The Nightingale • A Musical for Youth and Their Families

Book and Lyrics by Gayanne Ramsden King and George King

Music and Lyrics by C. Michael Perry

“The Nightingale” is a musical script set in Imperial China. An Emperor, bored with his perfect life, finds joy in the song of the Nightingale. He becomes distracted by a mechanical bird but realizes his mistake when it breaks. Ultimately, he yearns for the Nightingale’s return and learns the importance of true friendship and leading with empathy for all his people.

CAST OF CHARACTERS
- COURTIERS of the Chinese Court
- LADY COURTIER
- Nine other COURTIERS (male and female)
- EMPEROR of China
- CHAMBERLAIN
- KITCHEN MAID
- ROYAL GARDENER
- THE NIGHTINGALE – she is lovely and dressed in brown, covered in feathers
- THE MECHANICAL – he is a clever impostor in a box who ultimately cannot be real and fails
- SERVANTS to Emperor Servants double as–
  - AMBASSADORS:
  - RUSSIAN
  - ARABIAN
  - JAPANESE
  - ETHIOPIAN
  - SWISS
  - and their PERFORMERS
- MAN with a basket, JAPANESE GIRL, JUGGLER
- ROYAL PHYSICIAN
- ROYAL WATCHMAKER
- DEATH
TIME and PLACE: An era of Imperial China in the early Ming Dynasty (1300s) where China was becoming acquainted with other lands beyond their own due to Marco Polo having set up trade in the 1200s. This exchange was strictly with the countries of Europe, not with any of what would become their Imperialistic pawns on the American continents.
ABOUT: 70 minutes

PERUSAL SCRIPT (act one only)

LIST OF SONGS:

ACT ONE
- Scene 1 —
  - #1 — LIFE IS PERFECT — Courtiers
  - #2 — ENNUI — Emperor
  - #3 — SOMETHING NEW — Courtiers
- Scene 2 —
  - #4 — THE SONG OF THE NIGHTINGALE — Kitchen Maid
  - #5a – I WISH SUCH A FRIEND (+ dance) – Nightingale
  - #5b – I’LL BE SUCH A FRIEND (reprise) – Nightingale and Emperor
ACT TWO
- - #6 – THAT STRANGE THING FROM THE FOREST – Courtiers
  - #7 – A MIRACLE IN THE LAND & STRANGE THING (rep) – Emperor & Courtiers
  - #7a – Russian Dance – instrumental
  - #8 – PERFECTION – Mechanical
  - #9 – ISN’T IT GREAT! – Courtiers
  - #10 – WHERE IS MY MELODY? – Emperor
  - #11 – NEW BEGINNINGS – Nightingale & Emperor
  - #12 – NEW BEGINNINGS: FINALE – Emperor, Nightingale and Company