The Nightingale • A Musical for Youth and Their Families

Book and Lyrics by Gayanne Ramsden King and George King

Music and Lyrics by C. Michael Perry

THE NIGHTINGALE is a musical script set in Imperial China. It tells the story of an Emperor who, bored with his perfect life, longs for something new. He discovers the Nightingale, whose beautiful song brings him joy. However, he becomes distracted by a mechanical bird, neglecting the real Nightingale. When the mechanical bird breaks, the Emperor realizes his mistake and yearns for the Nightingale’s return.

PART OF THE PREMIERE PLAY FILE — Not an active listing with LBT/PTL. You will be negotiating with the authors themselves. LBT/PTL merely provides the space for our authors who have new shows to promote.

This is a work in progress and we are looking for developmental readings, staged readings and workshop productions. The script is not in final form at the present time, but the possibilities are evident. EMAIL US.

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PLAY DETAILS:

CAST OF CHARACTERS
- COURTIERS of the Chinese Court
- LADY COURTIER
- Nine other COURTIERS (male and female)
- EMPEROR of China
- CHAMBERLAIN
- KITCHEN MAID
- ROYAL GARDENER
- THE NIGHTINGALE – she is lovely and dressed in brown, covered in feathers
- THE MECHANICAL – he is a clever impostor in a box who ultimately cannot be real and fails
- SERVANTS to Emperor Servants double as–
  - AMBASSADORS:
  - RUSSIAN
  - ARABIAN
  - JAPANESE
  - ETHIOPIAN
  - SWISS
  - and their PERFORMERS
- MAN with a basket, JAPANESE GIRL, JUGGLER
- ROYAL PHYSICIAN
- ROYAL WATCHMAKER
- DEATH
TIME and PLACE: An era of Imperial China in the early Ming Dynasty (1300s) where China was becoming acquainted with other lands beyond their own due to Marco Polo having set up trade in the 1200s. This exchange was strictly with the countries of Europe, not with any of what would become their Imperialistic pawns on the American continents.
ABOUT: 70 minutes

PERUSAL MATERIAL:

MUSICAL NUMBERS
- ACT ONE
  - Scene 1 —
    - #1 — LIFE IS PERFECT — Courtiers
    - #2 — ENNUI — Emperor
    - #3 — SOMETHING NEW — Courtiers
  - Scene 2 —
    - #4 — THE SONG OF THE NIGHTINGALE — Kitchen Maid
    - #5a – I WISH SUCH A FRIEND (+ dance) – Nightingale
    - #5b – I’LL BE SUCH A FRIEND (reprise) – Nightingale and Emperor
- ACT TWO
  - - #6 – THAT STRANGE THING FROM THE FOREST – Courtiers
    - #7 – A MIRACLE IN THE LAND & STRANGE THING (rep) – Emperor & Courtiers
    - #7a – Russian Dance – instrumental
    - #8 – PERFECTION – Mechanical
    - #9 – ISN’T IT GREAT! – Courtiers
    - #10 – WHERE IS MY MELODY? – Emperor
    - #11 – NEW BEGINNINGS – Nightingale & Emperor
    - #12 – NEW BEGINNINGS: FINALE – Emperor, Nightingale and Company