In alphabetical order
THE ADVENTURES OF HUCK FINN
A whirlwind tour through the Twain Novel
Adapted by R. Rex Stephenson
Music by John Cohn and C. Michael Perry
Lyrics by R. Rex Stephenson, Jon Cohn and C. Michael Perry
This adaptation of Adventures of Huckleberry Finn follows Mark Twain’s novel from Huck running away from The Widow Douglas to join Jim for their adventures down the Mississippi River. They encounter the King and the Duke; get involved in a Shakespearian production of “Romeo and Juliet,” are joined by Tom Sawyer and end up at Aunt Sally’s, where Jim is freed and Huck takes off for “Injun Territory.” FIXED FOR LIFE is demoed below
GET DETAILS FROM LBT: HERE
APOCALYPSO! A REVELATION OF A MUSICAL
Book and Lyrics by Thom Duncan
Music and Lyrics by C. Michael Perry
Sounds like NO Bible story you’ve ever heard before!
A group of theatre-folk gather to enact The Book of Revelation as a musical. What they come up with is shocking, sultry, funny, warm, and quite unique.
The show is currently a part of the PREMIERE MUSICALS of Leicester Bay Theatricals and looking for it’s world premiere.
Licensing and Royalty terms are totally flexible for the first few productions.
The song demoed below is the opening numbest: THE SHOW OF SHOWS
GET DETAILS FROM LBT: HERE
BRAVE NEW WORLD or SUCH STUFF AS DREAMS: THE TEMPEST MUSICAL
Suggested by Shakespeare’s “The Tempest”
Book, Music and Lyrics by Neil K. Newell and C. Michael Perry
Well, you thought you knew “The Tempest”? Well, get ready for this version. We start before Shakespeare begins. We see Propsero and Miranda arrive. We see Ariel deposit Sycorax and Caliban on the isle. We see Ariel impaled in the ‘oak’ and we see Propsero defeat Sycorax. We then see Sycorax come to life again through the intervention of the Caliban and the strangers deposited on the island by the Prospero’s tempest. As in the original, goodness prevails but only after valuable lessons have been learned by all. This story now involves the conflict between Sycorax/Caliban and Prospero. It is no longer an epic but a taught, musical drama with a lively and modern score. “Don’t Just Sip The Water”, “I Looked At The Moon”, “Such Stuff As Dreams”, “That’s Love”, “Brave New World”, “Have No Pity–Rule A City”, are among the songs that fill this score with inventive music and singable lyrics.
GET DETAILS FROM LBT: HERE
CHRISTMAS DREAMS
Editing, Music and Lyrics by C. Michael Perry
A warm and wonderful collection of original stories improvised and written by the student members of Thespian Troupe 943 of Spanish Fork High School in Utah. The story is about a group of students trying to complete an essay about Christmas for their English Class. They soon come to discover the real meaning of Christmas in themselves and in the others around them. Thirteen stories weave together in mirth, heartache, joy and reverence as the students all reveal the secret dreams and funny stories they have always wanted to tell, but haven’t until now; until a teacher who cares shows them how to let the excellence in each of them out — for all to see.
The song demoed below is the Overture (from an old digital synth file) containing: All I Want For Christmas, Choose Me, and Working For Santa.
GET DETAILS FROM LBT: HERE
CHRISTMAS ON THE BLUE — a New Musical
Book by Elizabeth Hansen
Music by C. Michael Perry
Lyrics by C. Michael Perry & Elizabeth Hansen
A Christmas musical based on no true story at all! Christmas Eve in 1944. At a small radio station outside of Cleveland, Ohio, the radio station owner tries to prevent her station from closing down on Christmas Day. What with network feeds timed poorly with the local programming — where all the special effects sometimes go wrong — and trying to placate the station headliners (who think they are better than they are) and coddling the talented trio of sisters who sing backup and placating her nephew who does everything else — a Stranger arrives. There is no money and soon there will be no show!
The demo below is ANOTHER CHRISTMAS, which opens the show.
Christmas On The Blue is now available for licensing at LEICESTER BAY THEATRICALS
© 2017 by Elizabeth Hansen & C. Michael Perry
COMING HOME – A Christmas Story
Book & Lyrics by George G. King
Music & Lyrics by C. Michael Perry
(Perfect for Professional, Community, College/University, and Church groups.)
On the night of the great blizzard of 1953 a young couple find their way to the Herstoller Hotel, a mountain inn. She is pregnant. Their car has broken down just outside. They are looking for a room. The innkeeper’s wife is leaving; she has had it. As her husband enters they begin to air their personal laundry in front of these young strangers. But a busload of entertainers is on their way, and though the inn is all booked up––the beds aren’t made, yet! The wife leaves. The young couple is turned away. The daughter of the innkeeper, and her boyfriend, arrive. The innkeeper’s wife re-enters with the young couple in tow, and she needs a doctor–– right away. What no one in the play seems to realize is that they are all in the process of coming home. The song demoed below is the opening number DOWN HOME
GET DETAILS FROM LBT: HERE
© 2017 by George G. King and C. Michael Perry
CRICKET ON THE HEARTH
Based on the Dickens novel
Book, Music and Lyrics by C. Michael Perry.
This is Dickens’ other Christmas carol. The magic of life is evident in the Peerybingle household with a happy marriage and a newborn son. Two houses are blessed by the lucky Crickets: The Peerybingles, the Plummers with Mr. Tackleton’s awaiting the blessing of life and love. Everyone’s paths are soon to cross with Tackleton, a disgruntled toymaker, who hates all humanity except May Fielding. He lives to make people miserable — especially children — as his toys are gruesome and scary. His employees, Caleb Plummer and his daughter, Bertha, (who is blind) are simple, poor people who slave to make quality toys that the children will play with; often changing the grim designs of their employer to happy ones. Tackleton berates them, but their toys are purchased over his and that makes him even more bitter. Tackleton’s marriage plans are interrupted by the return of The Strange Gentleman — a man with a secret. After the work of the Crickets and the household Spirits, Tackleton gives up May to The Strange Gentleman, who is really Caleb’s long lost son (Bertha’s brother) and marries May’s mother — a woman more suitable to his age. But not before accusations are made and trust is broken all around and everyone is afraid that nothing will turn out on Christmas Eve morning. SONGS include: Gruff and Tackleton, Peerybingle and Son, Cricket on the Hearth, Just To Be Alive, Lots of Toys, You Are My Eyes, Steel Yourself, Calm Quiet Moon, How Good, I Will Remember, Everyday Every Hour, At This Time of Year.
GET DETAILS FROM LBT: HERE
The final number AT THIS TIME OF YEAR (in an early synth version) is demoed:
DANIEL!
A Musical based on the Bible Story (as you’ve never seen it before!)
Book and Lyrics by R. Rex StephensoN
Music and Lyrics by C. Michael Perry
The story of the faithfulness of Daniel and his “brothers” has inspired generations. While this is a comedy at heart, it is filled with faith and hope and inspiration as we see the examples of dedication to God. We see the change of heart as a King unburdens himself to the Most High God. We witness the writing on the wall, we visit the Fiery Furnace and the Den of Lions with the cutest little lions ever. The music covers a wide range of styles and will help this show entertain any family audience. Songs include: HOW GREAT THE WONDERS, PLOTTING, WE AIN’T HEARD NOTHIN’ YET!, THE DREAM, INTO THE FIRE!, THIS IS MY NEW ADMINISTRATION, WHAT WILL BECOME OF ME?, and others. A Hilariously Moving Evening for the Family. An early version of THE OPENING is demoed below.
GET DETAILS FROM LBT: HERE
EL BULLY
Book by Joe Rosenberg
Music and Lyrics by C. Michael Perry
Additional Music by Kim Paice, Andrea Docter & Jared Rounds
This play has Spanish. This play has English. This play has them both together in the same sentence: Spanglish! In school, an English speaking tough-guy bully falls head over heels in love for an Hispanic girl. All goes well until he becomes victimized by a lack of Spanish language skills, simply because he doesn’t know that “prima” in Spanish means “cousin”. His prior treatment of his fellow students is also a hindrance for him to be understood by them — no matter how much he longs to be understood. But, enlightenment , and compassionate treatment bring a happy ending. The play has seven song lyrics ready for musical improvisation by your cast. OR you can purchase the Piano-Vocal Score that includes music for all of them.
GET DETAILS FROM LBT: HERE
AN ENCHANTED APRIL THE MUSICAL
Book and Lyrics by Elizabeth Hansen
Music and Lyrics by C. Michael Perry
The show is about the redemptive power of love and friendship; of believing in the people around us to be able to better their lives through introspection and through the confidence of our belief that they can be happier than they are.
The OVERTURE is demoed below. It contains the songs, AN ENCHANTED APRIL, IN DREAMS, IT’S THIS PLACE, and then ends abruptly due to the segue into the opening song of the show.
VISIT: www.anenchantedapril.com
Entertaining Mark Twain • A Musical Revue
Book by Charles W. Whitman
Music and Lyrics by C. Michael Perry
Additional Material by Michael Evenden
Thrill to the “War Prayer”! Laugh and cry at the new version of “The Diary Of Adam and Eve” It’s a wonderful show fully packed with Tom, Huck, Becky, Edward Tudor, Tom Canty, Sir Boss and Sandy, The McWilliams’ and oh, yes, Mark Twain himself is the narrator and your host for the evening. The cast can be made up of all young people or it can mix youth and adults for a delightful show.
Many crossover pieces and short sketches, using Mark Twains own wonderfully skewed observations on human behavior, have been adapted to engage each person in the cast, especially women and girls.
Several of the lyrics to the songs are based on Mark Twain’s poems.
VISIT: Leicester Bay Theatricals
FAUNTLEROY!
Book & Lyrics by Max Golightly
Music & Lyrics by C. Michael Perry
Based on the novel by Frances Hodgeson Burnett
The charming adaptation of the timeless classic, LITTLE LORD FAUNTLEROY. The original story that helped inspire “Little Orphan Annie.” The tale of a wonderful, well-bred American boy, Cedric Erroll, who suddenly finds himself a member of the British aristocracy through his deceased father’s inheritance. He leaves his life and friends behind him in New York City to travel to England where he will be trained by and live with a man he has never met, his grandfather, Lord Of Dorincourt. Troubles and set backs plague him but in the end he emerges — “Fauntleroy!” THE PROLOG is demoed below. (Part of the title tune, FAUNTLEROY!, ends abruptly because it segues into the opening song.
GET DETAILS FROM LBT: HERE
PRODUCTION PHOTOS:
Fauntleroy! by Lehi Community Theatre, 1987
Fauntleroy! by Spanish Fork High School COMING SOON
FRANK’N STYNE
A Musical Parody
BOOK and LYRICS by Larry Hillhouse
MUSIC by C. Michael Perry
A hilarious send-up of the Frankenstein story as the great grandson of the original comes to Castle Styne as heir to the mysteries of his predecessors. The score contains gems like the maids singing “Castles Are So Hard To Dust”, the new monster sings “It’s Alive” as he imitates Elvis, Egor sings about “Goin’ Choppin’” as he prepares to shop for body parts, and the list goes on. It’s perfect for Halloween. Franklin Kenneth Styne inherits an old castle from a distant relative (Frankie N. Styne). Upon arriving, he finds that he also inherited a Styne Castle staff, consisting of a hunchback experimenter who converses with a portrait, there is also a cook, and her daughter, the maid. An inept local constable and his beautiful niece drop by to welcome him, and to check him out. F.K., who has a penchant for poetry, soon finds himself entwined in the centuries-old mysteries of Styne Castle. And the hilarity takes over from there. Premiered in Durban, South Africa. The song demoed below is IT’S ALIVE!
GET DETAILS FROM LBT: HERE
GOLDEN DREAMS a Romantic Modern Operetta
A Romantic Operetta about Joaquin Murietta, The Robin Hood of California
Book, Music and Lyrics by James G. Lambert and C. Michael Perry
A love story, like all operettas, in the style of “New Moon”, “Desert Song” and “Naughty Marietta”. But this one is set in the wild and romantic atmosphere of the California Gold Rush. It spins the tale of the dashing Mexican-American Robin Hood figure of Joaquin Murietta. The Hermanos de Murietta, a band of Vaqueros, have been recovering gold from the corrupt bankers and profiteers and returning it to the rightful owners, the miners. However, as all heroes do, Joaquin falls in love with the lovely Jennifer Wells, the banker villain’s daughter, and the plots interweave as the story winds its way to a happy conclusion, like all operettas. The title song GOLDEN DREAMS is demoed below.
GET DETAILS FROM LBT: HERE
GREAT EXPECTATIONS
Based on the Dickens novel
Book, Music and Lyrics by Neil K. Newell and C. Michael Perry
On a wet and dreary day in 1858, Charles Dickens finds shelter from a storm in the home of one Phillip Pirrip. Intrigued by the unusual artifacts that decorate his home he entreats Phillip to tell him the story behind them. The 65 year-old Phillip begins telling the story of his childhood, when he was known as Pip, in what is soon to become Dickens’ newest novel, “GREAT EXPECTATIONS.” Considered one of Dickens’ finest works, “GREAT EXPECTATIONS” is the coming of age story of the orphan Pip who falls in love with the unreachable Estella. In order to win her he desires to raise himself from a blacksmith’s apprentice to a gentleman. When the means to do so miraculously appear, he travels to London, with expectations to become a gentleman. In spite of his new-found wealth and position Estella remains unreachable. When Pip learns that his mysterious benefactor is none other than a common criminal, whom he had aided when he was a child, he realizes that he can no longer accept his support. This signals the end of his financial expectations and a final realization that Estella will forever remain unreachable. Years later, Pip and Estella meet once again. The years of hard experience have softened Estella and brought her to the realization that Pip is her first and only love. The unique construction of the script allows for a fluid staging with Dickens and Phillip wandering through the story — experiencing and living it. The haunting and unforgettable musical score adds rich texture to this classic story of love and loss. The title song, GREAT EXPECTATIONS! is demoed below.
GET DETAILS FROM LBT: HERE
HEIDI
Based on the Johanna Spyri novel
Book and Lyrics by Gayanne Ramsden
Music and Lyrics by C. Michael Perry
A faithful telling of the classic story of the little girl and her Grandfather on the Alm. The focus of the musical is on how Heidi’s life and ebullient spirit touches and changes each life she comes in contact with as she grows up and learns about God. Peter, Alm Uncle, The Grandmother, Klara Sesseman, Herr Sesseman, Grandmother Sesseman, the Servants — all are changed by their contact with Heidi. Even Miss Rottenmeier and the Professor are touched by her magic, but choose not to change. Heidi does not remain unchanged by her contact with those around her; she soaks up life and learns painful and joyful lessons and goes on. The song demoed below is the OVERTURE (made up of the songs: God Will Hear You, Star Light, Star Bright, A Little Girl!, and On The Mountain)
GET DETAILS FROM LBT: HERE
HOW THE WEST WAS DONE!
Book by ELIZABETH HANSEN & ELAINE HANSEN
Lyrics by ELIZABETH HANSEN & C. MICHAEL PERRY
Original Music and all arrangements by C. MICHAEL PERRY
A spoof of the old west — funny and fast
HOW THE WEST WAS DONE is fast paced, toe tapping’, rip roarin’ “Western” show full of authentic American music and original songs that will both delight the heart as well as tug at its strings.
The show is jam-packed with original songs and familiar tunes like SHENANDOAH, SHE’LL BE COMIN’ ROUND THE MOUNTAIN, SWEET BETSY FROM PIKE, RED RIVER VALLEY, STREETS OF LAREDO, HOME ON THE RANGE, DANNY BOY, and a whole bunch more, not to mention original songs that make the stage resound with glorious voices, laughs, and perhaps a touching moment or two. The show runs about 75 minutes and all in all is a wholesome and delightful yarn for the whole family.
The song demo below is A BIT OF THIS AND THAT (this was the first original song written for the show, then we replaced most of the ‘borrowed’ musical numbers, (we kept the ones listed above) and replaced them with all original songs. A trumpet then oboe plays the melody as this is a double-melody song. (this is an older SYNTH version of the accompaniment.)
For Licensing and availability: See Leicester Bay Theatricals page
© 2002 & 2005 by Elizabeth Hansen & C. Michael Perry
PRODUCTION PHOTOS:
How The West Was Done (for Thanksgiving Point during the Salt Lake Olympics — 2002)
JEDEDIAH!
Book, Music and Lyrics by James G. Lambert and C. Michael Perry
A musical drama, biographical in nature, yet full of life, romance, beautiful music, energetic dances, with problems and solutions unique to Latter-day-Saint culture of the period between 1830 and 1848. It is the story of Jedediah Grant as told by his namesake, Jedediah Smith. This story is basically true and generally historically accurate, certain events have been telescoped in the interest of dramatic license. The characters of Salina Wells, the Westbridges, William Blodgett and the Weems’ are composites of several people of the era. All the other characters herein were real people and the events portrayed actually happened. Some license was taken with ages and characterizations in the interest of contrast and humor, however, the authors intend no disrespect to the individuals or their posterity and regard them and their lives with great awe and respect. Their accomplishments, their strength of character and their perseverance in the face of uncommon trials, depredations and hardships has few equals in the history of man. Thus, to their memory, this play is respectfully dedicated by the authors. This show is a sure winner. Audiences laughed and cried to distraction when it premiered in it’s hour-long version in Provo, Utah at Jedediah’s Chuckwagon and Show during the summer of 1982. The Opening song of JEDEDIAH! is demoed in part below (this is an early AUTHOR demo from a backer’s audition)
AVAILABLE IN 1 hour and 2 hour versions
GET DETAILS FROM LBT: HERE
JONAH! A Short Musical
Book, Music and Lyrics by C. Michael Perry
A one-act adaptation of the popular Bible story where God speaks to Jonah, Jonah speaks back to him but decides not to listen and proceeds to try to hide from God. In a similitude of the Savior, he spends three days in the belly of the whale (or great fish) , likened unto the three days in the tomb. He follows the will of the Lord and is not happy about it until he is allowed to realize that all people, no matter their state of righteousness, have the right to salvation. SONGS INCLUDE: Arise, Jonah!, Middle Of The World (demoed below, it presents three melody lines then puts them together), From The Deep, Nineveh City, New Man, Of You!
GET DETAILS FROM LBT: HERE
LITTLE MEN — The Musical
Based on the sequel to Louisa May Alcott’s “Little Women”
Book, Music and Lyrics by C. Michael Perry
Jo and Professor Baher are set up at Plumfield, with a home and school for boys (and a girl or two). This musical is the story of the arrival of Nat and Dan from Boston. What they add to and how they affect and incite the others of the school becomes the center of the story.
THE NICEST PLACE I KNOW introduces us to the boys and girls or Plumfield, and is demoed below, no vocals but the melody is played.)
Just finished a FIRST DRAFT of this show (as of August 22, 2020) and have posted it on the Leicester Bay Theatricals Site
© 2020 by C. Michael Perry ALL RIGHTS RESERVED
OF BABYLON
Based on the Steven Vincent Benet short story — “By The Waters Of Babylon”
Book by C. Michael Perry & L. Susan Lewis
Music and Lyrics by C. Michael Perry
The time: Man after he has all but destroyed his civilization. The survivors live in primitive tribal societies and worship the “Gods” who, as legend has it, dwelt of old in “The Place Of The Gods”. A young boy sets out on his quest to become a man and finds the ruins of that forgotten and forbidden civilization. He learns and grows and begins to strike out with new hope to rebuild all that was so carelessly lost by his human predecessors. The story is adapted from Steven Vincent Benet’s post-apocalyptic tale, “By The Waters Of Babylon.” This is NOT your Rodgers & Hammerstein show. The music reflects the dramatic action without ‘showtunes’. It underscores and points to character and plot through melody and harmony, without splashiness. (Not that splashiness is ‘bad’, just not right for this production.) OF BABYLON, the opening number, is demoed below. (Reed instruments play the melodies)
GET DETAILS FROM LBT: HERE
THE PLANEMAKER
The Most Unbelievable Story You’ll Ever Believe In!
by Marvin Payne and Guy Randle
Adapted for the stage by C. Michael Perry
Young Lucas Lightbrow can fly — and not just in his dreams. But in those bright, yellow dreams is also Amy Fletcher. As they grow and marry, and bear a child, Amy dies and Lucas is left alone. Somehow the flying leaves Lucas. Then his relatives raise Lucas & Amy’s son. But soon Lucas’ grandson, Merwin, comes to live on the farm. And he teaches his Grandpa that it’s all right to dream — and it’s even all right to fly. This musical is a delightful and insightful journey through life and love as we find out that there can be more to the stars than meets the eye. A wonderful contemporary score propels this story. “Music and story hold you spellbound. Every word paints a vivid image in the mind’s eye” — Mardi Gras Magazine. “An ending you will never forget.” The Daily Herald (Provo). “Payne soars through the 90-minute flight of fancy nonstop, taking his audience on a delightful ride.” — Deseret News.
My favorite song from this show, HOW DO YA FLY THIS THING?, is demoed below from the original album by Marvin Payne.
ALSO AVAILABLE AS A ONE MAN SHOW
GET DETAILS FROM LBT: HERE
THE PUMPKIN CHILD
A puppet or live action skit
Music and Lyrics by C. Michael Perry
Love people for who they are. This little musical sketch is about loving and respecting others. The song, YOUR LOVE IS THE THING is demoed below
GET DETAILS FROM LBT: HERE
ROSE
The Story of Rose O’Neill — the creator of the Kewpie Doll
Book by Max C. Golightly
Lyrics by Max C. Golightly, Neil K. Newell and C. Michael Perry
Music by Neil K. Newell and C. Michael Perry
A challenging musical that dramatizes the life of Rose O’Neill, one of America’s most beautiful and eccentric artists and the creator of, among other things, the Kewpie Doll. Her strong family support in the midst of almost overwhelming odds is a testament to the worth and viability of the family unit. Through divorce, death and financial disaster Rose and the O’Neill family weathered the storms of life — together. It wasn’t all bad. There was joy and harmony as well as the despair, among their tribulations. Though enormously wealthy during most of their lives, the O’Neills started with nothing but each other. And they ended with nothing but each other. This is a story for all ages and time The double melody song, WHAT IS IT?/WE’LL LIKE IT HERE is demoed below.
GET DETAILS FROM LBT: HERE
THE SAGA OF SASQUATCH C’LONE: DOC HOLLIDAY’S ELECTRONIC MEDICINE SHOW
by Jon Robert Howe & C. Michael Perry
Two competing Medicine Shows: “Doc Holliday’s Electronic Medicine Show” vs. “Slickery Q. Slidey’s Toilet Water Tableaux”. They both sell Sasquatch C’lone, which they both claim to manufacture from a secret recipe. Doc sells bottle after bottle. Slickery sells … well, less than that, at least not at Doc’s price. Slickery is jealous, too jealous, because he is, after all, the bottler of all the C’lone ever made. He just can’t sell much of it to anyone but Doc, because Doc has the machine to distribute it: The Buckskin-Talky-Picture-In-A-Box, broadcast on the Saddle-light Broadcasting System, to cabins and fine homes across Pioneer America. Doc suspects something as Slickery carefully hides his alter-ego, Anhoser Babushka, the world famous inventor and bottler of the C’lone. The Battle of the Bottles winds its way through mayhem, hilarity, hokum and a lot of just plain downright fun, which includes side-splitingly embarrassing audience participation (a la Game Shows), until the bottles are in the hands of those who can keep the legend of the Sasquatch alive, the customers, and all are happy campers, uh, Frontiersmen, em, Pioneer Entrepreneurs of Titillating Tonsorial Delights. The opening number, THE STAR OF THE SHOW is demoed below. (melody is played by a trumpet)
GET DETAILS FROM LBT: HERE
THE SCARLET PIMPERNEL
Book and Lyrics by Will Huddleston
Music and Lyrics by C. Michael Perry
Original Concept and Lyrics by Barry Collyer
Orchestrations by C. Michael Perry, Sean Jackson, Trent Oliphant, and Jason Porter
Vocal Arrangements by C. Michael Perry & Trisha Garrett
Sir Percy Blakeney, The Scarlet Pimpernel, is the 17th Century equivalent of a modern “super hero”. This Englishman has rescued countless victims from the jaws of Madame Guillotine during the French Revolution. He has eluded the French authorities by his wits and clever disguises. A member of the French Committee for Public Safety named Chauvelin, is on his trail. He has married the most beautiful and popular woman in all France, Marguerite St. Just. But the marriage has turned sour due to unspoken confidences and Sir Percy’s need for utmost secrecy. This fine thriller takes us through the streets and countrysides of Paris and the French and English coasts on a ride of intrigue. Passion, history, mystery and comedy all set against the backdrop of the French Revolution. THE REIGN OF TERROR is demoed below.
GET DETAILS FROM LBT: HERE
STAR OF ISRAEL
Book and Lyrics by George and Gayanne Ramsden King Music and Lyrics by C. Michael Perry
A dramatic and sometimes comic musical romp through the story of Queen Esther in Babylon, during the Jewish Captivity. The song demoed below is the final song (the title song) of the show STAR OF ISRAEL
SOON TO BE AVAILABLE AT LBT
TOM SAWYER
Book, Music and Lyrics by C. Michael Perry
This TOM SAWYER tells the story of Tom & Huck and Tom & Becky as teenagers, not young children, theirs is a story of adolescent awakening– the plot is woven together by the ominous thread of Injun Joe who wants revenge on Tom. The story is intact and most of the familiar scenes are there, but, many of the wonderful scenes skipped over by other dramatists are included to heighten the subplot and conflict of the Injun Joe side of the story. The musical has heart and doesn’t whitewash the characters or the events. Yet, it still remains a musical that the entire family of man will enjoy. With songs like: “A Right Fine Day!”, “I Got Me A Girl!”, “Come On Along!”, “Gotta Keep Mum”, “I’m Gratified” and “Trouble Signs” your audience will be totally involved and tapping their feet for an unequalled experience with Mark Twain’s lively characters. The large cast of characters is misleading, because many roles can be doubled.
AUTHOR’S NOTE —
TOM SAWYER is a tale of young or middle adolescence in an age when an adolescent was still child-like and “innocent”, still possessed a boundless imagination, still had romantic and adventurous dreams as well as wonder and a growing respect for the opposite sex. Magic was in caves and haunted houses; mystery in graveyards and forests and adventure on uncharted islands. TOM SAWYER is the tale of a young adolescent or teenager rather than that of a little boy. Mark Twain himself in the epilogue to his novel stated that “the story could not go much farther without becoming the history of a man.” The song demoed below is the piano version of the OVERTURE: (containing COME ON ALONG!, GOTTA KEEP MUM!, POOR BOYS, AND TROUBLE SIGNS)
GET DETAILS FROM LBT: HERE
TURN THE GAS BACK ON
A Madcap Musical by Max C. Golightly, C. Michael Perry and Neil K. Newell
It’s a zany show about a director and a troupe of actors trying to put on an improvisational musical inspired by a work of modern art. Roger Howard, Director of a small acting company, brings Marvin, a modern artist friend, to his theatre to see a rehearsal of some of the scenes of a play he’s producing, for the purpose of convincing him it can be done with the same resulting effects and methods the painter gets with his avante- garde paintings. As the play within the play proceeds, the actors and actresses try to apply natural motivations to the meanings in the play. Impressed with a song sung by Adele, an actress past her prime, who is replacing a regular member of the company, Roger includes the song in the show and succumbs to her warm charms. Wayne and Morris, who play opposite Myra, have difficulty in switching from the real to the unreal characters in their efforts to understand what significance “the Object” has in development of the theme of the play. This is further complicated by the relationship of Lily, Roger’s assistant, with her unknown to all mother, Adele. In the final scene Myra is carried away in her characterization of Looma, finally losing contact with her own identity. She is brought back to reality by the others when they realize that “the object” really belongs to the audience not the actors, for when a work of art is created and presented to the public, it becomes theirs–to be done with as they see fit. They give the object back to the audience in the end, because that is where it comes from. Actors emotions run the gamut. A challenging show.
My favorite song from this show is YOU! (a trio love-triangle song with a double melody that is sung together for the last part of the song, interrupted by a tap dance(edited out of the demo), joined by the chorus) demoed below.
GET DETAILS FROM LBT: HERE
ORIGINAL CAST ALBUM IS AVAILABLE HERE
WHERE IS JILL?
Book and Lyrics by Shirlee Shields
Music by C. Michael Perry
Jack cannot find Jill to make their usual daily trip up the hill to fetch a pail of water. He seeks the help of his friends in Nursery Rhyme Land to search for her. The news of Jill’s disappearance is picked up by national TV and soon becomes the concern of the President of the United States and the United Nations. The United Nations unanimously votes to send Jack around the world to search for his missing Jill. Cow, however, has the clue, but doesn’t know what to do and sings her dilemma. Meanwhile, astronauts are being launched for a moon landing as part of the U.S. space program. When they arrive on the moon’s surface they find Jill. She has been up there visiting some moonbeams. How did she get there? Cow let her ride on her back when she jumped over the moon one day. Jill was getting a little bored around Nursery Rhyme Land just fetching water with Jack, patting Mary’s lamb and calming Miss Muffet, so she talked Cow into letting her take a trip over the moon. She then convinced Cow to drop her off up there so she could visit some moonbeams, chat with the man in the moon and sample some green cheese. But alas, poor Cow could not get the weightless Jill back on her back for the return trip. Back on earth, distraught Cow visits the TV news studio and tells her story on a national broadcast. The astronauts return Jill to earth, a large celebration is held in Washington D.C. and people from all over the world rejoice because everyone cares about the safety of a little girl. This play was written to encourage children that they must ALWAYS tell friends or family where they are going and NEVER go anywhere alone or with a stranger. A fun piece for CHILDREN.
GET DETAILS FROM LBT: HERE
WILD DUCKS
An Epic, Dialectical rendering of Henrik Ibsen’s “The Wild Duck”
Adaptation and Lyrics by Lee G. Williams III
Music by C. Michael Perry
Once upon a time ago Lee G. Williams III, who loved all things Brechtian, began to re-imagine one of his favorite Ibsen plays as told by Bertolt Brecht. WILD DUCKS is that reinvention. Through symbolic realism truth is brought under the microscope, and illusion is pitted against reality. With interpolated original songs, slides of images reinforcing or contradicting the shifting moods of the piece, an old man played by a woman, and a familiar story, we have a new play for a new era. In this new version, the audience will come to realize, clearly, that there is more than one Wild Duck on stage, as well as many in the audience. The opening number IBSEN! IBSEN! is demoed below. (this came from a rough and impromptu radio recording during a pre-show radio interview about the show.)
GET DETAILS FROM LBT: HERE
