10-MINUTE MUSICAL COLLECTION
Book & Lyrics by Eric C. Jones
Music by Joshua Servel Davis
Dark Comedy
White Man's Burden
An extremely dark parody of the murders of unarmed Black men, told through the conceit of a TV commercial for a compilation CD that has a racist title. The deadly tunes on this CD, which sells for $29.99, include the crooning "Ballad of Emmitt Till," "The Summer of '64," "Jasper Rose" and the rap "The Streets of Bensonhurst." The songs spotlight the lives of true to life victims of hate crimes, James Chaney, Yusef Hawkins, James Byrd Jr. And Emmitt Till. And the Hits keep coming and coming.
Overview
Cast Size
7m
Duration
15 Min.
Setting
A TV Commercial.
Subgenre
Politicar Satire
Themes
Race Relationships, Murder, Commercialism, Police Violence, African American Culture, Community
Target Audience
Appropriate for ages 13+
Style
Pop/Rock, Hip-Hop, NeoSoul, Doo-Wap, Motown R&B and Musical Theater
Instrumentation
Piano/Vocal
Additional Resources
N/A
Cautions
N/A
Casting Information
MIKEY MIKE: African American Male, Early 30's Tenor, and host of the music informercial series Yesteryear Media
JIGABOOS:
JAMES BYRD JR: African American Male, Early 40's Baritone-Tenor was killed in Jasper, Texas in 1998.
JAMES CHENEY: African American Male, Late 20's Tenor, was killed in 1964
EMMETT TIL: African American Male, Early Teens, High Tenor, Dired in 1955
YUSSEF HAWKINS: African American Male, Late Teens, Baritone/ Hip Hop Rap Skills, He died in 1989.
DA CRACKERS:
MICHAEL SCHWERNER: White Male, Early 30's, 2nd Tenor, was killed in 1964
ANDREW GOODMAN: White Male, Early 20's, High Tenor was killed in 1964
Songs
Media
Production History
“White Man’s Burden” premiered at 5 X 15 New Musicals Fest in Cleveland Ohio on February Merkin Hall, NYC, on February 17-21, 2021, as part of a collaboration with Bruce Wallace University Musical Theatre School. The show earned several raves from the local Cleveland Newspapers.
Book: Eric C. Jones
Lyrics: Eric C. Jones
Music: Joshua Servel Davis
Director: Nathan Henry
Music Director: Ed Ridley, Jr.
Editior: Brendan McCann
Cast:
Dar’jon Bentley - James Byrd Jr.
Jack Hale - Andrew Goodman
Binden Harvey - James Chaney
Godia Hayes - Mikey Mike
Makay Johnson - Yusseff Hawkins
Will Lamb - Michael Schwerner
Zach Mackiewicz - Player
Charles Mayhew Miller - Emmett Till
JT Snow - Player
Author Bios
ERIC C. JONES is a NAMT 15 Minute Musical Challenge Wnner in 2020 for White Man’s Burden. Eric Jones (BOOK WRITER & LYRICIST) is a Medford, Massachusetts born, Minnesota &Texas raised artist. Mr. Jones is a graduate of Texas Southern University; B.S. Pharmacy. He has been involved with the Christian theater circuit since 1995 as a writer, actor, director and composer. Writing credits includes: Untapped Potential, Wolf Man Wedding, The Baked Potato Incident, Dreamland, American Skin, Freedom Quilt, Liberators and Fired! The Musical.Currently, Eric won 2nd Runner up for the Screenplay Competition at The Beverly Hills Film Festival 2016 for his screenplay Dreamland. His award-winning film he could wrote & produced Dreamland Murders film was selected to the Marche Du Cannes Short Film Showcase 2016 hosted by NWC Cinemas. Two Musicals got their premiere in 2018. Liberators: An American Musical at The Chicago Musical Theatre Festival & Three Crosses at Ensemble Theatre’s Stage Reading Series. “I would like to thank God, my family, WRIC church and the Houston Theater community.
JOSHUA SERVEL DAVIS is also a NAMT 15-Minute Muscal Chalenge Winner in 2020 for White Man’s Burden. Joshua S. Davis (COMPOSER) is an active composer, songwriter and playwright who commits his life to making the world a better place through his God-given talent. As a composer, he has written several original songs and arrangements in various genres such as choral, jazz pop/r&b/rock and gospel. In theater, he has written an original musical and has collaborated with other playwrights and lyricist throughout the U.S. He hopes to make a full-time living doing.
