Waldemar Dix is a young graffiti artist living in East Berlin, unable to travel outside the Iron Curtain. He has listened to Radio Free Europe, and the smuggled recordings of David Bowie, 3 Teens Kill 4, and Nina Hagen. His neighbors hate his music and bemoan is style. He has a dream about Rapunzel, Rapunzel, let down your hair, so that I may climb the golden stair. He resolves to escape to the west.

EAST IS EAST AND WEST IS WEST AND NEVER THE TWAIN SHALL MEET

“Mama, I will leave a letter, as I must do what I must. I spit on the wall, and it is red spit–like blood only alter–I paint my figures on the wall when I feel courageous and a spell hits me – so what. Its good, but on the other side I could paint what I wanted and it could sell. This makes me crazy, and I have to leave. Never mama, never again.”

He sets the date and arranges his escape. He is seen before a mirror in his bedroom, like an actor about to take on a role. SWIFTLY AND SUCCESSFULLY, HE NEED NOT TURN BACK. When he reaches the west, he tries to spray paint graffiti on the Statue of Liberty. Instead, they dance a duet.

Story, choreography, direction and costume design by John Kelly; original music by Guy Story; additional music by Alban Berg, Gustav Mahler, Felix Mendelssohn and Piotr Ilich Tchaikovsky; set design by Huck Snyder; film sequences by Anthony Chase. Premiere: Performance Space 122, NY, November 23-25, 1984. WITH: John Kelly (Waldemar Dix) and Marleen Menard (Statue of Liberty).