Waiting For The Moon (musical)
Encyclopedia
Waiting for the Moon: An American Love Story, formerly Zelda or Scott & Zelda: The Other Side Of Paradise, is a musical
with music by Frank Wildhorn
and lyrics by Jack Murphy. It is the second finished production the two have presented, having previously collaborated on The Civil War
. The show had its world premiere at the Lenape Regional Performing Arts Center in Marlton, New Jersey
in July 2005. The musical is based on the lives of famed American author F. Scott Fitzgerald
and his wife, Zelda Fitzgerald
.
the cast starred Jarrod Emick
and Lauren Kennedy
.
Wildhorn had connections with the theatre through Linda Eder
's concerts, amongst other engagements including the early renditions of the Jekyll & Hyde
: Resurrection tour. Wildhorn had said he had hoped that Lenape would become "a real successful regional theatre, that he could use as a laboratory for his new productions."
Murphy titled the show Waiting For The Moon, as director Vincent Marini didn't believe that Scott & Zelda sounded right for it. After a dinner outing, Murphy's wife suggested the title and both Murphy and Marini liked it enough that it stuck.
The rest of the creative team for this production included Ron Melrose as music director, Kim Scharnberg as orchestrator, Rob Odorisio as scenic designer, Howell Binkley
as lighting designer, Janine McCabe as costume designer, Nick Kourtides as sound designer, and Michael Clark credited with the projections design. The show was produced by Roy Miller and Vincent Marini, with Angelo del Rossi as consulting producer.
A planned production at North Carolina Theatre (Raleigh
, North Carolina) in July 2007 was cancelled. It was to star once again Lauren Kennedy, with the potential of husband Alan Campbell in the role of Scott.
Act II opens with more trips for Scott & Zelda, including Scott's attempt at the Hollywood screenwriting industry ("The Rivera," "Hollywood," etc.). However, Zelda is back to the institution declaring that life isn't fair ("Easy"). Scott's career is fading fast ("Losing the Light") while working in Hollywood. Scott realizes he's lost -- both his career (although it would flourish after his death) and Zelda, who has not visited ("Waiting for the Moon"). Zelda, dellusional, believes that Scott is coming to take her to a ball. It is now 1948, years after Scott has died. A reporter comes to ensure she is okay, after he has since stopped years before covering the two. She laments over who Scott really was ("Remember"). In a fairytale vision, she sees Scott taking her to the dance, and they kiss, beneath the moon as the curtain closes.
Wildhorn further explains that "Much of story is told in dance numbers. There's a lot of dancing in this show, about 6 big dance numbers.... The choreography is a major part of this production." Nearly all of the twenty songs in the production were sung by either the Zelda character, Scott character, or those two together. Ensemble was used as small characters with short verses, backing up the other two.
, the original Zelda, has, however, released the song "Easy" on her latest solo album, entitled Now and Here. Other sound clips (including a video preview) can be found at Jack Murphy's website.
Musical theatre
Musical theatre is a form of theatre combining songs, spoken dialogue, acting, and dance. The emotional content of the piece – humor, pathos, love, anger – as well as the story itself, is communicated through the words, music, movement and technical aspects of the entertainment as an...
with music by Frank Wildhorn
Frank Wildhorn
Frank Wildhorn is an American composer known for both his musicals and popular songs. He is most known for his musical Jekyll & Hyde, which ran four years on Broadway, and for writing the #1 International Hit song "Where Do Broken Hearts Go?" for Whitney Houston.-Early years:Wildhorn was born in...
and lyrics by Jack Murphy. It is the second finished production the two have presented, having previously collaborated on The Civil War
The Civil War (musical)
The Civil War is a musical written by Gregory Boyd and Frank Wildhorn, with lyrics by Jack Murphy and music by Wildhorn. The musical centers on the American Civil War, with the musical numbers portraying the war through Union, Confederate, and slave viewpoints. The musical was nominated for a Tony...
. The show had its world premiere at the Lenape Regional Performing Arts Center in Marlton, New Jersey
Marlton, New Jersey
Marlton is a census-designated place and unincorporated area located within Evesham Township in Burlington County, New Jersey. As of the United States 2000 Census, the population of Marlton was 10,260.-History:...
in July 2005. The musical is based on the lives of famed American author F. Scott Fitzgerald
F. Scott Fitzgerald
Francis Scott Key Fitzgerald was an American author of novels and short stories, whose works are the paradigm writings of the Jazz Age, a term he coined himself. He is widely regarded as one of the greatest American writers of the 20th century. Fitzgerald is considered a member of the "Lost...
and his wife, Zelda Fitzgerald
Zelda Fitzgerald
Zelda Sayre Fitzgerald , born Zelda Sayre in Montgomery, Alabama, was an American novelist and the wife of writer F. Scott Fitzgerald. She was an icon of the 1920s—dubbed by her husband "the first American Flapper"...
.
Production history
The Lenape Regional Performing Arts Center hosted the world premiere of the musical, in a production that ran from July 20, 2005 through July 31, 2005. Directed by Vincent Marini with choreography by Andy BlankenbuehlerAndy Blankenbuehler
Andy Blankenbuehler is an American dancer, choreographer and director primarily for stage and concerts. He won the Tony Award and Drama Desk Award for his choreography for In the Heights.-Biography:...
the cast starred Jarrod Emick
Jarrod Emick
Jarrod Emick is an American musical theatre actor best known for his performance as Joe Hardy in Damn Yankees.-Biography:...
and Lauren Kennedy
Lauren Kennedy
Lauren Kennedy is an actress and a singer who has performed numerous times on Broadway. She most recently starred in the Off-Broadway show Good Ol' Girls at the Black Box Theatre during the 2009-2010 season...
.
Wildhorn had connections with the theatre through Linda Eder
Linda Eder
Linda Eder is an American singer and actress. She made her Broadway debut in the musical Jekyll & Hyde, for which she received 1997 Drama Desk and Outer Critics Circle Nominations, as well as the Theatre World Award for Best Actress in a Musical...
's concerts, amongst other engagements including the early renditions of the Jekyll & Hyde
Jekyll & Hyde (musical)
Jekyll & Hyde is a musical based on the novella Strange Case of Dr Jekyll and Mr Hyde by Robert Louis Stevenson. The original stage conception was by Steve Cuden and Frank Wildhorn. The music is by Wildhorn and the lyrics and book are by Leslie Bricusse.The musical ran on Broadway for 1,543...
: Resurrection tour. Wildhorn had said he had hoped that Lenape would become "a real successful regional theatre, that he could use as a laboratory for his new productions."
Murphy titled the show Waiting For The Moon, as director Vincent Marini didn't believe that Scott & Zelda sounded right for it. After a dinner outing, Murphy's wife suggested the title and both Murphy and Marini liked it enough that it stuck.
The rest of the creative team for this production included Ron Melrose as music director, Kim Scharnberg as orchestrator, Rob Odorisio as scenic designer, Howell Binkley
Howell Binkley
Howell Binkley is a professional lighting designer in New York City. He received the 2006 Tony Award for Best Lighting Design of a musical for Jersey Boys....
as lighting designer, Janine McCabe as costume designer, Nick Kourtides as sound designer, and Michael Clark credited with the projections design. The show was produced by Roy Miller and Vincent Marini, with Angelo del Rossi as consulting producer.
A planned production at North Carolina Theatre (Raleigh
Raleigh, North Carolina
Raleigh is the capital and the second largest city in the state of North Carolina as well as the seat of Wake County. Raleigh is known as the "City of Oaks" for its many oak trees. According to the U.S. Census Bureau, the city's 2010 population was 403,892, over an area of , making Raleigh...
, North Carolina) in July 2007 was cancelled. It was to star once again Lauren Kennedy, with the potential of husband Alan Campbell in the role of Scott.
Plot summary
The show opens with Zelda getting ready for a ball ("Everything & More"). Scott meanwhile is preparing a manuscript ("I've Got Things to Say"). The musical attempted to show the almost tragic lifestyle of the famed couple — often trying to live up to higher standards ("Always," "Paris," "Back on Top," "Something Enchanted," etc). Their lifestyle was considered reckless ("Money to Burn"), with Zelda thought to be particularly bizarre for the time period in which she lived (1925), often doing things most women would not think of ("What about Me?"). Act I ends with Zelda in an institution, although many of her conditions unknown, yearning for the upcoming out there ("Something of My Life").Act II opens with more trips for Scott & Zelda, including Scott's attempt at the Hollywood screenwriting industry ("The Rivera," "Hollywood," etc.). However, Zelda is back to the institution declaring that life isn't fair ("Easy"). Scott's career is fading fast ("Losing the Light") while working in Hollywood. Scott realizes he's lost -- both his career (although it would flourish after his death) and Zelda, who has not visited ("Waiting for the Moon"). Zelda, dellusional, believes that Scott is coming to take her to a ball. It is now 1948, years after Scott has died. A reporter comes to ensure she is okay, after he has since stopped years before covering the two. She laments over who Scott really was ("Remember"). In a fairytale vision, she sees Scott taking her to the dance, and they kiss, beneath the moon as the curtain closes.
Wildhorn further explains that "Much of story is told in dance numbers. There's a lot of dancing in this show, about 6 big dance numbers.... The choreography is a major part of this production." Nearly all of the twenty songs in the production were sung by either the Zelda character, Scott character, or those two together. Ensemble was used as small characters with short verses, backing up the other two.
Songs
- Everything & More – Zelda
- Something Enchanted – Scott and Zelda
- Always – Scott and Zelda
- I've Got Things To Say – Scott
- Yes! – Zelda
- You Do Everything for Me – Scott and Zelda
- Subway Transition
- You Do Everything For Me (reprise) – Scott and Zelda
- Money to Burn – Scott and Zelda
- Typing Tap
- Back on Top – Scott and Zelda
- Paris: Ensemble
- What about me? – Zelda
- Paris (reprise) – Ensemble
- Something of My Life – Zelda
- Entr'acte
- The Heat of the Night – Zelda
- Hollywood – Scott
- Easy – Zelda
- Losing the Light
- I've Got Things to Say (reprise) – Scott
- Waiting for the Moon – Scott
- Remember – Zelda
- Everything & More (reprise) – Company
Recordings
Although there were plans to record the world premiere cast and release it for commercial purposes, these initial intentions have since been abandoned. Lauren KennedyLauren Kennedy
Lauren Kennedy is an actress and a singer who has performed numerous times on Broadway. She most recently starred in the Off-Broadway show Good Ol' Girls at the Black Box Theatre during the 2009-2010 season...
, the original Zelda, has, however, released the song "Easy" on her latest solo album, entitled Now and Here. Other sound clips (including a video preview) can be found at Jack Murphy's website.