The Siren Sisters

The Siren Sisters

Two immortal siren sisters let one irresistible sailor live—and all three pay the ultimate price for a taste of human love.

Book & Lyrics byLee Summers

Music byJanet Noh

Cast
2 women, 1 man
Running time
20 minutes
Score
Pop, R&B and Classical/Legit
Developed at
NYU/Tisch Graduate Musical Theatre Writing Program
Available from Butterfly TheatricalsLicensing inquiry

A contemporary re-imagining of Greek Mythology’s beautiful, but deadly, three Sirens—replacing one of the mythic sisters with a male outsider.

Synopsis

Once upon a time, out of time, on a small island in the Mediterranean, two immortal siren sisters sing sailors to their deaths. Since their sister Atlanta was found dead, marked by the crow, only Demi and Lilia remain. Demi, the elder, clings to tradition, for every siren knows that human touch is deadly and would cost them their immortality. Lilia, the younger, is restless for change.

Lilia has secretly let one sailor escape: Sawyer, tattered but gorgeously human. It is love at first sight, and despite her fear, he seduces her. But Demi discovers him too. Poised to strike him with her deadly song, she is overcome by the scent of human love and seduces him herself.

Lying beside him, Demi discovers the mark of the crow on his chest, the same mark found on Atlanta. Lilia arrives to find them together and, for the first time, feels the human emotions of betrayal, jealousy and rage. As Demi warns that Sawyer killed their sister and Sawyer insists Lilia is his first true love, the sisters turn their voices on each other with Sawyer caught between them.

From the smoke of the explosion, all three rise, bruised and bloody, their immortality lost, left to feel the eternal pain of the curse of humanity.

Characters

Lilia (20–21)
The younger siren sister, skeptical of their existence, naive, yet open for change.
Demi (26–28)
The older siren sister, who must convince her sister to honor tradition to preserve their existence.
Sawyer (25–26)
The handsome stowaway/survivor with a secret.

The Siren Sisters are close in appearance.

Time & Setting

Once upon a time, out of time…
An island in the Aegean Sea: Upon the Rocks, In the Lagoon, Deeper on the Island.

Scenes & Songs

Scene 1 — On the Rocks

  • “Heaven and Hell”Demi and Lilia
  • “Atlanta”Demi

Scene 2 — The Lagoon

  • “A Bad Case (Preprise)”Lilia
  • “Damn”Sawyer
  • “A Bad Case”Lilia
  • “Sweet Song Bird”Sawyer, Lilia

Scene 3 — Deeper on the Island

  • “Prelude to Prey”Demi
  • “Human Love”Demi

Scene 4 — Deeper on the Island

  • “Blood Boils”Lilia, Sawyer, Demi
  • “I Used to Fly”Lilia, Demi, Sawyer

Contains mature themes, sexual content and implied nudity. Recommended for adult audiences.