The New York International Fringe Festival will bring 200 shows to NYC from August 12-28. We spoke with director Suzanne Karpinski about her show Lamia.

What was the first musical that made you want to make musicals?

I was actually excited about theater that used music in a way that wasn't strictly the 'musical', such as Einstein on the Beach, The Catherine Wheel, or more recently song cycles featuring singer/songwriters on the stage, such as Hadestown. The idea that one style of music belongs on stage and others didn't never made sense to me.

Tell us about your show in 3 sentences or less.

Lamia is the story of a snake who is given the chance to become human so she can pursue the man she desires. Based originally on the John Keats poem, it is told through a unique blending of dance, live rock music, fashion and poetry. We explore what it means to idealize romance rather than accept our partners for who they really are.

Describe the sound of your musical, it's like _______ meets _________

Lamia's sound is a bit like if Phillip Glass met the Grateful Dead. It's wild!

Who is your favorite classic musical theater composer? And your favorite composer working today?

Again we took our cues a bit from the experimenters such Meredith Monk, but a personal favorite is David Byrne, I appreciate how he brought art rock onto the stage with Here Lies Love. My favorite contemporary composer is Michael Nyman.

Why is it important to bring your show to Fringe?

We are a new company offering a piece of hybrid theater - different disciplines working collaboratively. We hope to build our audience as well as bring more crossover between the other arts and theater communities.

What's next for the show?

No future plans as of yet!