THE SHIP OF STOLEN DREAMS - A NEW MUSICAL

[Walcer]

Posted: 6/2/07 at 7:02pm

To all musical theatre fans...

I'm pitching a new musical I've written about the voyage of the St. Louis in 1939. I'd love everyone out there to take a look at the project and tell me what you think and PLEASE spread the word to every Broadway fan you know!! I'd really love to create some support for this project and draw attention to producers.

You can see everything to do with the show, music, book, and design at my website... check it out!


http://www.shipofstolendreams.com


I'd love to hear your constructive criticisms!

Keep supporting new Broadway musicals! All the best!






Updated On: 1/17/08 at 07:02 PM

[bjh2114]

Posted: 6/2/07 at 7:46pm

Walcer, my first criticism is more of a suggestion. I would recommend that you find another set of people who are actually singers. You should re-record the entire score with people who aren't going to butcher the melodies. I'm sorry, but I found it difficult to get through some of the songs because of the pitch problems by some of the singers. The music sounds good, but I really can't make a fair judgement unless it's being performed well. Good luck, I hope you find some producers.

[Walcer]

Posted: 6/2/07 at 8:40pm

Especially my horribly off-pitch singing right?! lol...

Thanks for the suggestion. I'm well aware of the lacklustre quality of the demos, and wish there was something I could do but I'm living the epitome of the "starving artist" life right now and just don't have the resources at the moment. I've had to pull every favour I could with my friends to get everything you see on that website produced. Also, I'm currently located in a city with extremly limited resources in theatre and singing. I'm saving my pennies to make a move to a bigger city in the fall and hopefully will gain the resources I need to improve upon these tracks. Stay tuned in the fall, and hopefully I'll get those up.

[RockabyeHamlet]

Posted: 6/2/07 at 8:43pm

Doesn't The Ship of Dreams usually refer to the Titanic?

[juice23]

Posted: 6/2/07 at 8:48pm

I had never heard about this piece of history, but the story sounds heartwrenching and interesting. The designs look stunning, and are very well presented (although this would be a VERY expensive show to produce from the looks of it). The orchestrations to the first song are really great (it sounds like film scoring). I will most certainly check out the other music samples and read more about the project...

[Walcer]

Posted: 6/2/07 at 9:09pm

Yes it is commonly used to reference Titanic, but in a different way. I'm fully expecting alot of slack for the title! If you refer to the writeup on the main page of the website, I believe it explains the reason why the show is called "The Ship of Dreams." Also, not to use this as an excuse but many different stories have shared titles, for example, the sequel to Jurrasic Park (The Lost World)

[RockabyeHamlet]

Posted: 6/2/07 at 9:11pm

Wal, it was not a critism. I thnk its a great idea.

[Walcer]

Posted: 6/2/07 at 9:16pm

Sorry..! TOTALLY didn't to intend to imply you were criticising! I have recieved criticism from others though about it in the past... Agents etc.

[spiderdj82]

Posted: 6/2/07 at 9:22pm

WOW . . . I love the intro music. It's the only song I have listened to so far, but great job!

[uncageg]

Posted: 6/2/07 at 9:32pm

I listened to all of the clips (I will admit not all the way through each). The designs are very nice. Also a nice website. For me, a lot of the music sounds the same. I know this is not meant to be "the feel good musical of the year"! But I found it to sound a bit depressing. I did enjoy the opening number though. I think the premis for the show is a good one. It feels though, like it is going to be a slightly "anthemic" show. Just some random thoughts. Good luck with the project. I know I will check your website for updates/changes and to see how things are going.

Posted: 6/2/07 at 11:15pm

Wow--I'm pretty impressed so far!

[Yero]

Posted: 6/2/07 at 11:33pm

I've very intrigued.. I've also never heard of this but now I REALLY want to know more. Listened to most of the clips and it sounds pretty good to me! I do agree with uncageg, some of it does sound sort of the same, but I love the opening music. I also read parts of the libretto. Good luck with this and I look forward to seeing more of this in the future. I will be bookmarking your website!

[Ourtime992]

Posted: 6/2/07 at 11:51pm

I haven't read the libretto or listened to the clips yet, but the web design is outstanding.

[Walcer]

Posted: 6/2/07 at 11:57pm

You'll have to forgive my piano arranging skills... I'm self taught and am a very novice pianist. I do have a tendancy to arrange music the same way. I'm hoping, if I get to the workshop stage, I can bring in a pro arranger/ orchestrator to spiff everything up. I'm kind of leaning towards the "Peter and the Wolf" thing where instruments are indicitive of certain characters. For example, Aaron's underscore would involve a young girls vocals mixed in (much like in the Pan's Labyrinth soundtrack) Hopefully when that's all together the music will vary more than what you hear now. Also I did kind of intentionally pull the anthemic parts together to unify the seperate storylines.

[BroadwayEnthusiast2]

Posted: 6/3/07 at 12:47am

i love the idea and the premis. the opening number gives me chills and it very much represents the time period and mood. great layout and design, too! i would love to see this produced. a lot better than a lot of that crap out there.

[CrazyMutha29]

Posted: 6/3/07 at 9:56am

I've only listened to bits and pieces of the music so far and read the synopisis, but it really sounds like you've got your act together and I, for one, would come see the show!

I hope you find someone to help you get your show produced!

[istillbelieve24601]

Posted: 6/3/07 at 10:08am

I really like what I've seen and heard so far. The only problem is that you'll have a hard time finding producers unless you can find better vocalists. Go out in your community theatre. I'm sure you can find some people who are great singers to record the demo without having to pay them excessively.

[lovebird2]

Posted: 6/3/07 at 11:46am

this project sounds so exciting!! there is NO WAY it won't be picked up and produced!! i will deffinatly be checking the (really well designed) website for updates and won't be suprised when i see it up and playing in ny

good luck with everything, walcer!!!
Updated On: 6/3/07 at 11:46 AM

[Elphaba]

Posted: 6/3/07 at 12:05pm

I'm surprised people do not know about this as there was a pretty good movie done about it.
I'll listen to it later as I have to go out.

I do think you need to rethink the title.........whether things have similar names isn't a reason for yours to do that. You should want the name alone to stand out and generate interest....and if I just heard the name, and nothing more I'd also think Titanic. This moment in history deserves it's own name.

Also, as we have seen many times, Holocaust era things go through cycles for the main gentile public, they're in, then out for awhile......so always have this ready to show, as when you are ready to go, no one else may be.

As a Jew I hate saying that, but it's true.

I wish I could remember the name of the movie....it was good!

[DrTheatre]

Posted: 6/3/07 at 12:21pm

Hey Walcer,

I am interested in hearing some of the music. Could not find that on the website...maybe I just did not find it ...please IM me and I would love to talk to you more about this project you have!

Thanks!

[xM3L24x]

Posted: 6/3/07 at 1:29pm

I thought your website was designed really well, the designs are really pretty. The music sounds really great, especially the first one. Good luck getting it produced!

[vfd88]

Posted: 6/3/07 at 1:38pm

This sounds interesting. I've listened to some of the music and really like it. Your set designs look great too, but they would make the show very expensive. I hope you find producers!

[Walcer]

Posted: 6/3/07 at 1:52pm

Hey Elphaba... The movie was "Voyage of the Damned" produced in 1976 with big names of the era like Faye Dunnaway, Max Von Sydow, Orson Welles, etc... I've done my best to avoid the movie at all costs, because I don't want to associate my project with it so I haven't watched it in years. If you go to the links page on the website I think there's a link to amazon.com where you can buy the movie/ book.

I explain on the main page of the website why the show is called "Ship of Dreams" and not "Voyage of the Damned" or "The Ship that Shamed the World" (As the newspapers of the era dubbed it.) I'd love to find a better title, but have been pondering over it for many years... I just can't find anything with quite the ring to it that "Ship of Dreams" has and the meaning... There's "Ship of Hope" but it doesn't really roll off the tongue.

Also, I don't know if any one noticed, but if you look closely at the show logo at the top of the website you'll see two stylized S's bookending the title. (Some people say it's the KISS logo S's. lol) They're the logo of the Nazi SS... This is to symbolize how their "Ship of Dreams" is bookended by evil just as the actualy voyage was all a manipulation and lie. So I'd really love (If I changed the title someday) to find one that I can do that same little trick with.

[SahDu]

Posted: 6/3/07 at 2:26pm

From what I have listened to so far, you really have some nice work going here. Very interesting about the logo with the S's...very clever...but I'm also going to jump on the "title should probably be changed" bandwagon for the reasons already stated. Very nice work though. I've also had some experience writing musicals and know its a very daunting experience, so congratulations. If you dont mind me asking...what are you using to orchestrate your music? I'm assuming from the money comment that it is some sort of computer program/midi files? If so, what program? Congrats again!
Updated On: 2/15/14 at 02:26 PM

[MTVMANN]

Posted: 6/3/07 at 2:27pm

I agree about the title......The name commonly refers to the "Titanic", and you probably don't want anyone to think of THAT musical when thinking of your own!!!!!!