 DAZZLE
A Musical Space-tacular!
Book and lyrics by John Gardiner Music by Andrew Parr
The authors of the successful Dracula
Spectacula and Big
Al have now launched into the future with a musical space-tacular!
Dazzle, a brilliantly funny parody of Star
Trek, charts the voyage of the starship Sunburster One on its highly
important first mission under the control of dashingly handsome (and
doesn't he know it!) Captain Sarn Galactic. Ordered by the President
of Homeworld to transport his daughter Dazzle Star, to her finishing
school, Captain Sarn and his gallant crew are just tucking into a Chinese
takeaway, space style, when they learn that Dazzle Star has been kidnapped
by Slimebag the Haemorrhage, an Irish astral pirate! At the end of
Act One we are left wondering why Dazzle has been kidnapped; is Big
Olga really Sam Galactic's stepmother?; and who is Slimebag? We find
the answers to these questions, and more, in Act Two which includes
a space warp back to nineteen sixty to encounter Sue Zuki and the Greasers.
Another super sizzling cosmic score by Andrew Parr and a book by John
Gardiner packed with lunar-tic lyrics and stellar one-liners.
The musical can be played by either a large
company or a small ensemble (provided the alien principals are doubled
or trebled).
In this our fourth musical, we have again tried to offer
a variety of song styles which we hope will give pleasure to performers
and audiences alike.
Instrumentation has been kept fairly simple. The recording uses synthesizers,
electric guitar and bass, tenor saxophone, drums and percussion. A
flute would be a useful addition; a piano will happily supply the keyboard
lines if preferred, although certain songs (nos. 3, 6, 7 and 8) benefit
from a more electronic treatment including the use of phasing and flanging.
The vocal backing is mainly four part SATB. Ideally there would be
two singers per part, each pair with its own microphone channel. These
singers should be positioned close to the band, and play an important
role, not only in the harmony work, but in giving a strong lead in main
lines where the stage company is having to sing while performing complicated
dance routines.
Metronome markings are fairly flexible. Neither should performers slavishly
follow the speeds used in the recording. Try a variety of tempi and choose
the one you feel most suitable.
I do recommend plenty of rehearsal with microphone, if possible from
the very beginning of work on the show, even if you have to use the crudest
of amplification. The jingles should be pre-recorded, or the professionally
recorded set could be used (see details in the libretto). A complete
instrumental backing track is available for companies who cannot provide
a live band.
We wish you tremendous success with your production of DAZZLE.
Andrew Parr
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