WAITING ON A DREAM
A NEW FULL-LENGTH MUSICAL … IDEAL FOR COMMUNITY THEATER AND EDUCATIONAL INSTITUTIONS
A NEW FULL-LENGTH MUSICAL … IDEAL FOR COMMUNITY THEATER AND EDUCATIONAL INSTITUTIONS
What’s it all about?
It’s just about 150 years ago…1864, and the American Civil War is in full swing. John Rumsey, a destitute English lawyer recently banished to Canada, has ended up in Montreal. However, persuaded by a friend, he soon finds himself on the streets of St. Albans, Vermont, hawking patent medicine.
It’s just about 150 years ago…1864, and the American Civil War is in full swing. John Rumsey, a destitute English lawyer recently banished to Canada, has ended up in Montreal. However, persuaded by a friend, he soon finds himself on the streets of St. Albans, Vermont, hawking patent medicine.
His new business meets an unexpected obstacle! While he is in St. Albans, Confederate soldiers arrive from Montreal, where, overheard by the barmaid in their hotel, they have been planning a daring raid on the local banks of this small Vermont town. They completely botch the robbery and flee to neutral Canada for protection, taking ‘Doc’ Rumsey along as hostage—thereby complicating his budding romance with the comely widowed Minnie Green. Somehow, after many twists, turns, disguises and shenanigans, everybody comes together in a courtroom presided over by a judge who enjoys ‘a wee dram’ while serving on the bench. However, though his gavel is a little shaky, his heart turns out to be in the right place.
Rumsey’s administers his Chickasaw Revival Tonic at the most unexpected moments throughout the show, fixing everything from lovesickness to fondness for the bottle, but in turn it creates as many problems as it solves. A surprise twist brings to an end a funny but ‘impossible’ situation.
The Civil War Raid is factual. The Romance is fictional. The Result is comical!
Is Waiting On A Dream suitable for my group?
If your group can handle The Music Man or The King and I, it can readily perform Waiting On A Dream. This musical was conceived especially for community theater and educational institutions with the aim of providing fun family entertainment. No helicopter landings or crashing chandeliers: the show is technically simple to produce and is more like traditional musicals but with a dash or two of rap, tango and patter songs, along with big full-cast numbers. The songs—nicely challenging but not tough—are spread among the performers to enable many of them to have their moments of glory.
If your group can handle The Music Man or The King and I, it can readily perform Waiting On A Dream. This musical was conceived especially for community theater and educational institutions with the aim of providing fun family entertainment. No helicopter landings or crashing chandeliers: the show is technically simple to produce and is more like traditional musicals but with a dash or two of rap, tango and patter songs, along with big full-cast numbers. The songs—nicely challenging but not tough—are spread among the performers to enable many of them to have their moments of glory.
Requirements: Minimum cast: 22 (10 guys, 6 gals, 6 chorus). Some male parts may be played by women. FUN! Accompaniment: keyboard, optional percussion, optional flute, optional cello. Length: 1 hour & 40 min + intermission (2 Acts)
Where can I get more information on Waiting On A Dream?
Detailed plot, photos and so on, are found at www.WaitingOnADreamMusical.com. Meanwhile you may see it as Love & Larceny—same show, but under its working title, at http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kP3WVCb-fTY You can hear musical excerpts on the composer’s website, www.donaldpatriquin.com. The script, written by Roger de la Mare, is based on a book by Donald Davison, original music was composed by Donald Patriquin, with lyrics written by Graham Hardman, and its initial run of twelve sold-out performances at Brome Lake Theatre in Knowlton, Québec, was directed by Vesta Jorgensen. Amongst other venues, it will be produced at the Enosburg Opera House, near St. Albans, Vermont, in 2014– a canon’s range from the site of the actual ‘battle’ 150 years previous!
Detailed plot, photos and so on, are found at www.WaitingOnADreamMusical.com. Meanwhile you may see it as Love & Larceny—same show, but under its working title, at http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kP3WVCb-fTY You can hear musical excerpts on the composer’s website, www.donaldpatriquin.com. The script, written by Roger de la Mare, is based on a book by Donald Davison, original music was composed by Donald Patriquin, with lyrics written by Graham Hardman, and its initial run of twelve sold-out performances at Brome Lake Theatre in Knowlton, Québec, was directed by Vesta Jorgensen. Amongst other venues, it will be produced at the Enosburg Opera House, near St. Albans, Vermont, in 2014– a canon’s range from the site of the actual ‘battle’ 150 years previous!
A FREE, professionally filmed video of Waiting On A Dream is available from A Tempo Music.
Contact: A PDF of the script is also freely available for perusal, as are sheet music samples. Just email us, telling us something about your group– size, what you have performed, etc.– and we’ll send you a video/PDF, as you wish. Include address for mailing of a video.
If you are interested in performing Waiting On A Dream or require more information, please contact Donald Patriquin at 450-297-2779 or
Leave a Reply
You must be logged in to post a comment.