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by Kevin McMullin |
Forests
is set in the post clearcut landscape of northern Wisconsin in the early
20th century. This musical begins as tree spirits look for a way to grow
again the forest that has been so wantonly destroyed in the wake of heavy
logging. With "help" from their mischievous friend, Raccoon,
the spirits call down the Moon to ask for guidance. But Moon is bitter
from the realization that he and his lover the Earth are drifting apart
and must eventually go their separate ways. With the help of the Earth,
Moon nevertheless tells the story of the creation and destruction of forests
past, as all who listen try to find hope in the tale. |
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than a message about preserving our woodlands, Forests
is a moving story about surviving loss. It is filled with hope, giving
audiences a lively and boisterous look at the evolution of forests in
the upper Midwest. Peppered with a variety of musical styles from barbershop
to Latin, Forests features parts for tree spirits,
glaciers, boulders and rocks, a variety of animals, sportscasters, lumber
barons, the Moon, the Earth and even the audience. It premiered as the
very first North Woods Wonder Show at the Hunt Hill Audubon Sanctuary
in Sarona, WI and was brought back as the second North Woods Wonder Show
the next year. It returned as the fifth North Woods Wonder Show in 2001,
this time as a presentation with puppets and recorded for this disc. |
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by
Kevin McMullin
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Al's fast paced, fast spending, suburban lifestyle begins to get the best
of him, strange things start to happen. He hears voices from another place.
A place, it turns out, very much like the northern Wisconsin lake home
his wife, Melanie, has inherited from her grandparents. As Al struggles
to create meaning in his live he finds himself drawn to the world of nature.
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world with different answers than the ones Al has bargained for. |
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Adventures of Al is a staged radio drama. Most of the characters
in Al are people, but they are enhanced by a choir that makes Homeric
commentary on Al's adventures, as well as voices of the living and the
dead, spirits, the Fates, and the gods themselves. A small ensemble helps
to spice the "episodes" with instrumental musical interludes.
With warmth. humor and kindness, The Adventures of Al tells
the story of a man who is learning to slow down, listen to the natural
world, and feel his own rhythms of change and growth. |
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by Kevin McMullin |
Stan
and Jean have some lovely lake shore property that they're wondering what
to do with. They're also wondering what to do with their marriage. The
two issues don't seem to be related until they attend a dance class near
their lake shore home. They are surprised to discover that the teacher
and all of the other students are the animals that belong to the ecosystem
surrounding their lake. With the help of these new friends and the assistance
of a pair of mysterious beings who take a hand in the play, Stan and Jean
discover there is more to their marriage and their new home than they
thought.
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Filled
with dance, bawdy slapstick, catchy tunes and Shakespearian references,
Balance and Swing is a musical comedy for the
whole family that reawakens our awareness of the people and beings around
us and the important relationships we have with them. There are parts
for animals, humans and mysterious beings as well as a small pit orchestra.
Creation of Balance and Swing was made possible
by a grant from the Kellogg Foundation. It premiered at the Erika Quam
Memorial Theater in Shell Lake, WI, and was presented to the Wisconsin
Association of Lakes at their annual meeting, as well as being the fourth
North Woods Wonder Show at the Hunt Hill Audubon Sanctuary in Sarona,
WI . |
To get more information
about these musicals contact Kevin |
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