Dreamland

A CONCORD THEATRICALS TITLE

Dreamland

Full-Length Musical, Comedy  /  4w, 4m, 18any gender (adult)

Music and Book by Chris Miller
Lyrics and Book by Nathan Tysen

An over-the-top, B-movie-style musical comedy with a score that blends contemporary musical theatre pop with the smooth sounds of the 1950s, Dreamland is a musical riff on Shakespeare’s A Midsummer Night's Dream, set during the declassification of Area 51. The show was originally commissioned by the Educational Theatre Association for the 2019 International Thespians Festival.

Image: 2020 Salina South High School Production (Erin Kata)

  • Cast Size
    Cast Size
    4w, 4m, 18any gender (adult)
  • SubGenre
    Subgenre
    Fantasy, Adaptation (Shakespeare), Science Fiction
  • Audience
    Target Audience
    Appropriate for All Audiences
Dreamland

Details

Summary

Dreamland (or a musical riff on Shakespeare's Midsummer set during the declassification of Area 51) is exactly what the title says it is, or is it? Who thought it would be a good idea to give a group of high school honor students free rein in a top-secret military base two days before it opens to the public? Will there be aliens? Maybe. A show choir? Definitely. An over-the-top, B-movie-style musical comedy with a score that blends contemporary musical theatre pop with the smooth sounds of the 1950s, Dreamland is the brainchild of Chris Miller & Nathan Tysen, award-winning songwriters of Tuck Everlasting on Broadway.

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History
Dreamland was commissioned by the Educational Theatre Association and presented in a staged reading, sponsored by Concord Theatricals, as part of the Thespian Musicalworks program at the 2019 International Thespian Festival in Lincoln, Nebraska, under the direction of Nathan Tysen. Dreamland subsequently received its world premiere at Salina South High School in Salina, Kansas on January 30, 2020. The production was directed by Kate Lindsay.

ADULTS
MELISSA SIMMS – Channel 9 news reporter. Excellent in front of the camera, and a force to be reckoned with away from it.
COLONEL RASMUSSON – High ranking officer of the Air Force, and government liaison for Dreamland. Imposing, but gregarious, convinced his facility has nothing to hide.
PRINCIPAL WILSON – Principal of Las Vegas Prep School. The only chaperone for the weekend, so a bit jumpy. Parent of Rebecca. Can be any gender.
SNYDER – The last of a long line of caretakers at Area 51. Dreams of being an entertainer. (Range: Ab2-A4)
CAMERA OPERATOR – Employee of Channel 9 News. A person of few words. Can be any gender.

HONOR STUDENTS
REBECCA – Teenage pilot. Dreams of joining the Air Force. Leader of the honor students and daughter of Principal Wilson. (Range: A3-D5 (opt. Eb5))
RANDY – Lover of geology, radiobiology, and Rebecca. (Range: G2-E4)
ELIOT – Meteorology enthusiast who dreams of being a TV weatherman and going on a date with Rebecca. (Range: A2-G4)
AURORA – Astronomy buff and secret conspiracy theorist who believes in alien life. Has severe social anxiety, and is misunderstood because of it. (Range: G3-Db5)

SHOW CHOIR
NEW DAWN – Show choir at Las Vegas Prep School comprised of energetic and eager triple threats. Flexible size. SATB.
QUINN – Student elected director/choreographer of New Dawn. Can be any gender.
SCOTT – New Dawn’s resident student composer.

ALIENS
ALIENS – Extraterrestrials who have been stranded on Earth for over sixty years. Obsessed with the music of the 1950s. Flexible size.
OBERON – Co-captain of the alien expedition, determined to return home. Can be any gender. (Range: F2-Eb4)
TITANIA – Co-captain of the alien expedition, no-nonsense. (Range: F3-F5)
PUCK - Youngest member of the expedition, a troublemaker. Can be any gender. (Range: G3-D5)
COBWEB, PEASEBLOSSOM, MOTH & MUSTARDSEED – Minions of Titania. (Range: C&P: Bb3-E5(opt.G5), Moth:Bb3-Eb5, Mustardseed: F3-C5(opt.D5))

AUTHORS’ NOTE
A few things to keep in mind: the show is a fast-paced B-movie send-up of A Midsummer Night’s Dream, silly and a little outrageous. Depending on the size of your cast, it is possible for the show choir and the aliens to be played by the same group of actors, provided their costumes are easily swapped. These two groups perform the big production numbers, of which there are quite a few; think Glee on crack. Designers should not be afraid to embrace a creative, low-tech/low-budget approach to the set and costumes. While a realistic bunker/hangar can be very effective, the whole show could be done on a set of scaffolding; furthermore, a 2-D tinfoil and cardboard rocket ship could prove just as effective as a 3-D metallic one if the actors imbue it with authenticity. As noted, many characters can be cast in any gender; just swap pronouns.

AUTHORS’ NOTE
A few things to keep in mind: the show is a fast-paced B-movie send-up of A Midsummer Night’s Dream, silly and a little outrageous. Depending on the size of your cast, it is possible for the show choir and the aliens to be played by the same group of actors, provided their costumes are easily swapped. These two groups perform the big production numbers, of which there are quite a few; think Glee on crack. Designers should not be afraid to embrace a creative, low-tech/low-budget approach to the set and costumes. While a realistic bunker/hangar can be very effective, the whole show could be done on a set of scaffolding; furthermore, a 2-D tinfoil and cardboard rocket ship could prove just as effective as a 3-D metallic one if the actors imbue it with authenticity. As noted, many characters can be cast in any gender; just swap pronouns.

  • Time Period Contemporary, Present Day
  • Setting Groom Lake Air Force Base, Hiko, Nevada; sometimes referred to as Area 51. Now.
  • Features Contemporary Costumes/Street Clothes, Fantasy Costumes
  • Cautions
    • No Special Cautions

Media

Videos

  • Dreamland (Studio Cast Recording) – Sizzle Reel youtube thumbnail

    Dreamland (Studio Cast Recording) – Sizzle Reel

  • Sarah Charles Lewis sings “Follow The Stars” from Dreamland youtube thumbnail

    Sarah Charles Lewis sings “Follow The Stars” from Dreamland

  • “New Dawn” from Dreamland (Studio Cast Recording) youtube thumbnail

    “New Dawn” from Dreamland (Studio Cast Recording)

Photos

  • Dreamland

    Image: 2020 Salina South High School Production (Erin Kata)

  • Dreamland

    Image: 2020 Salina South High School Production (Erin Kata)

  • Dreamland

    Image: 2020 Salina South High School Production (Erin Kata)

  • Dreamland

    Image: 2020 Salina South High School Production (Erin Kata)

  • Dreamland

    Image: 2020 Salina South High School Production (Erin Kata)

  • Dreamland

    Image: 2020 Salina South High School Production (Erin Kata)

Show more +

Music

Music Samples

ACT I

1. “Action News Jingle” – Voiceover
2. “New Dawn” – New Dawn
2a. “Lab Intro / Underscore” – Honor Students
2b. “New Dawn Ending” – New Dawn
3. “Laboratory Loop” – Honor Students
4. “Follow The Stars” – Aurora
5. “Weatherman” – Eliot
6. “Follow The Stars (Reprise)” – Aurora, Eliot, Randy & Rebecca
6a. Scene Change – Orchestra
7. “Area 51” – New Dawn
8. “Area 51 (Redacted Reprise)” – New Dawn
9. “Show Me The Stage” – Snyder
10. “Until The Day” – Oberon, Titania, Puck, Cobweb, Peaseblossom, Moth, Mustardseed & Aliens
11. “Until The Day (Reprise)” – Aliens
12. “Two Steps Ahead” – Puck, Moth & Mustardseed
13. “Aurora” – Eliot, Randy, Moth, Mustardseed & Offstage Angelic Voices
14. “23,360” – Oberon, Titania & Aliens
14a. Scene Change – Orchestra
15. “Dreamland (Rebecca Version)” – Rebecca

ACT II

15a. Entr’acte – Orchestra
16. “Totally Safe” – Snyder & New Dawn
17. “Aurora (Reprise)” – Titania
17a. Scene Change – Orchestra
18. “Kodiak” – Randy, Eliot, Moth & Mustardseed
18a. Scene Change – Orchestra
19. “Dreamland (Titania)” – Titania, Peaseblossom, Cobweb & Snyder
19a. Scene Change – Orchestra
20. “Aurora (Reprise) / Contact” – Aurora, Puck, Moth, Mustardseed & Offstage Angelic Voices
20a. Scene Change – Orchestra
21. “Action News (Reprise)” – Voiceover
22. “Last Day On Earth” – New Dawn
23. “New Dawn (Reprise)” – Company
25. Bows – Orchestra

  • Musical Style Pop/Rock, Contemporary Broadway
  • Dance Requirements Moderate
  • Vocal DemandsModerate
  • Orchestra Size Medium
  • Chorus Size Medium

Licensing & Materials

  • Licensing fees and rental materials quoted upon application.

Music Rentals

Concord offers a full suite of resources to help you put on the show of a lifetime!
20   Vocal Book
1   Keyboard 1-Conductor (rehearsal & performance)

1   Keyboard 2
1   Guitar
1   Drums – Drum Set, Wind Chimes, Shaker, Ride Bell, Bell Tree, Triangle, Glockenspiel, Wood Block & Crotales
2   Violins
1   Viola
1   Cello
1   Bass
20   Vocal Book
1   Keyboard 1-Conductor (rehearsal & performance)

Add-Ons

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Authors

Chris Miller

Chris Miller (Composer): Tuck Everlasting (Broadway 2016); The Burnt Part Boys (Playwrights Horizons/Vineyard Theatre, Lucille Lortel Nominee for Best Musical 2011); Fugitive Songs (Drama Desk Award Nominee for Outstanding Revue 2008); all three of which have cast albums avai ...
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Nathan Tysen

Nathan Tysen (Lyricist) Broadway: Paradise Square (with Jason Howland & Masi Asare), Amélie (with composer and co-lyricist Dan Messé, Drama League nomination), Tuck Everlasting (with composer Chris Miller; Outer Critics & Drama League nominations). Off-Broadway: The Burnt Par ...
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