Musical/ Multiple Characters, doubling and tripling possible/ Full Length, Two Acts
Synopsis:
An out-of-this-world new musical, loosely based on a novel by H.G. Wells. Dr. Cavor, an eccentric Victorian scientist, has invented anti-gravity paint (“Cavorite!”). He intends to use it to travel the universe, but when the sphere he’s built for the purpose unexpectedly malfunctions, he and Miss Dawson, a hard-nosed London businesswoman, must set off prematurely, with Cavor’s untrustworthy assistant Gibbs on-board. Destination: Moon.
There they discover a race of insect-like beings, including Wizlip, a young moon girl, and her grandmother, Shrinklie. Gibbs flees at the first sight of the aliens, but Wizlip and Cavor are excited to make each other’s acquaintance. Cavor and Dawson are jailed, only to be sprung by their new-found moon friends. Pursued by soldiers, the four arrive at the lip of a gigantic cavern leading to the centre of the moon. Dawson wants to turn back, but Cavor convinces her that in the spirit of exploration they must “Carry On.” They jump.
Down There, they discover an even more extraordinary civilization of beings raised from birth to perform just one function, and ruled by The Grand Lunar, who was Shrinklie’s first love. He is, however, a reluctant boss (“I Used to be Me”). Gibbs returns, having discovered that the moon is littered with gold, and proposes a plan to try to get back to Earth and return with an invading army, which Miss Dawson gleefully accepts. She and Gibbs depart, and Cavor realizes how much Dawson has come to mean to him.
When The Grand Lunar learns that the Earth is rife with conflict and that Cavor’s invention might allow more Earthlings to travel to the moon, were the Doctor ever allowed to get home, he orders the visitors’ “evacuation” — essentially, their death. All looks lost, although Cavor insists that he would do it all again (“Somewhere on the Moon”). However, an alarming incident back on the surface convinces Miss Dawson to return to Cavor and the others. But will she get there in time? And can Shrinklie convince The Grand Lunar to spare Cavor’s life?
A combination adventure story, love story, and comic look at imperial folly, Moonbound! brings the fun of both sci-fi and musicals to the stage.
Listen to music from Moonbound! below. The complete original cast recording, as well backing tracks for use in productions, are available from Single Lane Entertainment (see contact info on this page).
“The Earth!” (Antonio Gradanti and Company). Includes dance break.
“Somewhere on the Moon” (Antonio Gradanti)
“Enough” (Cody Scott, Kathy McIntyre)
Amateur and professional rights:
Single Lane Entertainment,
650 Little Blvd.,
Gabriola Island, B.C.,
Canada,
V0R 1X3.
Ph.: (in North America) 1-855-757-9216 or 250-247-9216
Email: info@singlelane.com
Playwright’s website: FrankMoher.com
About the Playwright:
About the Playwright: Frank Moher’s plays have been produced internationally, at theatres including South Coast Repertory (Costa Mesa, Calif.), Detroit Repertory Theatre, Round House Theatre (Silver Spring, Maryland), the Canadian Stage Company (Toronto), the Wellington Repertory Theatre (Wellington, New Zealand), Workshop West Theatre (Edmonton, Alta.), the Asolo Theater (Sarasota, Fla.), Alberta Theatre Projects (Calgary), Dodona Theatre (Prishtina, Kosova), The Mingei Theatre (Tokyo), and OmaDa Theatre (Athens, Greece). He has won a Los Angeles Drama-Logue Award for Writing (for Odd Jobs), the Edmonton Sterling Award for Outstanding New Play (for both The Third Ascent and Prairie Report,), and is published by both ProPlay and the Playwrights Guild of Canada. Frank has taught at the University of British Columbia and the University of Alberta (where he was a Distinguished Visiting Artist), and is currently an instructor in scriptwriting and journalism at Vancouver Island University. He has also worked professionally as a literary manager and dramaturg, and written for publications including The Globe and Mail, The National Post, Saturday Night magazine, The Georgia Straight, backofthebook.ca and salon.com.
Moonbound! was first presented by Over the Moon Theatricals on Gabriola Island and Vancouver Island, BC, Canada in April-May, 2014.
Also by Frank Moher on ProPlay:
- All I Ever Wanted
- Big Baby
- Kidnapping the Bride
- McLuhan: The Musical (with Gerald Reid)
- Odd Jobs
- Run in Fields
- Supreme Dream (with Rhonda Trodd)
- The Third Ascent
- Tolstoy’s Wife
- Weather