Her voice shaped the hooks of an entire generation. Lori Glori became a Eurodance legend in the 90s. Joana Tischkau now brings the Californian-born singer’s life story to the stage in the form of a musical. From her first appearances with the gospel band the HAM Sisters, to her performance with Bill Summers & Summers Heat on the US programme Soul Train, to her time as a background and lead singer in various Eurodance productions in Germany. It was there that an event took place that would determine the rest of her life.This collaboration and its consequences tell the story of a personal destiny and a tragic chapter in the European music industry. How do you make your voice heard when someone else has more power, when your own voice isn’t loud enough? Is there a path to justice?

This work deconstructs cultural appropriation, 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, are staging Lori’s story as a fantastical musical memoir.

Premiered at Schauspielhaus Zurich, 2024