The Ultimate Musical (2004)
Libretto by Virginia Lynn Emrick & Peter Michael von der Nahmer
Premiered: October 11, 2004 at First Stage Los Angeles
Other performances:
Synopsis:
The story itself is an entertaining look at the clichés of human nature as told through the use of film and musical theatre clichés. It introduces us to Hero, a man trying to find himself while living up to his name. He falls in love with Beauty who is only interested in one thing…power.
While Hero goes off to war with Very Bad Guy, his beloved Beauty continues her search for fame and fortune through the men she meets. Not finding anyone more powerful than Hero, she decides to return to him when he comes back from the war. However, Hero is a changed man and Beauty is dissatisfied with him. Now, she must choose between Very Bad Guy and the president’s Messenger, both of whom had affairs with her. Through her choice, Hero learns that people are not what they seem…a message brought to him by the most unlikely person. In the end, who is the real hero?
Characters:
BEAUTY (Mezzo)
HERO (Tenor)
VERY BAD GUY (Baritone)
NARRATOR (Alto)
MESSENGER (Tenor)
3 VOICES FROM THE OFF (1 Soprano, 2 Alto)
PRESIDENT OF THE U.S. (Baritone)
ONE OUT OF TEN (Alto)
8 FLOWERS and MUM* (soprano, alto, tenor)
Ensemble/Photographers, Fans, Technician
Musical numbers:
ACT I
1. „Introduction“ – Ensemble
2. „Gonna„ – Ensemble
3. „Very Lonely„ – Beauty & Hero)
4. „The cookies never lie„ – Hero
5. „Bad as Bad can be„ – Very bad guy
6, „Never ask why„ – Ensemble, President
7. „Killing, billing„ – Hero, 3 V., Messenger
A. Underscoring / Messenger (Instrumental)
8. „It should be me„ – Messenger
9. „Now that I have found you here„ – Beauty
10. „Rescue the World„ – Ensemble (except VBG)
ACT II
B. „Overture„ – Instrumental
11. „Battle preparation„ – Narrator, 3 Voices
12. „Take my hand„ – Hero
13. „So important“ – Beauty, V.B.G.
14. „So important (reprise)“ – Beauty, Messenger
15. „It’s blooming time„ – 1/10, 9 Flowers
B. Underscoring/Flower fairy-tale – Instrumental
16. „It’s glooming time„ – 9 Flowers
17. „Temp love„ – Ensemble, Hero, Very Bad Guy
18. „Very lonely“ (Reprise) – Very Bad Guy
19. „Flower shop dreams„ – Hero, Very Bad Guy
20. „I’ll have it all“ – Beauty
21. „Your love„ – Hero, Beauty
22. „Aruging“ – Hero, Messenger, V.B.G., Beauty, President
23. „Take my hand“ (Reprise) – Hero
24. „Secrets„ – Ensemble
25. „Time to go„ (Gonna – Reprise) – All
Reviews: (German premiere 2004)
– Für den Broadway konzipiert (2005, Marcuc Schuster)
– Junge Profis begeistern das Publikm bei der deutschen Uraufführung des Ultimate Musical
Süddeutsche Zeitung vom 30. November 2004, Tom Webel:
„…Die Songs aus der Feder des 27-jährigen Mike von der Nahmer sind stets frisch und mitreißend. Witzige Mitwipp-Nummern wie „The Cookies Never Lie“ finden sich genauso wie das hymnische „Rescue the World“ und die obligatorisch Ballade „Now that I have found you here“. Dabei bewegt sich der Komponist fernab vieler üblicher Musical-Klischees…phänomenal, witzig, frisch, frech, intelligent: Auf sein Musical hat man gewartet…“
English translation (selection):
“ …Peter Michael von der Nahmer and lyricist Virginia Emrick tell then a story about popular clichés and judgmental opinions, which are understandable in itself, but if not in songs confirmed. The music sang by young pros tells a stand out story, which will take anyone on a journey.“
„The songs composed by Peter Michael von der Nahmer are fresh and exciting – from funny show songs, where you don’t want to stay sitting like ‘’The cookies never lie’’ through anthems like ‘’Rescue the World’’ to ballads like ‘’Now that I have found you here’’.
„…Here, the composer moved away from many common musical clichés … phenomenal, funny, fresh, sassy, intelligent: This is the Musical that we’ve been waiting for…“