At the turn of the last century, a traveling repertory company is scheduled to perform the old and "creaky" prohibition melodrama TEN NIGHTS IN A BARROOM. Only five performers and a young inexperienced (but ambitions) stagehand show up for the half-hour call. Despite the need for 20 speaking roles to be filled, the six decide that "The Show Must Go On!" Trying to conquer personal animosities and rivalries, the six pull together to present the stylized musical, using fast costume and wig changes, cutting and adapting where they must, bolstering up the character man who can only perform when he has a "snoot-full" and even recruiting a member from the audience to appear as "The Doctor". Behind a false proscenium, a scrim acts as the "Olio Curtain" behind which we can view the back-stage chaos. The scene changes are affected by roll drops which creak on the way up and crash to the floor when they come down. The climax of the piece comes when Little Mary must "fly" to Heaven but is too heavy to get off the ground. The music includes parodies of period songs, melodramatic underscoring and "Olio Numbers" to cover the changing of scenes. The music is scored for piano and percussion (and can be augmented). Songs include such titles as "Down With Drink!", "Up With Drink!", "A Mother's Son", "The Millwheel Turns", "Father, Dear Father, Come Home", "I'm Goin' Home", "Oh, My Name Is Sample Switchel", "Ode to Man", "It's Easy", "I Can Go Up Now", "Off, Off, Off, to Slaughter the Heathen" and many more. This musical has played from New York City to California and as far north as Alaska and is more suitable for family audiences than the very young.
Copyright © 2008 Richard Kinter All rights reserved