Music and Identity in Disgraced: Blurred Boundaries

by Bruno Louchouarn

Sound Designer/Composer

Disgraced is a nuanced but dynamic journey through complex aspects of identity and heritage in America. Every character in the play deals with stereotypes, perception, beliefs, allegiances. For the two characters at the center of the story it is Islam and America.

Mosaic art inspiration

Director Shishir Kurup and I wanted to explore musically the complexities of this duality in the characters Amir and Emily. Both are very educated. Amir was born in America in a Pakistani Muslim family and is very critical of Islam. Emily is a white artist who uses Islam as an inspiration and some say a “subject” for her controversial art. Shishir and I realized that cultural elements should not be direct references but, rather, subtle elements mirroring the character’s psychology. Music and sound can have meaning in a variety of ways- as a reference to a place, culture, period in one’s life, or as emotional, internal and more universal. Music also allows the superimposition of distinct layers to underscore ambiguity and unresolved issues.

Nicole Gabriella Scipione on set

The music for our production has both Western elements and subtle references to Pakistan and Islam, as both characters lives are intertwined with these realities. Amir wishes to be perceived as Indian and not Pakistani (he changed his last name from Abdullah to Kapoor) and had all but renounced Islam. He is also a very driven man, full of charm, with a bit of a temper.

Stylized Bhangra beats, a traditional element in music of both India and Pakistan, are used subliminally to underscore Amir’s relationship to his heritage. Sufi melodies in filigree, represent the spiritual aspect of Islam, also present in the Punjab, and wowed in minimalist textures to underscore Emily’s Islam-inspired art. Western chamber music with a minimalist tinge, bouncy violas and cellos, represent their shared reality and success in Manhattan. Sparse piano chords underscore Emily’s state of mind as the story progress. All these elements are woven into a composed sound world that the director started using in rehearsal.

Shishir’s concept was to frame the scene by bringing the pre-show and the transitions to life as a way to share interstitial moments in the life of the characters. In those transitions the music is very present, whereas during the scenes it appears rarely and only in a very subliminal fashion.

L to R: Benjamin Curns, Rasool Jahan, Rajesh Bose and Nicole Gabriella Scipione in Disgraced

Ultimately, the final score grew out of these ideas and took shape during the technical rehearsal process, which is very collaborative, and where director, actors, set, costumes, lights and sound/music collaborate closely to sculpt and create the experience of the story.

Disgraced. Onstage now through October 4th.

Click here or call our Box Office at 919-962-7529 to reserve tickets.

Composing Music for "Love Alone"

By Peter Mark Kendall, Composer for Love Alone

Peter Mark Kendall

I was thrilled when Vivienne Benesch approached me to do the music for Love Alone. I composed a few songs for the premiere production at Trinity Rep two years ago, but my involvement was pretty minimal. So, in the PlayMakers production, I've created every piece of music in the play. This time around, I wanted to create a sense of what Clementine's music sounds like - something complex, intelligent, fun, and visceral - while still keeping in mind the other characters, and the medical and personal worlds that exist in the play. It's Clem's music, but hopefully it tells everyone's story. I've also tried to create tonal shifts in the music, so as the play progresses, the music helps carve out the emotional journeys that the characters experience. The audience might hear music influences such as Wye Oak, Buke and Gase, Pedro the Lion. 

Thanks to PlayMakers for being a wonderful place to work. Enjoy! 

Arielle Yoder as Clementine. Photo by Jon Gardiner.

Exuberance in Urinetown

By: Mark Lewis, Music Director

"Urinetown."

"What?"

"It's a show."

"Urine, as in, like ...?"

"Yeah.  The music's great." [Actual conversation I had.]

Today we're rehearsing "Snuff That Girl", so naturally everyone is in a good mood. The juvenile delinquent faction of the rebels has kidnapped the boss' daughter. She's tied up. A mean jazz beat starts.

"Cops will be here

Bustin' heads

Mighty quick

But we'll beat them to the punch

when we snuff out that chick"

Drum solo. 

Dance!!

Look! It's the hero. It's Bobby Strong. How'd he get here? We've moved on to "Run, Freedom, Run".

The hits just keep comin'.

The cast stands by while the director talks to the choreographer. Like me, they can't wait to do the song, a high energy gospel satire. I admire their patience. The cast is all high school age actors.

Oh no, it's hand claps in theater! They always get off the beat, it's inevitable.

I'm playing away, the cast is circling behind me chanting “Hallelujah!”

I was going to tell them to sing out with exuberance - but I wouldn't have been heard. Not with all this exuberance around.

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Urinetown: The Musical will be showing July 19 - July 22

Click Here for more information.

"A Music Director's Perspective" by Rozlyn Sorrell

Singer/actress Rozlyn Sorrell is a New York native who has performed in music, film, television and theatre in Los Angeles and currently operates Vocal Precision Studio in Raleigh. Rozlyn serves as the music director for The Parchman Hour.

As an educator, I feel this piece is very timely and relevant in the world in which we live today. The economic challenges we face as a nation have affected our educational school system and the way funds are spent. Our world of political correctness jeopardizes historical curriculum and the way texts are written. Their content is watered down and falsified with generalities preventing knowledge in its truest form. As creative arts programs struggle to stay alive, it is so very important that productions such as The Parchman Hour continue to be produced. Future generations will come to know and respect the poignant pen of Mike Wiley, as he is able to communicate the hard realities of a difficult and ugly past in a moving, provocative, honest and entertaining way.

What value, quality and dimension can I add to The Parchman Hour as music director? Ay, there’s the rub. It is my job to support Mike’s vision with musical nuances that accentuate the underlying theme and purpose of the project. It is my job to ensure it is achieved by pulling the qualities he seeks from each artistic cast member. Fortunately, the talented and hard-working cast of this production makes this task less daunting.

The music in this piece helps to soften the heavy blow of harsh dialogue and physical action, but does not eradicate it. It punctuates and emphasizes contradictions of political rhetoric, but does not shove it down your throat. Some music is pounded into the core of your being, while some subtler music just makes you think. You will cry one moment and, before you know it, find yourself clapping your hands, stomping your feet and even singing along. The power of a well-written work is the ability to cause one to experience a roller coaster of emotional confusion. Mike Wiley succeeds – yet again – in accomplishing this feat. It is with great joy that I am able to come along for the ride.

Part II in Pictures

Part II of Nicholas Nickleby had its first post-Opening performance yesterday afternoon, so it seems now would be a great time to post pictures from that half of the show.

Before we get into Part II, however, director Tom Quaintance sent me this first photo. He received it on Opening Night from Chinatown screenwriter, Robert Towne. It's nice to have so many people rooting for the success of this show!

Onto the production photos (all taken by Jon Gardiner).

Jeffrey Blair Cornell & Scott Ripley as The Cheerybles

The Crummles Company

Dede Corvinus & David Adamson

Lenore Field & David McClutchey in front, surrounded by cast,

all part of  The Crummles Company

Jimmy Kieffer as Hawk and Marianne Miller as Kate Nickleby

David McClutchey & company

Dede Corvinus as Mrs. Crummles

Kahlil Gonzalez-Garcia, Julie Fishell and Derrick Ledbetter

Jeffrey Blair Cornell, Justin Adams and Scott Ripley

Nicholas meets The Cherrybles

Jason Powers as Smike and Justin Adams as Nicholas Nickleby

Scott Ripley as Squeers and The Crummles Company

Justin Adams and Derrick Ledbetter

Ray Dooley, Weston Blakesley & Scott Ripley

Composer and Sound Designer Sarah Pickett provides all the show's sound effects & music from her nest above the stage.