Rocking ‘The Dream’ at Normanhurst
A chance conversation two years ago has lead Normanhurst Uniting Church Musical Society (NUCMS) Director Ian Wesley on an adventure which culminates in May the year with the Australian premiere of A Midsummer Night’s Dream: The Rock Musical.
Directed by Ian Wesley and Mel Hogan, with musical direction by Isaac Reefman and choreography by Mel Hogan, NUCMS presents A Midsummer Night’s Dream: The Rock Musical from May 10 – 25, 2013.
“We were discussing musicals based on Shakespeare’s plays, and thought it would be a nice idea to look for a musical based on A Midsummer Night’s Dream’, Ian Wesley told Stage Whispers.
“I spent quite a long time looking at different versions – everything from the original play with existing songs interpolated through to a version written by Charles Hart and Howard Goodall. Eventually, I stumbled on a newspaper review of a 2009 production given as part of the New York East to Edinburgh Festival. It looked interesting, and fortunately the author’s name was given. A quick websearch lead me to George Griggs’ website, where I found musical extracts of the show. Having listened to the show, I made contact with George Griggs, and we discussed the possibility of NUCMS producing the show.
“At the time, George Griggs was heavily involved in another show, but he agreed to revisit and revise ‘Dream’ for NUCMS. Griggs also gave the NUCMS team permission to make further revisions as they rehearsed the show.
“We have made changes to the performance style, and George Griggs has provided new lyrics for one song.
“The result is a brand new production, with a decidedly local setting.”
Alexander and Dimitri, both guitarists in a rock band, are both in love with Mia, the Mayor’s daughter. Helena, Mia’s cousin, still carries a torch for Dimitri, despite the fact that he has dumped her. When Mia and Alex run away, a council landscape-gardening gang, who are intent on breaking into showbusiness as a Cover Band, set off to find them. Also in pursuit is Dimitri, who just wants Mia, and the love-lorn Helena.
Meanwhile, Oberon, an illusionist estranged from his wife and assistant, Tytania, decides to exact a little revenge with the help of Puck and her teenage friends, who like nothing better than causing a bit of trouble on a summer’s night.
Performances of `A Midsummer Night’s Dream: The Rock Musical’ are on 10th, 11th, 18th, 24th and 25th May at 8pm and 11th, 18th and 25th May at 2pm.
Bookings can be made through the website (www.nucms.org) or by telephone on 9487 2786.
George Griggs - Composer/Lyricist
George Griggs is a Bronx native who went on to front a band of his own - Showbiz - and toured as the opening act for Aerosmith, Twisted Sister, Talking Heads, Joan Jett and The Ramones.
In 1996, he was commissioned to write a contemporary setting of Shakespeare’s A Midsummer Night’s Dream. The show received a number of productions and revisions and in July of 2005, The Infinity Theater Company toured A Midsummer Night’s Dream: The Rock Musical. Performances took place throughout the East Coast including Universal Studios Orlando and Disney World. In 2009, The Shakespeare Theatre Company of Washington, D.C., presented songs from A Midsummer Night’s Dream: A Rock Musical as part of their annual gala, which honoured Sir Ian McKellen. In 2012, A Midsummer Night’s Dream: The Rock Musical was further revised prior to the Australian premiere production by NUCMS.
George Griggs has composed various works with New York University TISCH School, as well as commissioned works including Hearts Are Wild with The City Theater in Pittsburgh, PA, and Heat Lightning at Kirk Theater, NYC. He is composer/lyricist-in-residence at Yale University.
In August 2007, his score MOD: A Musical Pop-toon! played the Edinburgh Fringe Festival to wide acclaim. MOD was selected for the ASCAP Music Theatre Workshop (directed by Stephen Schwartz). In 2012, MOD was remounted at the Edinburgh Fringe Festival presented by the UK production team of Hartshorn/Hook.
In 2010, the workshop version of Gibby Stone and Her Problem, with music and lyrics by Griggs, ran at 59E59 Street Theatre as part of the East to Edinburgh Festival. The show then went on to a European tour later that year.
His rock “radio play” Transmitter Man, produced by Todd Tobias was released spring 2007.
Images (from top): The Sprites & Puck (Hannah Paul, Annalese Hall, Nicki Brown & Jessica Knight); Oberon & Tytania (Dominic Augimeri & Briony Visser); The Gardeners & Bottom (Jen Paterson, Martin Paterson, Amelie Hale & Kent Blackmore) and The Lovers - Mia, Alexander, Helena, Dimitri (Peta Stathis, Sam Henry, Nikki Malvar, Michael McPhee).
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