Dangerous - Room for Synopsis
Belinda
DANGEROUS
A new musical adapted from the play Belinda: An April Folly by A. A. Milne
Music by David Mallamud, Book and Lyrics by Len Schiff
In 1964, Daniel Ellsberg was the most brilliant young architect of the Vietnam War; six years later, he would risk everything to end it. How did this committed cold-warrior become Henry Kissinger’s “most dangerous man in America”? Rooted in the music and energy of the Vietnam Era, Dangerous tells the story of Ellsberg’s journey, through the eyes of his mentor and betrayer, Robert McNamara .
CREATIVE TEAM
Len Schiff (Book, Lyrics)
Len Schiff is a lyricist/bookwriter and a proud Dramatists Guild Fellow. Recent productions include The Golem of Havana (m: Salomon Lerner, b: Michel Hausmann,) with runs in New York, the Berkshires, Miami and Indianapolis, and Signs of Life (m: Joel Derfner, b: Peter Ullian) with productions in New York, Chicago and Prague. In addition to Dangerous, current projects include Swordspoint, a musical adaptation of Ellen Kushner’s groundbreaking fantasy novel.
DAVID MALLAMUD (Music)
Award-winning composer David Mallamud writes music that transports his listeners to a dazzling Parisian music hall, a species-altering glam metal firestorm, a fantastical beach of Sneetches, or the hidden recesses of Nijinsky’s psyche—all with equally imaginative insight. He has composed for venues ranging from Carnegie Hall and the Kennedy Center to Off-Broadway, where his music for the recent production of Flight School: The Musical (currently running in NYC and touring China) was lauded by Laurel Graeber of The New York Times, saying: “The production’s biggest boon, however, may be its score. Here, Mr. Mallamud has written music worthy of bigger stages, variously embracing classical lyricism, pulsing pop, the poignant ballad and at least one all-out, Alice Cooper-style rock rant.”
Recently Mallamud was thrilled to work with Mike Mills (of R.E.M. fame), arranging and composing additional music for his Concerto for Rock Band and Violin, written for violinist Robert McDuffie, who premiered it with Mills and the Toronto Symphony Orchestra in June 2016. His CD, The Wild & Whimsical Worlds of David Mallamud on Broadway Records, featuring a cast of wonderful performers from Broadway and beyond accompanied by The Albany Symphony's Dogs of Desire, won a 2016 Broadway World Album Award for Best New Compilation. Mallamud’s other recent and current credits include music for a stage adaptation of Dr. Seuss’s The Sneetches, in collaboration with playwright Philip Dawkins for the Children’s Theatre Company in Minneapolis; performances by the Albany, Harrisburg, and New World Symphonies; and projects with Emmy-nominated lyricist Alisa Hauser, playwright Joshua H. Cohen, and librettist Len Schiff.
A 2016–17 Dramatists Guild Fellow, Mallamud has received many other honors, among them a prestigious Charles Ives Scholarship from the American Academy of Arts and Letters, two Morton Gould Young Composer Awards from ASCAP, and the Leonard Bernstein Fellowship at Tanglewood. He earned his bachelor’s degree from the Eastman School of Music and master’s degrees from both Juilliard and NYU’s Tisch Graduate Musical Theater Writing Program, and pursued additional graduate studies at Yale with Ned Rorem and Evan Ziporyn. davidmallamud.com
CHARACTER BREAKDOWN
(3M/3F - Belinda is written for 6 actors but can be expanded to included an ensemble.)
DANIEL ELLSBERG, an attractive woman in her early 40's. While she is a grown woman she maintains
a very child-like view of the world, even though in the past it has cost her. She loves fun,
games and flirting.. She loves to feel loved, and yet the only true love she ever had walked out
on her 18 years ago. Perhaps it is time for her to grow up.
ROBERT MCNAMARA, Belinda's daughter, 19. A stunning young woman, who doesn't yet realize the power
of her beauty. She longs for adventure and possibly romance, but in that order.
BETTY, Belinda's maid, 30's. A true bookworm, slightly nerdy, and very sweet. She wears
glasses and secretly longs for love like she reads about in her books.
DEVENISH, a handsome poet. Early 20's. Claude Devenish is the utmost romantic poet, a
hippie of his time he wears his hair long in an attempt to express his contempt for "so-called"
society.
BAXTER, a statistician, Late 30's, bald. A stuffy, anxiety riddled man. Perhaps a physical
contrast to DEVENISH. He longs for a wife, but really just wants someone to take care of
him, doing his laundry and cooking his meals.
TREMAYNE, Belinda's former husband. Early 40's and of large, strong build. Intimidating
physical presence. Has been off hunting Lions and other adventures for the past 18 years
since he left Belinda.
Running time – approximately 2 hours with intermission.
SYNOPSIS
DANGEROUS tells the story of how, in 1971, Marine and military analyst Daniel Ellsberg stunned the world and the White House when he leaked the Pentagon Papers- the history of America’s covert involvement in Vietnam. Seen through the eyes of his friend and accuser Secretary of Defense Robert McNamara, Dangerous explores how Ellsberg transformed from an ardent cold warrior, to the peace activist Henry Kissinger called “the most dangerous man in America.”
SONG LIST:
1. Something In The Air
2. In My Position
3. Let’s Pretend
4. Last Petal Picked
5. If I Were Romantic
6. Quest for the Robinsons
7. Closet Ballet part 1
8. Lamb’s Song
9. Eight More Hours
10. Dinner Song
11. Closet Ballet part 2
12. It’s Me or Devenish and Baxter
13. Made For More
14. Garden Ballet
15. Moonflower Song
16. In My Position Reprise/Finale
DEMOS
Ricky Todd Adams (Daniel Ellsberg and Ensemble), James Sasser (Robert McNamara and Ensemble), Nikki Switzer (Patricia Marx and Company)
CONTACT
For perusal material please contact David Mallamud: david.mallamud@gmail.com