Full Synopsis
Show History
Inspiration
Chris Miller and Nathan Tysen set out to write an adventure story that took place in West Virginia. Pete, one of the main characters in the show, frequently loses himself in fantasy sequences inspired by the 1960 film The Alamo, starring John Wayne as Davy Crockett. Hailing from Kansas, Tysen has remarked that he feels he wrote The Burnt Part Boys "for the community [he] grew up in." Despite the show's heavy themes of loss and grief, The Burnt Part Boys focuses upon the exuberance of friendship. Miller says of the show, "it's a joyous, fun journey, and [while] there is the gravitas about the mining accident, it s really about finding each other in this ghostly landscape. He thinks, that s really exciting it excited us about writing the piece and I feel like in terms of subsequent productions that would be exciting to other people as well.
Productions
The Burnt Part Boys had an innovative production and development schedule on the way to its Off-Broadway premiere. The show received its first developmental production at the Barrington Stage Company in 2006, followed by a developmental Lab Production at Vineyard Theatre in Spring 2009. In the summer of 2009 it was presented at New York Stage and Film at Vassar College. The unique developmental track of the show comes in part under the aegis of the Playwrights Horizons Musicals in Partnership Initiative, funded by The Andrew W. Mellon Foundation. Funding for the development of The Burnt Part Boys at Vineyard Theatre was also provided by The National Endowment for the Arts and The Maurer Family Foundation.
The Burnt Part Boys ran Off-Broadway at Playwrights Horizons from April 30th, 2010, to June 13th, 2010. The show was produced in conjunction with the Vineyard Theatre. Joe Calarco provided direction and musical staging.
Critical Reaction
"Vivid, appealing performances! A tuneful and warm-spirited, family-friendly new show -- the spirit of youthful high jinks recall the exploits of Mark Twain's beloved roughhousers, Tom Sawyer and Huck Finn." -The New York Times
"Ambitious and accomplished! A smart, ardent show! Just when you think musical theater is all tapped out, pieces like 'Burnt Part' find new material to mine." -Time Out New York
"A warmhearted coming-of-age story with a stirring score." -Daily News
"Excellent bluegrass-pop songs: tuneful, catchy and moving" -The New York Observer
Connect
Billing
- Book by
- Music by
- Lyrics by
Requirements
Specifically, you must bill the Play and the Authors as follows:
Book by
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Music by
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Lyrics by
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Mariana Elder (50%)
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Chris Miller (50%)
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Nathan Tysen (50%)
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No one but producers, prior presenters of the Play and stars of the Play may receive billing above the title, and no one except stars receiving billing above the title may receive larger or more prominent billing than that afforded to Authors. Notwithstanding the foregoing, Authors need not receive billing in television, radio and outdoor advertising, directory advertising (e.g., "ABCs", except on Sundays in the New York Times); wherever only the title of the Play and the name and address of the theater in which the Play is being presented appears; and in paid print advertising 1/4 page or less or in other paid advertising and publicity, in which only the title of the Play, names of stars billed above the title, the name of the theatre, critics' quotes and/or ticket price scales appear, and on marquees. MTI shall have the right to use a so-called "billing box" and in such event, the size of the Authors' credit specified herein, and that accorded all others, shall relate to the size of the title of the Play as used in said billing block. Such advertisements using a billing box may provide separate credit outside of the billing box only for the names of stars billed above the title and the title of the Play.
The following credits shall appear on the title page of all programs and in all advertising and publicity wherever and whenever the full production credits are given, in a type size not less than accorded the designers of the Play, in substantially the following form:
Playwrights Horizons, Inc. and Vineyard Theatre, New York City, produced the New York City Premiere of "The Burnt Part Boys" Off-Broadway in 2010.
"The Burnt Part Boys" is a recipient of an Edgerton Foundation New American Plays award.
"The Burnt Part Boys" was presented by New York Stage and Film Company and the Powerhouse Theater at Vassar, July 2009.
"The Burnt Part Boys" received its World Premiere by Barrington Stage Company, Pittsfield, MA
(Julianne Boyd, Artistic Director; Michael Perreca, Producing Director; William Finn, Artistic Director of Musical Theater Program).
Included Materials
Item | Quantity Included |
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LIBRETTO/VOCAL BOOK | 12 |
PIANO CONDUCTOR'S SCORE | 2 |
Production Resources
Resource |
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HOW DOES THE SHOW GO ON-10/CS |
HOW DOES THE SHOW GO ON? |
LOGO PACK DIGITAL |
PRODUCTIONPRO-DIGITAL SCRIPT/SCORE |
REFERENCE RECORDING |
STAGE WRITE APPLICATION |
TRANSPOSITIONS-ON-DEMAND |
STANDARD ORCHESTRATION
Instrumentation | Doubling |
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BASS | ACOUSTIC BASS , ELECTRIC BASS |
GUITAR | ACOUSTIC GUITAR , ACOUSTIC STEEL , BANJO , DOBRO , ELECTRIC GUITAR , RESONATOR GUITAR , SLIDE GUITAR |
PERCUSSION | BELL TREE , BELLS , CHAIN / METAL BUCKET, CHIMES , CHINA CYMBAL , DRUM KIT , DULL ANVIL , LEAD PIPE , MARK TREE , PLASTIC BUCKET , SMALL SHAKER , SUSPENDED CYMBAL , WASHBOARD |
VIOLA | |
VIOLIN |