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The
2009 world premiere of Witchfinder in Manchester
won FIVE major regional theatre awards (GMDF) ... |
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Best
Actor
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Best Choreographer
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Best Book
& Lyrics
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Best Director
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Best Production
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"...
a genuine, full-blown show that is
full-formed,
with superb orchestrations ..." |
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ensembles that stir and ballads that
thrill ..." |
Oldham
Evening Chronicle, July
2009 |
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 It
is 1612 and Jacobean England is still reeling
from the Gunpowder Plot of several years
earlier and the implications it has for
the people and more importantly, the King;
a king obsessed by demonology and fearful
of those who do not practice the faith of
the state.
Against this backdrop, Witchfinder introduces
the story of two young lovers from different
classes, backgrounds and worlds, thrust
together in a melting pot of politics and
suspicion, fuelled by fear and an over zealous
desire to hunt down the evildoers - whether
they exist or not.
Prejudice, power, love and honour all vie
for supremacy in both the corridors of power
in London and the simple village life of
Pendle in Lancashire, as they are pitted
against each other in a struggle for truth
- and survival.
This is a not just another musical. With
a cast of 20 characters plus company, it
has a script that has the weight and gravitas
of a pure drama but with soaring songs,
beautifully orchestrated. Add to this an
array of powerful and absorbing characters,
tracing their place in history; real people,
real lives ... but with tragic and heart
rending consequences. It paints a picture
of humanity which is just as resonant today,
encompassing life and of loss but more importantly,
love and hope.
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| Principals
(5m, 3f adult, 1f junior) |
| James Roberts -
25/30. Army captain, strong, intense, good
family, not upper class. High
Baritone/Tenor |
| Catherine Howard
- 25/35. Strong, independent and determined.
Mezzo Soprano |
| Roger Nowell
- a magistrate, desperate for power, influence
and wealth. High
Baritone |
| Thomas Potts
- 30+, Clerk Of The Assizes, quiet, unassuming,
studious. High Baritone.
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| Edward Sykes
- 25/35. James's lieutenant, loyal and unquestioning.
Tenor/ High Baritone |
| Lady Sarah Owen
- 20/35. daughter of (unnamed) nobility, engaged
to James. Mezzo Soprano |
| Alizon Device
- 20-30 an uncomplicated, shy and nervous
young woman, a loner. Mezzo
Soprano |
| Josiah Wickham
- 40+, a man of wit and wisdom, Falstaffian,
larger than life. Baritone |
| Jenet Device
- 9, Alizon's sister, a quiet girl initially,
but later on incriminates Catherine. |
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| Support (8m,
2f, 1m/f) |
| King James - 46, Studious, well spoken,
homosexual, but not camp. Non-singing
role |
| Jane - 25-60. a composite character appearing
in many scenes. Mezzo
Soprano |
| Elizabeth - 25-60, a composite character
appearing in many scenes. Mezzo
Soprano |
| Abraham Law - 20's. a simple local man,
attracted to Catherine, jealous of James.
Light Baritone |
| Privy Council (x4) - 30+. Machiavellian,
with bearing and authority Tenor
x2, Baritone x2 |
| Judges (x4) - 30+, presiding at the Witches
trial (can double with Privy Council). Tenor
x2, Baritone x2 |
| Servant/Herald - (m/f) any age. Non-singing
role |
| Priest/Monk - any age. Non-singing
role |
| Gaoler - any age. Non-singing
role |
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| Male and Female company, who play a variety
of roles - Soldiers, an Usher (m), Villagers,
Prisoners & Courtiers etc. (The
numbers involved are flexible but as a minimum,
the supporting cast, such as the King and
Privy Council should double up as company
(i.e., soldiers/villagers) as could Lady Sarah,
Elizabeth and Jane, Herald, Servant, Priest
and Abraham. There will need to be at least
several soldiers to create any sense of presence
and to satisfy the vocal parts). A few children
in the chorus would be appropriate. |
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Click on a title to hear a Windows Media
clip, or to see a short video clip. These
clips will open in a new window.
All audio clips are taken from the professionally
recorded Witchfinder CD available from
Dress
Circle
All video clips were recorded at the
UK Premiere amateur production in April
2009 given by the Mossley Amateur Operatic
& Dramatic Society, Mossley, Greater
Manchester.
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| 1) Prologue
/ Bring Her Down |
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Orchestra / Potts |
| 2) Reborn
In You |
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Alizon |
| 3) Just
Before You Go |
|
Sarah & James |
| 4) The
Privy Council |
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Privy Councillors x 4 |
| 5) Never
Will Mend |
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Nowell, Soldiers & Villagers |
| 6) Hubble
Bubble |
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Wickham & Villagers |
| 7) A
Man Like You |
|
Catherine |
| 8) Montage |
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Nowell, Abraham, Potts, Catherine,
Alizon, James, Sykes & Chorus |
| 9) England
Is My Home |
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James, Sykes, Catherine &
Chorus |
| ~~ Interval
~~ |
| 10) Noblesse
Oblige |
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Chorus |
| 11) Just Before You Go |
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Sarah & James |
| 12) Remember Me |
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Potts |
| 13) Never Complete |
|
James |
| 14) Each
Passing Year |
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Sarah, Catherine & James |
| 15) So Pure |
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Sykes |
| 16) The Prayer |
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Male & Female Prisoners
(with Priest) |
| 17) Bring Her Down (Reprise) |
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Usher & Chorus |
| 18) Witchfinder's Inquisition |
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Nowell |
| 19) The Trial |
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Jenet, Nowell, James, Judges
& Chorus |
| 20) You've
Seen It In Your Nightmares |
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Nowell |
| 21) On
Borrowed Time |
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James & Catherine |
| 22) Epilogue
/ Sleep Tonight |
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James & Company |
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| Orchestration
/ Band Parts |
These are availble in
printed form to hire as follows :-
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| A set of orchestrations
for a 12 piece orchestra will be available soon.
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| Rented
Orchestrations
A full set of hired parts costs £125.00
for a period of up to three months
prior to the date of your last performance.
In addition to the rental fee below,
we will need a deposit of £135.00
as a damage gurarantee, refundable
in full on the safe, complete, undefaced
and undamaged return of the rented
material. Should items be missing
or damaged, we will notify you, and
we will deduct costs at the rate of
£10.00 per item from the deposit
until it is exhausted.
Payment for both the rental fee and
damage deposit should accompany your
order as separate cheques made payable
to 'Plays And Musicals'. Please note
that we will not despatch any material
until this payment has been received.
The material should be returned at
your cost within five working days
of your last performance.
- 12 x Band Parts plus MD's Full
Score
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Perusal
Service
We send you a Script, Piano/Vocal
Score, a Sampler CD and a Performance
DVD for a period of about 3-4 weeks..We
pay the postage out, you pay to return
it.
Please e-mail or call us to use this
service. See 'Contact
Us' |
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Royalties
Code P
Royalty fees are payable for each
performance given to an audience.
Obtain a quotation by either completing
the Application at the Credit Card payment
Checkout, or this Online
Application Form or mail-in our printed
Application
Form. |
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