Maria Caruso has never watched herself perform.

On Jan. 20, that will all change.

She plans to sit down in her Los Angeles, Calif., home with her husband, Alan Russell, and view her one-woman show “Metamorphosis” streaming on Broadway on Demand.

And you can, too.

For $3.99, the hour performance recorded via seven cameras at the final sold-out performance at the Lyric Theatre in London on July 4, 2022, will be available for 48 hours to finish viewing the rental.

“It’s been a phenomenal journey,” said Caruso, who grew up in Rural Valley, Armstrong County, and Monroeville and currently has residences in Squirrel Hill and Los Angeles, Calif. “I love that people everywhere will be able to see this show. I am a little terrified because this will be my first time watching myself along with everybody else.”

Courtesy of Laura Camarano Maria Caruso performs her one-woman show “Metamorphosis,” which can be viewed Jan. 20 on Broadway on Demand.  

“Metamorphosis” might be seen as her story, and while it is based on her own experiences, this solo performance also can be interpreted by others reflecting on their lives, Caruso said.

“It’s a human story,” she said. “It’s more than entertainment. It’s a work of art.”

Caruso expresses a range of emotions from rage and fear and terror to ecstasy, joy, comfort and solace through her dance moves. There are costume changes into various colored dresses.

Courtesy of Laura Camarano Maria Caruso performs her one-woman show “Metamorphosis,” which can be viewed Jan. 20 on Broadway on Demand.  

The performance is influenced by a global perspective of dances, she said. She is barefoot the entire time. She hopes people who watch the digital experience will be inspired to attend live shows to support the arts.

“I hope to give people solace and courage,” Caruso said. “I want to be a human mirror so people can see themselves for a moment. I use my vulnerability and my body and my craft to guide people to their light. I am so excited for this. It is a moment of affirmation for me.”

The connection to Broadway on Demand came from Katy Lipson of show producer Aria Entertainment, who suggested they capture that final performance at the Lyric Theatre. Lipson approached Broadway on Demand.

“We are thrilled to support Maria’s masterwork on Broadway on Demand,” said Jeffery Keilholtz, vice president for Broadway licensing in a statement. “Our core audience is hungry for marquee performing arts content from Broadway and around the globe, and ‘Metamorphosis’ is a breathless display of world-class performance at the highest, emotional level.”

Caruso is working on a sequel to “Metamorphosis,” which began off-Broadway in 2021, called “Incarnation: The Truth Behind the Transitions.” It will be performed live sometime this year in the West End theatre in London. Gene Kelly’s nephew, Michael Kelly — yes, the famous Gene Kelly — is expected to direct the film version of the sequel.

Caruso said she has done more performances during the past three years than any other time in her career, which is interesting since some of those shows happened during a pandemic. Caruso is founder of Bodiography brand, which encompasses a dance conservatory, a fitness program and a dance movement therapy system.

She also leads M-Train Productions, which focuses on the development, creation and production of commercial dance and theater. At La Roche University, she directs creative and innovative initiatives in the performing arts department.

She has created more than 100 ballets for her company.

She said being seen on Broadway on Demand and now branching out into film production are dreams come true. No matter how successful she becomes, she said she will never forget her roots thanks to guidance from her mother, Janie Caruso. Maria Caruso has performed free shows in her home school district in Armstrong County and in Butler County. She believes the arts should be inclusive and accessible for all.

“My mother always talks about the importance of giving back,” Maria Caruso said. “I will always remember where I started, where I took those first dance steps.”

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