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Music
by Peter Link
Lyrics by Joe Bravaco & Larry
Rossler
Book by Larry Rossler
Check out Sundown's official website:
SundownMusical.com
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eight men faced off on a dusty street in Tombstone, Arizona,
1881, they had no idea that their fight would launch them
into legend. The Gunfight at the OK Corral lasted less than
sixty seconds. But those fleeting moments grew rapidly into
an American myth, one that informs our national character
to this day, SUNDOWN explores the myth and the men who unwittingly
formed it: the Earps, the Clantons, the McLaurys, and the
unlikely outlaw known as Doc Holliday. His story is an American
romance - the romance of the gun. Sundown tells the story
of Doc Holliday, the notorious gambler and gunfighter, and
his fateful meeting with Wyatt Earp in Tombstone, Arizona. |
Barter
Theatre Production |
Barter
Theatre Production |
These
larger than life figures play a part in one of the most
compelling legends of the American West -- the Gunfight
at the OK Corral. However, Sundown takes another look
at the legend in a musical that's filled with poignancy
and humor. Here, Doc Holliday is seen as a modern man
struggling to reform but making all the wrong choices.
Then, just when he finds the one good thing in his life,
an intriguing woman known as Cattle Kate, he discovers
that time has run out and, perhaps, his fate had long
ago been sealed. The musical was developed in workshops at ASCAP and the York Theatre in Manhattan
and received it's world premier at Lyric Stage in Texas.
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According
to Peter Filichia, theatre critic of New Jersey's premier
paper, the Star Ledger, and internet columnist for Theatremania.com,
the lively country-based score is Link's best work.
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One of the Top Ten
Best Theatrical Albums of 2004
Jonathan Frank, Talking Broadway
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Sample
Music from the Sundown Studio Cast CD
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Judy
McLane
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Click
on links below to listen to samples of the music:
Arizona Morning
sung by Steve Blanchard
and men's chorus
Bridges
sung by Judy McLane
We Ain't Never
Had It So Good
sung by Joe Lutton, Bob Aronson,
Jeffrey Wolf and Peter Link
One More Drink
sung by Joe Lutton,
Judy McLane and men
Poison Water
sung by the entire cast
Wait
sung by Dennis Deal, Jimmy Bennet
and Patrick Ryan Sullivan
Prisoner
sung by Judy McLane
The Rest Of My Life
sung by Steve Blanchard
with Patrick Ryan Sullivan
Sundown
sung by Steve Blanchard
with Julia Wade
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Steve
Blanchard
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Patrick
Ryan Sullivan
& Steve Blanchard
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Joe Lutton
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Patrick
Ryan Sullivan
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I
found the biggest surprise of the year, theatrical recording-wise
at least, while listening to the recently released recording
of Sundown while Stairmastering at Harlem's New York Sports
Club. Although not the best place to listen to a musical about
the 1881 gunfight at the O.K. Corral, the fact that its country
music-inspired score cut through the hip-hop blaring overhead
and completely captivated me should speak volumes to the strength
of the score and its performers.
Written by composer Peter Link (King of Hearts, Salvation) and lyricist
Larry Rosler (who, with Joe Bravaco, also wrote the book), the
show is more tuneful and emotionally resonant than many shows to
hit the Great White Way in recent memory.
The show has seen a few productions already (the Lyric Stage in Irving,
Texas, and Virginia's Barter, as well as a staged reading at New
York's York Theatre Company), and the recording is a studio cast
recording featuring Broadway actors Steve Blanchard (currently
the Beast in Beauty and the Beast) as Doc Holliday, Judy McLane
(currently Tanya in Mamma Mia!) as his lady love Kate Fisher, and
Patrick Ryan Sullivan as Wyatt Earp.
If your knowledge of the gunfight is limited (like mine is) to the
Star Trek episode "Spectre of the Gun," Sundown recounts
the classic tale of the old west, wherein Doc Holliday joined forces
with Wyatt Earp and his brothers to battle the Clanton Gang in Tombstone,
Arizona. Told from the point of view of Doc Holliday, the show manages
what other Western shows tried and almost achieved (such as Johnny
Guitar) or flat-out failed miserably at (such as Urban Cowboy) and
that is, to tell a tuneful tale set in the mythic west that consists
of three-dimensional characters that have a reason to sing - and do
so with more than passable songs to boot! (Indeed, the sensual pick-up
number "One More Drink" sung by Joe Lutton and Judy McLane
perfectly captures the spirit and playfulness that was missing from
Urban Cowboy.)
Musically, Sundown recalls a harder edged Big River, thanks to rollicking
character numbers like "Fly In The Ointment" and "Politickin'," which
stand side by side with beautiful ballads like "Bridges" (beautifully
performed by Judy McLane) and the title song (a plaintive 'end
of the trail' number sung by Doc Holliday). While the CD is hampered
at times by arrangements featuring far-too-obviously synthesized
instruments, the material in general and the performers in particular
make for an incredibly strong and highly listenable album. For
more information and to listen to samples, visit www.sundownmusical.com.
By Jonathan Frank, Sound Advice @ Talkingbroadway.com
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Music
by Peter Link
Lyrics by Jacob Brackman
Book by Steve Tesich
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The
New York Times
" Now at Goodspeed Opera House in East Haddam, King of Hearts is about the
need for love, frivolity and grandeur. Simplicity and intimacy are recaptured
with affection, authenticity and focus. The musical is pure romantic escape – into
fantasy and into the fantastic…a celebratory rite of love’s redemptive
power. Mr. Link’s music is a fusion of classical chorales, down-home American
country style, French music hall and Viennese waltzes… Whatever may sound
derivative dissolves into the ephemera of real charm and enchantment. It is worth
investigating."
Alvin
Klein
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King
Of Hearts
Sample Music
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Music
by Peter Link
Book by William Shakespeare
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With: Sam Waterston Kathleen Widdoes Barnard
Hughes April Shawnham Douglass Watson Glenn Walker,
Mark Hammer, Army Freeman, Bette Henritz, Jeanne Hepple, Jerry
Mayer, Jack Gianino, Marshall Efron, Will Mackenzie, Tom McDermott,
Charles
Bartlett, George Gugleotti, David Lenthall
"…
captivates the imagination, captures the heart, and fills the night
with laughter." - The Christian Science Monitor
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Joseph
Papp’s 1972 CBS-TV television production of The New York
Shakespeare Festival’s Broadway staging of Shakespeare’s
rollicking comedy is brassy, bouncy and all-together entertaining.
Featuring Sam Waterston and the Tony nominated performances of
Kathleen Widdoes and Barnard Hughes, Papp’s turn-of-the-century
version has Teddy Roosevelt roughriders and bicycle-riding women
suffragettes, but remains faithful to the classic tale: Beatrice
and Benedick are still sparring partners fighting their merry war
of words; the evil Don Jon continues conspiring to break up the
wedding of Hero and Claudio; and it’s once again up to Dogbery
to save the day. Critically acclaimed and enormously popular with
audiences, "Much Ado About Nothing," originated at the
open-air Delacorte Theatre in Central Park, was transferred to
Broadway and was perceived as the first successful Shakespeare
to play without a major star in Broadway history. The CBS broadcast
was seen by twenty million people.
Directed by A.J. Antoon Nick Havinga
Originally aired: 1974 |
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