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Gelsey Bell

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Gelsey Bell
EducationLehigh University (BA)
New York University (PhD)
Occupations
  • Actress
  • singer

Gelsey Bell is an American singer, songwriter, and actress, best known for her experimental music, as well as her portrayal of Princess Mary in the 2016 Broadway musical Natasha, Pierre, & the Great Comet of 1812 and her performance in the original cast of Ghost Quartet.[1]

Early life and education

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Bell was raised in northern California.[2] Her father is a philosopher and her mother is a musician.[3] Bell's sister, Biba Bell, is a choreographer and dancer,[4] and the sisters created a collaborative performance for the first time in 2016.[5]

Bell attended Lehigh University and received a BA with a double major in music and theatre and a minor in philosophy in 2004. She went on to New York University, graduating with a PhD in Performance Studies in 2015.[6] Bell has several published performance studies pieces.

Career

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Music

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Bell creates experimental music, and often breaks the fourth wall during live performances.[7] She has written solo albums as well as operas, song cycles, and improvisational pieces.[8]

In 2007, Bell joined thingNY, a New York collective of experimental composer-performers. The group has created three concert-length operas: This Takes Place Close By,[9] ADDDDDDDDD,[10] and Time: A Complete Explanation in Three Parts.[11] Bell was particularly praised for her performance in This Takes Place Close By;[12] one critic called her "pure, translucent chorister's soprano" the "icing on the sonic cake.".[13] In 2011, Bell co-founded the collective Varispeed, best known for durational performances of works by Robert Ashley and John Cage.[14]

In 2012, Bell wrote and premiered Scaling, a song cycle, as a part of the Vital Vox Festival. The piece involved many forms of unconventional piano-playing, such as Bell lying on top of the piano and singing while playing.[15][16] Bell wanted to express a connection between physicality, lyrics, and the way the songs were presented. Great Weather for Media called Bell's work "fresh" and "on the edge of what's happening."[17]

Earlier in her career, Bell released a number of albums as a singer-songwriter, including Under a Piano (2005), February (2008), and In Place of Arms (2010).[18] Most recently, she released Ciphony in collaboration with composer John King, which documented their work with Compagnie CNDC-Angers and Robert Swinston in restaging Merce Cunningham's EVENT.[19] On Ciphony, Bell made use of not only her voice but vocoder and metallophone.

Theatre and opera

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In 2012, Bell first became involved with Natasha, Pierre, & the Great Comet of 1812, an electro-pop opera based on War and Peace.[20] She never auditioned for her role, and was instead asked by composer Dave Malloy to come in for its initial workshops, as he had written a part with her in mind.[21] Bell's vocal skills inspired the opera-within-an-opera section of the musical.[22] She refers to the project as her first real acting job, since in most of her other theatrical and musical experiences she was free to portray herself.[23] Bell portrayed Mary Bolkonsky in the musical's initial performances at Ars Nova Theater, and continued with Great Comet through its Kazino run[24] and its 2016 opening on Broadway.[25][26][27] The performance marked Bell's Broadway debut.[28] Bell was praised for bringing a "compelling light" to Princess Mary,[29] and for her "impressive intense vocal control".[30]

Bell worked again with Malloy as part of the original cast and co-arranger of Ghost Quartet (performing vocals as well as metallophone, Celtic harp, accordion, and percussion), and stayed with the show while it performed at various venues all over the US.[31][32][33] Bell was praised by critics for her "astonishing vocal versatility,"[34] and was referred to as the "standout vocal performance."[35]

In 2014, Bell was a performer in Crash, which was the last work of composer Robert Ashley.[36][37] Crash is unique among Ashley's operas as it is performed completely a capella, with four voices audible at any given moment. The composer wrote the parts with Bell and her Varispeed colleagues in mind. Bell compared Ashley's work to "discovering a garden where different plants blossom on each visit.".[38]

In 2015, Bell collaborated with Erik Ruin to create the show Prisoner's Song, an exploration into life in prison. Bell and Ruin utilized music, images, and recorded testimonials from former convicts in the piece.[39] The pair additionally collaborated to create an art installation shown in Eastern State Penitentiary.[40]

Bell was a featured performer and vocalist in the 2014 operatic film River of Fundament by filmmaker Matthew Barney, with composition by Jonathan Bepler.[41] She has also collaborated on operas with composers Kate Soper (composer)[42] and John King,[43] and has worked with choreographers Kimberly Bartosik[44] and Yasako Yokoshi.[45]

Bell presented her evening-length piece "mɔɹnɪŋ [morning//mourning]" at HERE Arts Center in January 2023 as part of the Prototype Festival[46]

Awards

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In 2017, Bell was one of the select group of artists recognized by The Foundation for Contemporary Arts and awarded a sound/music grant.[47] Bell has also received residencies and commissions from the Jerome Foundation.[48] Bell's Bathroom Songs was included in the 2015 iterations of MoMA PS1's Greater New York exhibition.[49]

Performance credits

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Year(s) Production Role Location Category
2010 Quarterly Arts Soirée Performer Webster Hall New York
2011 Scaling Performer & Composer Roulette in Brooklyn Vital Vox: A Vocal Festival
2012 Natasha, Pierre & The Great Comet of 1812 Princess Mary Bolkonskaya Ars Nova Off-Broadway
2013 Kazino Meatpacking District Off-Broadway
Banana Bag & Bodice's Beowulf: A Thousand Years of Baggage Warrior 1 Abrons Arts Center New York
2014 Crash Performer Whitney Biennial New York
Ghost Quartet Pearl White, Sheherazade, Soldier, Lady Usher, Camera Shop Owner Bushwick Starr Off-Off-Broadway
2014-2015 McKittrick Hotel Off-Broadway
2015 Crash Performer Roulette in Brooklyn Off-Broadway
Prisoner's Song Co-writer, performer
This Takes Place Close By Performer Knockdown Center in Queens New York
Ghost Quartet Pearl White, Sheherazade, Soldier, Lady Usher, Camera Shop Owner American Repertory Theater Regional
Curran Theatre
2015-2016 Natasha, Pierre & The Great Comet of 1812 Princess Mary Bolkonskaya American Repertory Theater
2016 Ghost Quartet Pearl White, Sheherazade, Soldier, Lady Usher, Camera Shop Owner Edinburgh Festival Fringe
2016-2017 Natasha, Pierre & The Great Comet of 1812 Princess Mary Bolkonskaya Imperial Theatre Broadway
2017 Ghost Quartet Pearl White, Sheherazade, Soldier, Lady Usher, Camera Shop Owner New York Theatre Workshop Off-Broadway
2018 Seattle Theatre Group Regional
2019 Improvement (Don Leaves Linda) Linda The Kitchen New York
2023 mɔɹnɪŋ [morning//mourning] performer HERE Arts center New York

Discography

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as Gelsey Bell

  • This is Not a Land of Kings (Gold Bolus Recordings, 2018)
  • SCALING live at roulette (2012)
  • In Place of Arms (2010)
  • love is just a crack in the space of you (2009)
  • February (2008)
  • Under a Piano (2005)
  • Live at the Wildflower (2004)

With The Chutneys

  • HOME (Gold Bolus Recordings, 2019)

With Joseph White

  • Toyland (Gold Bolus Recordings, 2017)

With John King

  • Ciphony (Gold Bolus Recordings, 2017)

With thingNY

  • minis/Trajectories (Gold Bolus Recordings, 2016)

With Varispeed

  • Empty Words (Gold Bolus Recordings, 2019)

References

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  1. ^ Isherwood, Charles (November 14, 2016). "Review: 'Natasha, Pierre and the Great Comet of 1812,' on the Heels of 'Hamilton'". The New York Times. ISSN 0362-4331. Retrieved November 15, 2016.
  2. ^ Ferris, Alaina (September 25, 2015). "SINCERITY IS THE NEW AVANT-GARDE". Culturebot. Culturebot Arts and Media. Retrieved August 9, 2017.
  3. ^ McGovern, Chris (December 1, 2011). "Gelsey Bell". The Glass Blog. WordPress. Retrieved August 6, 2017.
  4. ^ Burke, Siobhan (June 22, 2017). "Dance in NYC This Week". The New York Times. Retrieved August 6, 2017.
  5. ^ Roulette. "Collaborative Duets: Gelsey Bell and Biba Bell // Gelsey Bell and John King – Roulette". Roulette. Retrieved August 6, 2017.
  6. ^ NYU Tisch. "Alumni Update: Gelsey Bell". NYU: Tisch. New York University. Retrieved August 6, 2017.
  7. ^ Sheridan, Molly (February 18, 2015). "Gelsey Bell: Get a Little Closer". New Music Box. New Music USA. Retrieved August 6, 2017.
  8. ^ Bell, Gelsey. "Music". gelseybell.com. Gelsey Bell. Retrieved August 6, 2017.
  9. ^ Dunn, Arlene & Larry (September 17, 2015). "5 Questions to thingNY (composer/performer collective)". I CARE IF YOU LISTEN. Sustainist Media.
  10. ^ Sheridan, Molly (July 27, 2010). "Sounds Heard: thingNY—ADDDDDDDDD". New Music Box. New Music USA. Retrieved August 6, 2017.
  11. ^ BWW News Desk (April 19, 2011). "The Brick Presents Time: A Complete Explanation in Three Parts 5/4-14". BroadwayWorld.com. Wisdom Digital Media. Retrieved August 6, 2017.
  12. ^ Stock, Jennifer (October 20, 2015). "thingNY's This Takes Place Close By at The Knockdown Center". I Care If You Listen. Sustainist Media. Retrieved August 14, 2017.
  13. ^ Delarue (September 25, 2015). "ThingNY Debuts a Blackly Amusing, Sonically Rich Reflection on Hurricane Sandy". New York Music Daily. New York Music Daily. Retrieved August 12, 2017.
  14. ^ Smith, Steve (November 8, 2011). "A Fresh Stamp on a Veteran Composer's Work". The New York Times. Retrieved August 22, 2017.
  15. ^ Kushner, Daniel J. (November 4, 2011). "Vital Vox: "A & Q" With Gelsey Bell". Huffington Post. Retrieved August 6, 2017.
  16. ^ McGovern, Christ (November 8, 2011). "Sequenza21/ » Vital Vox 2011: A Review". Sequenza21: The Contemporary Classical Music Community. Sequenza21. Retrieved August 14, 2017.
  17. ^ Lyon, Brant (March 27, 2012). "Composer's Voice is fresh!". Great Weather for Media. Archived from the original on January 8, 2013. Retrieved August 14, 2017.
  18. ^ "Gelsey Bell". All Music Guide.
  19. ^ Mulder, Dolf (July 12, 2017). "1090". Vital Weekly. Frans de Waard.
  20. ^ Remis, Allison (February 9, 2017). ""The Great Comet" soars high". The Snapper: Millersville University. Millersville University. Retrieved August 6, 2017.
  21. ^ Parissa (January 10, 2017). "Pop-Culturalist Chats with Gelsey Bell". Pop-Culturalist. Retrieved August 6, 2017.
  22. ^ Weinert-Kendt, Rob (March 21, 2017). "The Real Malloy". AMERICAN THEATRE. Theatre Communications Group. Retrieved August 9, 2017.
  23. ^ Myers, Victoria (March 23, 2017). "Women of "The Great Comet of 1812"". THE INTERVAL. Retrieved August 6, 2017.
  24. ^ Isherwood, Charles (May 16, 2013). "'Natasha, Pierre and the Great Comet of 1812' at Kazino". The New York Times. Retrieved August 12, 2017.
  25. ^ Teeman, Tim (November 15, 2016). "'War and Peace' Comes to Broadway in 'Natasha, Pierre & the Great Comet of 1812'". The Daily Beast. The Daily Beast Company LLC. Retrieved August 9, 2017.
  26. ^ Sullivan, Lindsey (April 14, 2017). "Denee Benton & Josh Groban's Voices Will Soar Over Your Speakers! Natasha, Pierre & The Great Comet of 1812 Cast Album Set to Land". Broadway.com. Broadway.com. Retrieved August 9, 2017.
  27. ^ Editorial Staff (February 7, 2017). "Broadway's Great Comet Asks Fans to Take Part in Cast Recording Session". TheaterMania.com. Theater Mania. Retrieved August 9, 2017.
  28. ^ Rickwald, Bethany (November 11, 2016). "First Look at Broadway's Great Comet, Starring Josh Groban and Denée Benton". TheaterMania.com. Theater Mania. Retrieved August 9, 2017.
  29. ^ Sileo, Guest Blogger: Alyssa (February 27, 2017). "BWW Blog: Alyssa Sileo - Madly In Love: The Blazing, Immersive Genius of THE GREAT COMET". BroadwayWorld.com. BroadwayWorld. Retrieved August 9, 2017.
  30. ^ Clarke, David (May 19, 2017). "BWW CD Review: NATASHA, PIERRE & THE GREAT COMET OF 1812 (Original Broadway Cast Recording) is Multifaceted and Riveting". BroadwayWorld.com. Wisdom Digital Media. Retrieved August 10, 2017.
  31. ^ Clement, Olivia. "Dave Malloy's Ghost Quartet to Play Outdoors in Brooklyn | Playbill". Playbill. Playbill. Retrieved August 9, 2017.
  32. ^ Byrne, Terry (September 10, 2015). "At Oberon, a spirited 'Ghost Quartet' from Malloy and company - The Boston Globe". BostonGlobe.com. Boston Globe. Retrieved August 6, 2017.
  33. ^ Crompton, Sarah (August 8, 2016). "Edinburgh review: Ghost Quartet (Summerhall)". WhatsOnStage.com. WhatsOnStage. Retrieved August 9, 2017.
  34. ^ Hurwitt, Robert (October 24, 2015). "See this 'Ghost' at the Curran". SFGate. Hearst Communications. Retrieved August 6, 2017.
  35. ^ Moyser, Tom (August 17, 2016). "Ghost Quartet". Broadway Baby. Web Editors Ltd. Retrieved August 6, 2017.
  36. ^ Smith, Steve (April 14, 2014). "Robert Ashley's Work Lives On at the Whitney Biennial". The New York Times. Retrieved August 9, 2017.
  37. ^ Schweitzer, Vivien (April 16, 2015). "Review: Robert Ashley's 'Crash' Opens at Roulette". The New York Times. Retrieved August 6, 2017.
  38. ^ Dunn, Arlene & Larry (April 9, 2015). "5 Questions to Tom Hamilton, Gelsey Bell, Dave Ruder (Crash)". I CARE IF YOU LISTEN. Sustainist Media. Retrieved August 10, 2017.
  39. ^ Fonseca-wollheim, Corinna Da (October 15, 2015). "Review: 'Prisoner's Song' Delves Into Creativity of Confinement". The New York Times. Retrieved August 6, 2017.
  40. ^ Newhall, Edith (June 1, 2017). "New art about incarceration at Eastern State and a Whitney Biennial sculptor at ICA". Philly.com, The Inquirer. Philadelphia Media Network (Digital), LLC. Retrieved August 9, 2017.
  41. ^ IMDB. https://www.imdb.com/name/nm6287532/ Retrieved August 22, 2017.
  42. ^ Tommasini, Anthony (September 7, 2014). "Wingless, but They've Found Their Soul Mates". The New York Times. Retrieved August 22, 2017.
  43. ^ Woolfe, Zachary (March 2016). "Review: A Trio of Micro-Operas in the East Village". The New York Times. Retrieved August 22, 2017.
  44. ^ Burke, Siobhan (February 28, 2014). "Finding Poetry in Pairs". The New York Times. Retrieved August 22, 2017.
  45. ^ Macaulay, Alastair (March 18, 2013). "'Giselle' Meets Kabuki in a Tale of Love, Madness and Toxic Breath". The New York Times. Retrieved August 22, 2017.
  46. ^ Woolfe, Zachary (January 8, 2023). "A Penetrating Cry in the Dark at the Prototype Festival". The New York Times. ISSN 0362-4331. Retrieved June 19, 2023.
  47. ^ "Gelsey Bell". December 2016. Retrieved August 23, 2017.
  48. ^ "Gelsey Bell "Our Defensive Measurements"". Retrieved August 23, 2017.
  49. ^ "The Voice in Three Acts and Bathroom Songs With Robert Ashley; Pharmakon; Gelsey Bell and M. Lamar". December 2016. Retrieved August 23, 2017.
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