UWM alum debuts new musical

Two young white men stand side by side with an arm around the other. The one on the left has shoulder-length hair and glasses. The one on the right has short hair. They both wear black suits with a white skeleton printed on them and are holding purple kazoos.
Composer Noah Mercil (left) and writer Kyle Battle (’19, BA Economics and Creative Writing) are the creators of the show "The Dead Memoirs" which premiered in November. They each hold kazoos from the show. Photo courtesy of Kyle Battle.

From the depths of the sea to center stage, a UWM alumnus made his world premiere in November.

Kyle Battle (’19, BA Economics and English) is the writer of “The Dead Memoirs,” a musical hip-hopera based on the novel The Posthumous Memoirs of Brás Cubas by Machado de Assis. On Nov. 11, the show debuted at the sold-out Dormouse Theatre in Kalamazoo, Michigan to an enthusiastic audience.

The interactive show has been described as “reminiscent of a Rocky Horror-style experience” with fast-paced musical numbers (music written by Noah Mercil).

Battle is currently pursuing an MFA at Western Michigan University, where he is the assistant director of First Year Writing. Battle, who is a Navy veteran, began writing the beginnings of the show’s music while on tour on a submarine. Now, he expects recordings of the show to be available on streaming platforms like YouTube and Spotify in early 2025.

As for the world premiere itself, “We burned candles, played kazoo, and told the story of a wasted life,” said Battle. “We can’t wait to do it again and again!”

By the College of Letters & Science

A group of people wearing black body suits with white skeletons printed smile in a group on a stage.
The cast and crew of “The Dead Memoirs” pose together after a dress rehearsal. The show debuted in Michigan in November. Photo courtesy of Kyle Battle.
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