Music

=THE HANDSOMEST MAN IN AMERICA= = MUSIC =

BAND REQUIREMENTS
DRUMS - trap set, chimes, concert bass drum, gunshots BASS - electric bass (low D available) GUITAR 1 - electric guitar (slide, distortion, wah pedal, Leslie) GUITAR 2 - acoustic guitar, electric guitar (distortion, Leslie), banjo KEYBOARD - piano, electric piano, B3 organ, pipe organ FIDDLE - viola, violin

NEW SONG DEMOS
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[|02 The Meteor.mp3]
Demo of new prologue song to replace "The Nation's Wounds". I envision it as an ensemble number with a lot of visual content, both blocking and use of period images, to put the events of the show into context. I also see it as a way to show how the war affects Booth; I think he can be shown performing for an audience that gradually marches off to die in battle as he is helpless to do anything. This would be in addition to the scene of him acting that we discussed.

[|Into God's Light (Part One).mp3] [|Into God's Light (Part Two).mp3] Replacement song for "Another Dream." In Part One, Lincoln gives an impromptu speech to a crowd that surrounds him as he and Mary prepare for an afternoon carriage ride; meanwhile, Booth and his cronies prepare for the assassination. In Part Two, Lincoln and Mary look forward to their new future together despite their private insecurities about their fates. The two parts will bookend "Not That I've Ever Seen."

[|Not That I've Ever Seen.mp3] Finally, a recording of the long-awaited Surratt song! Should be fairly self-explanatory; while Mrs. S chats with Booth, her daughter gets snacks for the other three conspirators -- Herold and Paine are filling Atzerodt in on the plot to assassinate. There's also an introduction (unrecorded) that I can tack on to this, depending on if/how much the Surratts are introduced in the new opening sequences. So we have options. Remember, this goes between the two halves of "Into God's Light."

[|Assassin's Play.mp3] Dialogue and underscore for Paine's attack on the Seward house, which will open Act Two. The ending is abrupt because it segues directly into the "Up in Flames" fanfare that begins "Aftermath."

[|Goodbye, Father Abraham (Sibelius demo).mp3] Sorry this is way late! Choral number/series of expositional sequences to bridge "The Cost" and "Damned Man's Blues." I'm quite excited for this one.

More exciting things to come: The reworked opening!