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10-MINUTE MUSICAL COLLECTION

Welcome to Ridgington

Music by Luke Steinhauer, Book & Lyrics by Jordan Silver

The perfect town of Ridgington, everyone follows a strict regimen of routines, rituals, and traditions. Today is Cleansing Day, the only time when each family has the right to tell each other the truth that's been pent up all year. Every other day, they must smile and nod, just as they do in public to hold their lives and families together.

Drama

Overview

Cast Size

2m, 2f

Duration

11 Mins Approx.

Setting

Present day. The town of Ridgington, a commune

Cautions

Mild Language

Subgenre

Fables/Folktales, Fantasy, Faith Based, Experimental

Themes

Parenting/Family, Relationships, Marriage

Target Audience

Teen (Age 14 - 18), Adult

Style

Contemporary Musical Theatre

Instrumentation

Piano/Vocal, Guitar, Percussion

Additional Resources

N/A

Synopsis

A traditional family unit of four, Patrick (father), Karen (mother), Hailey (daughter), and Ben (son) cheerfully, absently, sing in perfect harmony “THE RIDGINGTON PLEDGE.” Patrick and his children participate in a call and response “OPENING” about their societal responsibilities ending with a call to a cleansing day. A day different than every other in the commune of Ridgington, on cleansing day, they have permission to speak the truth. After drawing sticks, Hailey begins the ritual “GROW UP” with the energy of a firework, relentlessly berating her family with each minor and major annoyance they cause her throughout the year. Then Patrick’s reproach begins “WHAT FOR?” with a depressed sense of longing that transforms into violent threats towards his daughter Hailey. Now it’s Karen’s time to cleanse, but she refuses to participate, “ONLY LOVE” insisting the family doesn’t need the outdated ritual, but rather only love. Karen’s noncompliance causes Ben to question the ritual, “I THINK I'M DONE” leading into Patrick’s biblical recanting of Ridgington’s cleansing day “DO WHAT I SAY” which consequently allows the children to see the story in a new, nonsensical light. “Why don’t we leave the town and try something new?”

Welcome To Ridgington is a musical performed as one continuous piece of music.

Synopsis

Casting Information

  • PATRICK - A suit and tie middle-aged dad.

  • KAREN - A middle-aged "Stepford" housewife.

  • BEN - The son and older brother.

  • HAILEY - The daughter and younger sister.

Songs

Full Show
00:00 / 10:08
Grow Up
00:00 / 01:31
What For?
00:00 / 01:53
Only Love
00:00 / 01:16
Casting & Songs

Media

Media

Production History

  • 2018 - Welcome to Ridgington premiered in Theatre Now's SOUND BITES 5.0 Festival at the Signature Theatre, directed by Andrew Rasmussen.

Author Bios

Illustrated Mountains

JORDAN SILVER is a NYC based playwright/lyricist. He graduated from Ithaca College in 2016 in BFA Musical Theatre. Since graduating, he’s had multiple developmental readings of his full-length play Nobody Gives a $#!T About You (and the power that comes with knowing it) produced by Dan Stone (Dear Evan Hansen, H2$, Catch Me if You Can, etc…) and directed by David Perlow. This past summer, Nobody Gives was presented at The Manhattan Repertory Theatre. In addition to playwriting, which he studies at Primary Stages, Jordan is also a lyricist/book writer. Jordan presented Welcome to Ridgington at Theatre Now’s SOUND BITES 5.0 Festival. In 2018, Jordan was invited to attend the ASCAP musical theatre workshop in LA. He’s collaborated with composers, Alexander Sage Oyen (Dramatist Guild Fellow), Chris Urquiaga, Greg Good, Luke Steinhauer, and Jake Landau. You can also hear Jordan Silver’s original music available on iTunes and Spotify.

Illustrated Mountains

LUKE STEINHAUER is a New York based composer, actor, and vocal coach originally from Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. He recently made his 54 below debut with Jordan Silver in The Songs of Silver & Stein and his compositions have been performed at Signature Theatre, The Green Room 42, and various stages across the country. Selected acting credits include: The Muny, Theatre Aspen, Music Theatre Wichita, Pittsburgh CLO, Unquowa Rep, Theatre by the Sea, Casa Manana, and Pittsburgh Public Theater. He is a graduate of The University of Michigan Musical Theatre Program, a proud member of Actors Equity, and an Estill Master Trainer. He is a YoungArts Winner in Musical Theater and attended Stagedoor Manor for several years.

Illustrated Mountains
Author's Bios
Production History
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