His stories, his stories
They can’t be repeated
His stories, his stories are no longer needed
His stories, his stories they’ve caused too much pain
We’ve got nothing to gain
From his stories...
Set in Chicago in 1977, this kick-ass musical fantasy focuses on students in a women’s self-defense class who are inspired by their Superhero-Apparent teacher who calls herself "Hallelujah Whiplash." As they learn to defend themselves against violence and intimidation, one student (Jo) tries to rescue her neighbor (Hilda) who is locked into a violent marriage. The primary subplot revolves around the budding teenage romance between Jo's "Good Girl" daughter (Gwen) and Hilda's "Bad Boy" son (Freddy). And the secondary subplot examines sexual harassment in the workplace suffered by two working women students (Tina and Estelle).
Now, more than ever, women's stories need to told, recorded, and given a voice.
HALLELUJAH WHIPLASH! is available for staged readings, presentations at schools, as well as a full-scale premiere. Some material may not be suitable for children under the age of 15.
PITCH TRAILER SELECTED SONGS:
Click on the YouTube link above or LISTEN HERE.
THE SCRIPT IS ON THE NEW PLAY EXCHANGE
Original Poster By Kevin P. Mullin
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BACKGROUND
Playwright Marlan Warren began writing HALLELUJAH WHIPLASH! after being attacked at night on a dark Chicago street after she had taken a self-defense class taught by a strong, tough feminist. She was inspired by Stephen Sondheim's dark-themed musical Sweeney Todd. When she moved from Chicago to San Diego, she partnered with composer Lawrence Czoka, who collaborated on the story and wrote the music for her lyrics. Celia Smith, Warren's friend who also took that Chicago self-defense class, contributed lyrics for the Mother-Daughter song, Damned If I Do.
STAGED EXCERPT READING/SINGING SHOWCASE:
HALLELUJAH WHIPLASH! was developed in the Marquis Public Theater Playwrights Workshop facilitated by Bill Teague in the theater's Gallery space helmed by Kent Brisby.
Warren and Czoka produced and directed a one-night showcase of excerpts in a staged reading/singing at the Marquis' mainstage theater.
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| Original flyer by Kevin P. Mullin |
recording of selected songs on Vimeo. A staged reading/singing of excerpts from this musical was performed at the Marquis Public Theatre in San Diego and is available as a promotional song sampler on YouTube.
Note: The newest version of the script added back the “Sexual Harassment in the Workplace” subplot that was missing from that showcase.
Below is the program from the Showcase production.
Cast: Hallelujah Whiplash (Julie Simeone),
Mary Boersma (Jo), Jennifer Shea (Gwen), Algene Adams (Tina), Ruth Terrell
(Estelle), Tony Cuen (Freddy), Tamara May (Hilda), Paty Sipes (Narrator)
WHY 1977?
THE 70s AND WOMEN’S HISTORY
In the early 1970s, the 92nd Congress passed more women’s rights bills than all previous legislative sessions combined. The 1972 Supreme Court gave unmarried women legal access to birth control. In 1973, “Roe v. Wade” made abortion legal. President Nixon supported a 1972 Republican Party platform that included feminist goals, including federal childcare programs. Grassroots feminism gained steam. Women across the country gathered to form rape crisis centers and shelters for victims of domestic abuse, and started businesses aimed at defeating sexism in the media.
