In the throes of the Roaring 20’s, it was neither the bootleggers, Broadway producers, nor Wall Street bankers who held the secrets the decade. It was Polly Adler, a Madam of notoriety who ran a house that entertained the likes of New York’s most powerful players of the 1920’s. From her beginnings as a Belarusian-Jewish immigrant, Polly Adler ushered in the modern-era of sex work, becoming a successful and influential figure in her own right. Written by exciting libretto and music duo, Felix Jarrar and Bea Goodwin, Madam tells the story of a young woman’s journey to find home, and the lessons she learns along the way.
To deepen the experience and mirror the opera’s themes, Gallery Particulier will host a juried visual arts exhibition in the fall entitled "Body Positivity – Gender Euphoria." The exhibition will explore representations of selfhood, liberation, identity, and the joy of embodiment—celebrating the very themes Polly Adler's story brings to life. These works will remain on view during the performances, allowing audiences to engage with both visual and performing arts in a powerful, layered experience.
For this Brooklyn run, Gallery Particulier will transform into a speakeasy-style parlor, infusing the performances with the intimate, welcoming energy the gallery is known for. Audiences are encouraged to come dressed in 1920s glam and fully immerse themselves in the era that shaped Polly’s legacy—and that she, in turn, helped define.
