Samuel French, Inc. The House of Plays & Musical Plays for Over 175 Years

Reunion: A Musical Epic in Miniature
[20585]

$8.95

ISBN 978-0-573-66359-8

Listen to music samples of the score - see below!

Book by Jack Kyrieleison. Story by Jack Kyrieleison & Ron Holgate. Traditional music adapted by Michael O'Flaherty

4 m, 2 f, extras

Historical, Drama

A moving musical narrative of the Civil War, told in the words of the very diverse men and women who sided with the Union. Presented as a musical entertainment years after the events by the rag-tag company of actor Harry Hawk, the man who stood alone on stage when Lincoln was shot by Booth.

Reunion is an attempt to tell the story of the Civil War through the eyes of those who took up the Union cause--an intersection of theatre and history, weaving together songs, visual images and dialogue. It is designed as a Victorian entertainment--the great American epic as it might have been told by a 19th-Century Homer and a wandering company of actors.

"Reunion should be seen across the country." -The New York Times.

"CRITIC'S PICK! Charming... heartwarming... brought to vivid life. Reunion underlines the common futility of all wars and the mess we're still dealing with from this particular one. You'll learn something without feeling lectured to." -Backstage.

"A haunting glimpse into history. Reunionresonates at Ford's." -Washington Post.

"Moving... clever... heartbreaking. Plumbs the emotional depths of those wrenchingly turbulent times." -Newsday.

"Unlike so many mindless Broadway historical pageants, Reunion's words come from the actual speeches, quotations, military orders, letters and tear-stained diaries of the figures being portrayed. And it's woven into a powerful whole that leaves no one dry-eyed. This musical deserves to travel the country the rest of this nation's days." -Chicago Tribune.

The songs date from the Civil War or before, and the dialogue is drawn from or inspired by participants' accounts of actual events. The original production got a lot of sound out of 6 actor-singers and a 5-piece orchestra--piano/synthesizer, trumpet, percussion, guitar/banjo, and violin.

Occasionally there are references to “magic lantern”projections of specific photographs. Ideally, in addition to those mentioned, projections would appear continuously as a backdrop, drawn from the vast wealth of photographs, headlines and art that arose from the war.

Harry Hawk was a real actor of the period; the others are invented. He embodies the virtues and excesses of rip-roaring, Eliza-crossing-the-ice 19th-Century stagecraft, and he's tried to pack it all into this show: popular music hall, Victorian valentine, minstrel show, florid tragedy and patriotic pageant.

Hawk is a resourceful survivor, and his production reflects it. Each actor has a basic costume suggestive of his place in the company hierarchy. Individual costume pieces are added and subtracted--the changes are usually part of the action, which should be pretty much nonstop.

As for sets, there are a vacant stage and an upstage wall for projections--and an act curtain if the physical space suits it. Not much else is absolutely called for. Practical windows and doors--set in stock Victorian scenic flats--would be nice. One side of the stage serves as the hallway outside Lincoln's office, and directly across the stage is General McClellan's tent. Also, some sort of contraption which allows Hannibal to efficiently unveil a large portrait of whichever Union general happens to be in command. Platforms and levels materialize from theatrical trunks, wardrobe hampers and whatever else is readily at hand. This labor, like the other stagecraft chores, more often than not falls to Hannibal, Cassie and Trudgett.

Victorian theatre trappings can help establish the style: footlights, thunder sheets, wind machines--whatever Hawk's wanderers would be likely to find in place behind the scenes of a 19th Century stage.

About the Music
The 26 songs in Reunion—all from the Civil War or earlier—tell the human stories of the struggle within the North for the soul of the war. All of the songs are used to advance the narrative. As none was chosen solely because of popularity, there are some familiar Northern songs that won't be found in Reunion, including "When Johnny Comes Marching Home" and "Just Before the Battle, Mother." The familiar songs that are in the show are given unique treatments. And a couple of songs written in the South are included, because they were as popular in the North as they were in the South. All have new arrangements by musical supervisor Michael O'Flaherty.

Terms quoted on application. Music available on rental.

Orchestration rental package includes
Keyboards
Trumpet
Violin
Guitar & Banjo
Bass
Percussionist
The show can also be produced using keyboard only from the piano/vocal score.

Click below for additional materials:
Reunion: A Musical Epic in Miniature (Logo Pack)
Reunion: A Musical Epic in Miniature (Cast Recording)

Listen to music samples from the show:

	1. Darling Nelly Gray
	2. Lincoln And Liberty
	3. Abraham's Daughter
	4. Marching Along
	5. All Quiet Along The Potomac Tonight
	6. Comrades Fill No Glass For Me
	7. We'll Fight For Uncle Abe
	8. We Are Coming Father Abram
	9. Wake Nicodemus
	10. Pat Murphy Of The Irish Brigade
	11. Wasn't That A Wide River
	12. Battle Cry Of Freedom
	13. John Browns Body
	14. Somebody's Darling
	15. Weeping Sad And Lonely
	16. Tenting Tonight
	17. Marching Through Georgia
	18. Beautiful Dreamer
	19. Steal Away
	20. Hard Times Come Again No More

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