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RIP! RIP! had its first complete public reading at 7pm on April 21st at the Tada Theatre, 15 W 28th Street in Manhattan. "RIP!" was directed by Stephen Nachamie with Music Direction by Jeff Biering. In the cast: Rob Langeder Chris Gunn Kim Stern Stephanie Lynn Mason Christopher Vettel Doug Shapiro Michael Morgan Mark Emerson Jeremy Michael Amanda Flynn Carey Van Driest Giulia Volterra Alexis Qualis was stage manager and Edmund Bagnell played violin. I was awarded a $1500 grant from the Anna Sosenko Assist Trust to help fund the reading. What is "RIP!"? RIP! is a loose reinterpretation of Washington Irving's story, "Rip Van Winkle." In this version of the story, Rip impulsively goes off to fight in the American Revolutionary war after his wife throws him out of the house. But something goes wrong and he is carried off into a magical 'Bowling Green' with the legendary Henry Hudson. When he tries to come back, he discovers that 20 years have passed--and everything has changed. Can he return to his wife and town? RIP! follows the experience of ordinary people in a town in the Hudson Valley before and after the revolution; it is a story about change--about love, loss, dreams...fish...and what is possible. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- The Story Washington Irving's "Rip Van Winkle" is a classic that has practically become folklore. "RIP!" (the musical) takes some liberties with the original story. In Irving's story, Rip doesn't go off to fight in the Revolutionary war--he simply helps a strange fellow carry a keg up the hill. In addition, Rip's wife is a terrible nag who Irving doesn't even give a name; when Rip wakes up after 20 years, he is happy to discover she is dead. In my version, Rebecca (Rip's wife), becomes a leader of the revolutionary struggle after it seems Rip will not return from the war. A synopsis of "RIP!":
In this version of the story, Rip impulsively goes off to fight in the American Revolutionary war after his wife throws him out of the house. But something goes wrong and he is carried off into a magical 'Bowling Green' with the legendary Henry Hudson. When he tries to come back, he discovers that 20 years have passed--and everything has changed. Can he return to his wife and town? RIP! follows the experience of ordinary people in a town in the Hudson Valley before and after the revolution; it is a story about change--about love, loss, dreams...fish...and what is possible.
The History ...is accurate. All the events and inventions that come up in the story are true (except when Rip is making them up...) There was an inventor (David Bushnell) who built a submarine and tried to blow up British ships...revolutionaries did stretch a chain across the Hudson River which apparently kept the British ships from traveling up the Hudson....and at the beginning of the Revolution, American forces really did attempt a daring invasion of Canada, which ended in defeat at Montreal.
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The Songs A few selections from "RIP!" Women Love to Dance In this song, Rip Van Winkle and his friend Ben have an imaginary dance with their sweethearts The Trouble With Dreams After Rip has disappeared, his wife Rebecca reflects... The Years Have Gone By By 20 years has passed. Rip is about to wake up. Progress Rip has "woken up" after 20 years and returned to his village. But it looks and sounds different. |
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Dan Furman | danfurman@aol.com | (c) 404 819-9726 |