Mick Runolfsson, and others.
Following this portion of the performance, Moe! Staiano entered downstage and played an improvised piece on 78 RPM records
in which he developed rhyhthmic motifs while beating the 78's with mallets until they broke into pieces; as the pieces get smaller, the pitch
rises, and Staiano used this as a motive to increase the tempo
and intensity until the fragments of the records flew off the stage under the power of his mallet-strokes.
Meanwhile, as McCarthy's interactions with the Train Conductor become more psychomimetic, Frykdahl enters in the guise of a travelling salesman, who offers McCarthy elixir
s or charms
which offer protection from various things including fire
and castration
, foreshadowing a song from the second act. At the end of the trip, McCarthy was left alone on the rail car, with only the disembodied Train Conductor (Frykdahl), veiled in shadow and making cryptic announcements over the public address system. McCarthy attempts to comply to rigorous regulations as intoned by the Train Conductor, as she tries in vain to try to find an appropriate stop along the rail line to have a picnic
. This concluded act one, which was followed by an intermission
.
The second act consisted of the four-member Faun Fables performing The Transit Rider song cycle in a faithful reproduction of the music as it appears on the Drag City
CD.
Faun Fables
Faun Fables is a band from Oakland, California. Faun Fables is a concept and vehicle for Dawn McCarthy, who was inspired to write the original material while traveling after leaving the New York City music scene in 1997. Faun Fables also covers both 20th century compositions by other song writers...
and the theatrical production on which it was based.
Album Track Listing
- "Birth" – 2:10
- "Transit Theme" – 4:46
- "The House Carpenter" – 5:05
- "In Speed" – 3:51
- "Taki Pejzaz" – 8:12
- "Roadkill" – 4:32
- "Earth's Kiss" – 5:05
- "Fire & Castration" – 4:51
- "The Questioning" – 2:01
- "I No Longer Wish To" – 1:13
- "The Corwith Brothers" – 3:18
- "Dream on a Train" – 6:51
- "I'd Like to Be" – 4:11
Background Information
The Transit Rider began as a theatrical production. The inspiration for the show was McCarthy's experiences on the New York City SubwayNew York City Subway
The New York City Subway is a rapid transit system owned by the City of New York and leased to the New York City Transit Authority, a subsidiary agency of the Metropolitan Transportation Authority and also known as MTA New York City Transit...
from when she relocated there in 1994. As a live performance, The Transit Rider premiered as a full-length theater show in San Francisco in 2002. In April through June 2006, the four-member version of Faun Fables including Jenya Chernoff and Matt Lebofsky
Matt Lebofsky
Matt Lebofsky is an Oakland, California based multi-instrumentalist and composer. Growing up in New York he studied piano/composition with Arthur Cunningham from 1978-1988. As a performer/composer he is currently active in several bands such as , MoeTar, Secret Chiefs 3, , , , and . He is also a...
toured North America. The tour culminated in a large-scale performance at the Oakland Metro Opera House in Oakland, California on May 26 and 27.
The stage was set to resemble a light rail
Light rail
Light rail or light rail transit is a form of urban rail public transportation that generally has a lower capacity and lower speed than heavy rail and metro systems, but higher capacity and higher speed than traditional street-running tram systems...
train, with a row of chairs along the upstage wall. Behind the actors portraying the riders, three large windows showed projected images which are the work of visual artist Eric S. Koziel. The first act began with the performers entering the stage as if entering a rail car. As each character reached his or her stop (announced with increasingly cryptic commentary by Frykdahl as The Train Conductor
Conductor (transportation)
A conductor is a member of a railway train's crew that is responsible for operational and safety duties that do not involve the actual operation of the train. The title of conductor is most associated with railway operations in North America, but the role of conductor is common to railways...
) he or she moved to a microphone near the door of the train car, performed a song, and then exited the stage. Performers included Sean Lee, Mick Runolfsson, and others.
Following this portion of the performance, Moe! Staiano entered downstage and played an improvised piece on 78 RPM records
Gramophone record
A gramophone record, commonly known as a phonograph record , vinyl record , or colloquially, a record, is an analog sound storage medium consisting of a flat disc with an inscribed, modulated spiral groove...
in which he developed rhyhthmic motifs while beating the 78's with mallets until they broke into pieces; as the pieces get smaller, the pitch
Pitch (music)
Pitch is an auditory perceptual property that allows the ordering of sounds on a frequency-related scale.Pitches are compared as "higher" and "lower" in the sense associated with musical melodies,...
rises, and Staiano used this as a motive to increase the tempo
Tempo
In musical terminology, tempo is the speed or pace of a given piece. Tempo is a crucial element of any musical composition, as it can affect the mood and difficulty of a piece.-Measuring tempo:...
and intensity until the fragments of the records flew off the stage under the power of his mallet-strokes.
Meanwhile, as McCarthy's interactions with the Train Conductor become more psychomimetic, Frykdahl enters in the guise of a travelling salesman, who offers McCarthy elixir
Elixir
An elixir is a clear, sweet-flavored liquid used for medicinal purposes, to be taken orally and intended to cure one's ills. When used as a pharmaceutical preparation, an elixir contains at least one active ingredient designed to be taken orally....
s or charms
Amulet
An amulet, similar to a talisman , is any object intended to bring good luck or protection to its owner.Potential amulets include gems, especially engraved gems, statues, coins, drawings, pendants, rings, plants and animals; even words said in certain occasions—for example: vade retro satana—, to...
which offer protection from various things including fire
Fire
Fire is the rapid oxidation of a material in the chemical process of combustion, releasing heat, light, and various reaction products. Slower oxidative processes like rusting or digestion are not included by this definition....
and castration
Castration
Castration is any action, surgical, chemical, or otherwise, by which a male loses the functions of the testicles or a female loses the functions of the ovaries.-Humans:...
, foreshadowing a song from the second act. At the end of the trip, McCarthy was left alone on the rail car, with only the disembodied Train Conductor (Frykdahl), veiled in shadow and making cryptic announcements over the public address system. McCarthy attempts to comply to rigorous regulations as intoned by the Train Conductor, as she tries in vain to try to find an appropriate stop along the rail line to have a picnic
Picnic
In contemporary usage, a picnic can be defined simply as a pleasure excursion at which a meal is eaten outdoors , ideally taking place in a beautiful landscape such as a park, beside a lake or with an interesting view and possibly at a public event such as before an open air theatre performance,...
. This concluded act one, which was followed by an intermission
Intermission
An intermission or interval is a recess between parts of a performance or production, such as for a theatrical play, opera, concert, or film screening....
.
The second act consisted of the four-member Faun Fables performing The Transit Rider song cycle in a faithful reproduction of the music as it appears on the Drag City
Drag City (record label)
Drag City is a Chicago-based independent record label. It was established with a Royal Trux release in 1990 in Chicago, Illinois by Dan Koretzky and Dan Osborn.Drag City specializes in experimental indie rock acts...
CD.