Before you can record something, you need some people to record. Here’s where we stand. At the moment I’m singing most of the scratch vocals and none of the dialogue has been recorded. I won’t be singing any of the main characters in the show, my vocals are just there for reference and will all be replaced. Here’s who needs to get recorded:
Wheeler – A young sailor in search of his mother. Competent and self-involved. Blake Hays of Catskill is providing scratch tracks, I hope to have him in the studio later this week to test out my new physically distanced studio setup.
Arabella – A young woman on the run with her father, Hurley. Megan Henry, who we know from the Catskill Community Center as she has uked with us a couple of times, is doing the scratch tracks.
Hurley – The ships cook, Arabella’s traveling father will be voiced by Michael D’Emidio from NYC who played this role at Dixon Place in 2009. I hope to get him up to the studio soon for his first pass on his dialogue and music.
Captain Spar – An ancient mariner and captain of the Worthy, a leaky, battered merchant ship. Lou Curschmann of Catskill is kindly providing the scratch tracks. He’s a brave guy, never made a recording before, not really a computer dude, I sent him a little portable system to work with in the early Covid 19 weeks and got a very promising start. You can hear him sing in Yonder.
Pirate Captain – Cruel, efficient, committed to seeking out great music. Harry Matthews is doing the first pass soon, he’s funny, he’s a great singer and he sounds handsome. He did this role at Bridge Street Theatre a few years ago and his delivery was so enthused I thought he was going to decapitate Alison swinging his prop sword around. This time, no sword for Harry.
5 Pirates – Lightheartedly sadistic crew who merrily sing and conspire. Not yet cast, any gender ok.
Mister Pym – A traveling purveyor of religious artifacts. I’m fortunate to have snagged Jay Kerr who hails from Salem, NY. Really looking forward to hearing him sing it and I think he’ll be a perfect personality for the part. He is also an excellent musical theatre pianist and will be adding piano once we’ve got everybody’s vocals in place.
Queen Margaret – Grand High Matriarch of Isla Biaches, an island of women. To be played by Nancy Giles of CBS Sunday Morning pundette fame. Nancy did the Bridge Street Theatre reading and was fantastic +.
Ucello – A charming proto-barrista, former monk and Wheeler’s father. Not sure who will play him yet, Harry Matthews could double up from the Pirate, or a friend in California, Chris Graham, may do it, but I’d have to figure out how to get Chris recorded. I’ve asked Frank Cuthbert to give it a try on the scratch tracks in the meantime, I’ll get him in soon I hope.
Three bandits – The danger never ends deep in the Amazon jungle. Not yet cast, any gender ok.
Sister Luisa – Wheeler’s mother, used to be a nun, now just very angry. This part will be played by Alison Davy.
There are a scattering of one line parts throughout the show; townspeople, Biaches, plantation workers and chorus, to be cast as we go.