White Noise: A Cautionary Musical

White Noise: A Cautionary Musical is a musical about a White Supremacy rock duo making their way to the top of the music charts. Created by Ryan J. Davis, The show is directed by Sergio Trujillo, and produced by Whoopi Goldberg. The music and lyrics were written by Robert Morris, Steven Morris, and Joe Shane and the book was written by Matte O'Brien. The musical was inspired by the true story of Neo-Nazi folk duo Prussian Blue who gained a following singing songs with undertones of their racist idealism. A satire, the musical seeks to challenge not only the lyrical content found in today's music industry, but also the responsibility of the individual to critically listen to and evaluate their musical selections.

White Noise: A Cautionary Musical
Logo from the Chicago Production
MusicRobert Morris
Steven Morris
Joe Shane
LyricsRobert Morris
Steven Morris
Joe Shane

The production first appeared in 2006 at the New York Musical Theatre Festival with music by Joe Drymala and directed by Ryan J. Davis. It was then presented as a full-scale musical with the current creative team in 2009 onstage of the Le Petit Theatre on Jackson Square in the French Quarter of New Orleans. After receiving warm reviews, "White Noise" moved to its next home at the Royal George Theatre, where it played until May 15, 2011.[1]

Overview

The show has a book by Matte O'Brien and a score by Robert Morris, Steven Morris and Joe Shane, and one of the producers is Whoopi Goldberg. It has undergone considerable change since it was conceived by Ryan J. Davis and presented at the 2006 New York Musical Theatre Festival, with music by Joe Drymala and additional songs by seven other writers. A full-scale production, with the current writing team in place, was mounted in New Orleans in July 2009, where it sold out.

Trujillo, choreographer of the currently-running Memphis, Jersey Boys and The Addams Family, was not involved in the show's previous incarnations. And he had not expected such a risky project to be his first show as a director.[2] At the show's inception, the musical's creators started receiving hate mail from White Supremacy groups as backlash to their creation of a show about Prussian Blue.[3]

Producer Whoopi Goldberg, star of the film Sister Act and The View, came onto the production after its critical success in New Orleans. "After hearing from a variety of different folks who had seen the production in New Orleans, I read the script and listened to the music. I knew this was a show I needed to be a part of. White Noise smacks you in a challenging, emotional and entertaining way and explores social issues in a way I don't remember ever seeing before on a stage."[4]

Synopsis

White Noise follows a top-selling music producer who stirs up an explosive cocktail of shock and spin with a touch of controversy to package talented artists into blockbuster stars. Steadily baited by fame and power, two diametrically opposed groups – a pop band that churns out catchy tunes of coded rhetoric and a hip-hop-turned-gangsta rap duo – meet at the top of the charts and collide with consequence. Inspired by real life, White Noise is a timely and cautionary tale that challenges conventional notions of free speech, media and the power of pop culture.[5]

Musical numbers
  • "Welcome to Eden" – Eva, Ensemble
  • "Life, Liberty & Happiness" – Dion, Tyler
  • "Big Bang" – Eva, Eden, Duke
  • "Mexican Vacation" – Eva,Eden,Duke
  • "Welcome to Eden Reprise" – Eva,Eden,Duke,Ensemble
  • "N.G.S" – Dion,Tyler
  • "Live for the Kill" – Max, Jake
  • "W.T.F." – Eden,Eva,Duke,Jake,Ensemble
  • "Love Stories" – Eva, Eden, Ensemble
  • "Mondays Suck" – Eva, Eden, Duke, Jake, Ensemble
  • "Not Your Enemy" – Laurel, Eva, Eden
  • "Showtime"- Dion,Tyler,Ensemble
  • "Hip-Hop Country" – Dion,Tyler,Ensemble
  • "City on a Hill" – Eva, Eden, Dion, Tyler, Duke, Ensemble
  • "Life Around" – Jake,Eden
  • "Mondays Suck Reprise" – Eva, Eden, Duke, Ensemble
  • "Master Race" – Duke,Dion
  • "Fine" – Tyler,Laurel,Jake,Eva,Ensemble
  • "I am America" – Eva, Company

Principal characters
  • Max
  • Eva
  • Eden
  • Jake
  • Dion
  • Tyler
  • Duke
  • Laurel

Productions
  • 2011 Chicago Royal George Theatre
  • 2009 New Orleans
  • 2006 New York Musical Theatre Festival

References
  1. "A First Look at White Noise With MacKenzie Mauzy and Emily Padgett in Chicago". Playbill. Retrieved May 13, 2011.
  2. Flatow, Sheryl. "White Noise Emanates From Chicago". Playbill. Retrieved May 17, 2011.
  3. Cantu, Maya. "Making White Noise: Q&A with Ryan J. Davis and Joe Drymala". BroadwayWorld.com. Retrieved May 17, 2011.
  4. Goldberg, Whoopi. "White Noise: Cast & Creative". White Noise: A Cautionary Musical. Retrieved May 17, 2011.
  5. "White Noise Musical". White Noise: A Cautionary Musical. Retrieved May 17, 2011.
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