Dawn of Silence Musical | AR Productions | Bolivia

DAWN OF SILENCE - MUSICAL

Synopsis:

In a world where any form of artistic expression is forbidden, a group of rebels called "dreamers" represent a threat to to the government called "The Regulators". The fight is to return music and art to the world and remind them why they need it.

"Dawn of Silence" is a musical that started to develop in march 2019.

It began to be developed for the festival Embrace which is a new musical theatre festival hosted by the MA Musical Theatre course at Goldsmiths, University of London. It is a well-established festival that was first commenced in 2009, to showcase the year’s new musicals and to put on a show-stopping end to the master’s degree.

This year, five musicals were presented. Ours was presented on Wednesday 18th, Friday 20th and Saturday 21st of September.

The rules of EMBRACE Festival were:

Present an original idea
Original Music
Original Book and Lyrics
Min. duration of 45 to 60 minutes max.
Professional Director
Graduated or professional actors
Graduated or professional Set and Costume designers

The creative team for "Dawn of Silence" was completed in Jun 2019.

Producer: Alejandra Rojas A.

Writer: Bernardo Ayala (CB Yale)

Lyricist: Paloma Henrickx

Composer: Lyndon Samuel

Director: Kevin Russell

Co-Set Designers: Ana Bretes y Sheree Paton

Costume Designer: Sheree Paton

Lighting Designer: Perttu Låhdemäki

Choreographer: Nicole Sciberras

Music supervisor: Lukas McCabe

Asides from having a creative team, we needed actors who would bring to life the characters from this story. To get the right people we hold auditions in august. Many auditioned, a total of 30 people, but only 9 were selected. Rehearsals started in the middle of august of 2019 and when they started is when we knew we found the perfect people for each role.

The days we presented the show were successful, with sold-out performances every night. Some Producers and directors that were invited came and talked about the potential this show has and that the future is bright.

REWIEWS

We had two reviewers of musicals that came to the show and gave us their opinion and thoughts that helped us to keep developing this project.

LONDON THEATRE REVIEWS

"...there is much to enjoy: the performance of the cast – and in particular the one of Kelsey Walsh...the lights of Perttu Lahdesmaki...and, most of all, the music by Lyndon Samuel. He is a talented composer...simple melodies that are at the same time deeply emotional...Dawn of silence is a work in progress...but it is a production which shows potential and a positive willingness to create new work on a universal story."

FuturE

From the very beginning, the music of Lyndon Samuel was the key factor to make this project move forward. With the help of Philip Dehany (Stagey Blog) we got to show the start of the development of this musical as shown in the following video:

In the rehearsals, combining de direction of Kevin Russell with the actors and the music of Lyndon we got to understand how much potential this musical had and how far we could take it.

To get this musical further there was a need for an alliance. The producer got together with Glitter Theatrical as Co-producer and the composer Lyndon Samuel became the Associate Producer.

2020 promises to be a new year for this production and it is expected to put it onstage (Act 1 and 2) very soon.

DAWN OF SILENCE

A story inspired by combining the story lived in the producer Alejandra and writer Bernardo hometown (Bolivia) of dictatorship and what is happening in UK regarding the division between the rich and the working class.

Artistic Expression is banned. A totalitarian government ensures this with a heavy hand - artists are disappearing, and a rebellious group are keen to stop the government. A world where the privileged make the rules, enforced with the most gruesome of punishments, the divide between the ruling and working classes cannot be wider. Protests in the street are tackled violently.

Can Clarice, the leader of the rebellion, assisted by the beautiful Aurora bring back order and a fair society, and once again return the freedom of expression through art and music?

Stefan, the goofy but intelligent stranger appears and seems to offer the revolution the information that they need to bring down the government swiftly? But can he be trusted?

Hot on their heels is the terrifying Commander, who it appears is aware of Clarice and her plans. But the Commander is carrying a secret. A secret which would surely put his own life at risk should the Supreme Leader find out.

The Supreme leader is ruthless and will not allow his grip on power to be dismissed. Workers must be made to work and he cannot risk having a bunch of rebels threatening his privileged existence. What can he do to ensure absolute power?

Are his days numbered? Because music lives, and lives in you!

Soon in 2020