Rockville 2069: A Rock Musical

Rockville 2069
An Epic Rock Musical
Music Johnny Ray
Lyrics Johnny Ray and Bruno Paiola
Book Johnny Ray and Bruno Paiola
Productions 2012 Concert CD Launch, Cape Town
2014 World Premiere Artscape, Cape Town

Rockville 2069 is a musical created by Bruno Paiola and Johnny Ray, with musical composition by Johnny Ray. The musical was given media coverage by Independent Online (South Africa) in both the Mercury.[1][2] and the Cape Times[3][4]

The original production, Rockville 2069: A Rock Musical, had its world premiere on August 29, 2014 at the Artscape Opera House in Cape Town, South Africa. The event was covered by independent broadcaster Top Billing (TV Show)[5]

The show starred Joseph Clark, Stephan van Huyssteen, Josie Piers, Vicki Jayne and Dylan Edy[6] with a South African cast.

Development History

Paiola and Ray considered the plight of the world's environmental concerns. Once the idea took root the first draft was edited by Cape Town-based playwright - Justin Wilkinson, before being refined further following feedback from other industry insiders. In the final script, every part of the story was covered by an appropriate song or musical movement.

Initial arrangements were by Johnny Ray and Kyle Petersen and these were then scored and adapted by Darryl Andrews in 2010 / 2011. The soundtrack was recorded with sound engineer Andrew Ford and featured artists such as Joseph Clark, Andries Botha, Michael Naranjo, Bronwyn Reddy and Madeleen Falck.[7]

The CD launch concert of Rockville 2069: A Rock Musical was held on Saturday, 18 August 2012 at Kelvin Grove, Newlands, Cape Town, South Africa.

This introduced the graphic novel and concept album to the public and thereafter the project was developed into a musical with orchestrations completed by Steve J Wright.

Rockville 2069: A Rock Musical, premiered two years later in August 2014. It featured more than sixty artists and musicians from various cultural and musical backgrounds within South Africa.[8]

Story

The story is set in the year 2069[9] as people are gathered to commemorate the 100th anniversary celebration of the 1969 Woodstock Music Festival. Catastrophe suddenly strikes the earth as devastating earthquakes, tsunamis and rising oceans threaten to obliterate the world. This aspect was covered by Independent Online (South Africa).[10]

The only area left unscathed is where the festival-goers have gathered. This area is now a small archipelago of islands which has survived the brunt of the devastating chaos and harbours a colourful mix of peace-loving hippies, rock enthusiasts, environmentalists and musicians.

Music is a key theme of Rockville's sanctuary and existence. As our once-beautiful planet lies in ruin, the survivors manage to carry on with their lives, cemented by the values that brought them together in the first place.

They soon discover that a protective force-field has formed over their home. To keep this force field going, the musicians play at both sunrise and sunset with the resonating sound waves feeding into a generator.

Misfits who have somehow forged a miserable life for themselves in the snowy wastelands beyond the force field. These outsiders, the so-called TechnoRemnants, have become jealous of the utopian world of Rockville.

Dissatisfied individuals make contact with the outsiders in an attempt to overrun their harmonious world.

A tale of greed, treachery and betrayal ensues, only to be resolved in an epic “Battle of the Bands” in the final act. Ultimately, the story of Rockville 2069 is one of love, redemption and salvation where hope lives on despite the odds.[11]

Stage Production

The world premiere of Rockville 2069 was held 29 August 2014 at the Artscape Opera House in Cape Town, South Africa.

The musical had a cast of 25, musical director Steven J Wright and a creative team consisting of Corinne de Beer and Amanda Klotz (choreography), Kurt Haupt and Francois Botha (vocal coaching). It was accompanied by the Cape Philharmonic Orchestra and the Kyle Petersen Band.

A rock band and a philharmonic orchestra provided the accompaniment to the storytelling. The Cape Philharmonic Orchestra reported their participation in the world premiere event in its publication Concerto.[12]

Technology in the form of live visual mixing with three large LED day-light screens used in the production provide animated 3D backgrounds.

Critical Response

The CD and Graphic Novel[13] launch event was reviewed by The Music Matrix who said, "This musical is full of inspiration, hope, love and passion for the one thing that can bring us all together...Music."[14]

Following the premiere and initial run in Cape Town, South Africa in August 2014, Filmmaker Africa commented that, "The diversity of music styles, from your hippies to your Rasta's, Rockers, Techno Maniacs, worked very well to keep the tempo of the musical score balanced perfectly."[15]

The Event stated that, "The comical moments and the plays on words are ingenious."[16]

Independent Online (South Africa), The Cape Times[17] commented that, "This is the kind of show that has the ability to rekindle the younger generation's interest in musicals."[18]

Cast

The cast of 32 consists of 5 leads, 15 semi-leads and 12 dancers for the chorus line. Both leads and semi-leads required strong vocal skills while the production's dance elements are also very technically demanding.[19]

Musical Numbers

Act I

Song Performers
1. Overture Orchestra
2. Prologue Entire Cast
3. That Summer Papa and The Hippie Group
4. Rock On Tyler, Banjovida and The Rocker Group
5. Music Of The Day Ozzimba and The Drummer Group
6. One Upon A Time JohnnyReb and his Crew
7. All That Unfolds Stache, Velvet, Mama, Papa, Danielle and JohnnyReb
8. Morning Song: Part 1 Papa and The Hippie Group
9. Morning Song: Part 2 Ozzimba, Conga, Bobby Bones and Michelle
10. Morning Song: Part 3 Tyler. Velvet and The Rocker Group
11. Good Vibrations Prof Starr, Cliff and Stache
12. Survival Made Us Strong Ice, Glaze, Janis and Freeza
13. Look About With A Laugh And Shout Danielle with The Hippie and Rocker Groups
14. Our Love Grows (Reprise) Danielle

Act II

Song Performers
1. Live As You Dare (Reprise) Papa and Mama
2. Time For Change (Techno) Ice, Janis and Freeza
3. Take It Easy (Reprise) Papa
4. Taking Back Our Lives (Techno) Ice and The TechnoRemnant Group
5. Take It Easy JohnnyReb
6. Time For Change (Reprise) Papa and Mama
7. Better Than You Danielle and JohnnyReb
8. Full Moon Grinning Down Brightly The Hippie, Drummer and Rocker Groups
9. I Will Always Follow You Danielle
10. Higher Hippies vs TechnoRemnants
11. Our Love Grows Drummers vs TechnoRemnants
12. Live As You Dare Rockers vs TechnoRemnants
13. You Need To Listen Danielle and Mama
14. The Wind Lay Down: False Start JohnnyReb
15. The Wind Lay Down: Part 1 JohnnyReb
16. The Wind Lay Down: Part 2 Arch and Entire Cast
17. We Look To You To Save Us True Entire Cast

Publishing

The original soundtrack has subsequently been expanded from 22 to 25 tracks and is accessible on iTunes and other digital platforms.[20]

A 96-page Graphic Novel conceived for the project was illustrated by Leandro van der Westhuizen and was designed in a square format resembling an LP Cover.

Both the Graphic Novel and Soundtrack have been released by Next Music,[21] Universal Records for manufacture, marketing and distribution.

The Album and Graphic Novel[22] was adapted for the stage by Johnny Ray and Bruno Paiola[23] and the Libretto and Score is published by the Dramatic, Artistic and Literary Rights Organisation (DALRO) (Part of SAMRO).[11]

References

  1. ↑ "Durban Links to Rock Musical." The Mercury (South Africa). Independent Print Ltd. 2012. Retrieved July 24, 2015 from HighBeam Research: http://www.highbeam.com/doc/1G1-303657526.html
  2. ↑ http://www.rockville2069.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/04/Mercury-Good-Life-Article-28-Sep-121.jpg
  3. ↑ "Mixing It All Up in Rockville." Cape Times (South Africa). Independent Print Ltd. 2014. Retrieved July 24, 2015 from HighBeam Research: http://www.highbeam.com/doc/1G1-380429261.html
  4. ↑ Independent Newspapers Online. "Mixing it all up in Rockville". Independent Online. Retrieved 22 July 2015.
  5. ↑ "Top Billing takes you to the Rockville 2069 premiere". topbilling.com. Retrieved 22 July 2015.
  6. ↑ "Edy in Ambitious Rock Musical." The Mercury (South Africa). Independent Print Ltd. 2014. Retrieved July 24, 2015 from HighBeam Research: http://www.highbeam.com/doc/1G1-378403568.html
  7. ↑ "Sugar Music News". Sugar Music News. Retrieved 22 July 2015.
  8. ↑ "New apocalyptic musical hits Cape Town". 48hours.co.za. Retrieved 22 July 2015.
  9. ↑ "Post-Apocalyptic ROCK." The Sunday Independent (South Africa). Independent Print Ltd. 2013. Retrieved July 24, 2015 from HighBeam Research: http://www.highbeam.com/doc/1G1-349557268.html
  10. ↑ "A musical to rock status quo?". Independent Online. Retrieved 22 July 2015.
  11. 1 2 Thapelo Mofokeng. "ROCKVILLE - www.rockville2069.com - DALRO". dalro.co.za. Retrieved 22 July 2015.
  12. ↑ Pure Publishing & Design. "ISSUU - Concerto issue 4 by Pure Publishing & Design". Issuu. Retrieved 22 July 2015.
  13. ↑ "Rockville 2069". google.co.za.
  14. ↑ "MyMusicMatrix: Rockville 2069 Soundtrack media launch". mymusicmatrix.com. 22 July 2015. Retrieved 22 July 2015.
  15. ↑ "Rockville 2069 - A Review by Sue-Anne Maree - Filmmaker". Filmmaker. Retrieved 22 July 2015.
  16. ↑ "Rockville 2069 - A Review by Sue-Anne Maree - The Event". The Event.
  17. ↑ "Rock Opera on Par with Overseas Productions." Cape Times (South Africa). Independent Print Ltd. 2014. Retrieved July 24, 2015 from HighBeam Research: http://www.highbeam.com/doc/1G1-381729747.html
  18. ↑ http://www.rockville2069.com/scan.jpg
  19. ↑ "All the media moves". The Media Online.
  20. ↑ "SALES – Rockville 2069". rockville2069.com. Retrieved 22 July 2015.
  21. ↑ http://www.nextmusic.co.za/product/888002427250/VariousArtists
  22. ↑ "Rock to sounds of a revolution". Independent Online. Retrieved 22 July 2015.
  23. ↑ http://www.rockville2069.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/04/good-weekend.jpg
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