Mary Stuart

by Friedrich Schiller. A New Version by Peter Oswald
 
The Utah Shakespeare Festival 2012

Director: Kate Buckley
Scenic Design: Robert Mark Morgan
Costume Design: Bill Black 
Lighting Design: Donna Ruzika
Sound Design/Composition: Joe Payne

Music composed by Joe Payne ©2012. Featuring Eliza Wren Payne.

A fictional tale of historical events.  “One queen must fall. But before the ax drops, the political power game between Elizabeth I and her cousin, Mary Queen of Scots, must be played in full. Illustrating the vicious life-and-death struggles of the English court in Shakespeare’s day, this emotional spell-binder is full of intrigue, betrayal, and the feel of a modern-day political thriller.”

The director and I agreed that it was important to make sure that the female voice of this script was the predominant force of this production. It is always important for me to connect to our audiences with a modern sensibility when doing historical pieces.  So, this is what I came up with. Historical vocalizations with a modern edge, thanks to the brilliance that is my little sister. An incredible collaboration, that I will forever be proud of.

Music and design demo, featuring Eliza Wren Payne

Click here to listen to clips and to purchase this score.

_{Photos by Karl Hugh, Album Art by Joe Payne}