Everyman: The Musical
Lyrics & Book by Scott Shaver
Music & Orchestration by Taras Nahirniak
Based on the classic allegorical play Everyman
What happens when a ruthless businessman is told his time is up—and he has no one willing to speak on his behalf before God?
What would you do if you were told that it was your time to go and in order to get into heaven you had to find someone to give an account of your life…. to God?
Well, Every Man had this task. The only problem was that E.M was a ruthless businessman who stepped upon many people on him way to the top and can’t find anyone to help him out. E.M is guided by his guardian angel that also narrates his quest, starting off with the Prologue (Keep The Faith) This song describes E.M’s rise to power and the wrong turns he makes that eventually moves him away from everything that is good. We are also introduced to a mysterious vagrant who represents the hungry and the poor.
In Everyman For Himself we are first introduced to E.M who shows us his nasty side including ignoring the poor and even stealing candy from a baby.
“Do You Believe In God?” Well you better, ‘cause SHE’S got something to say about it, and it goes like this. Corruption, Destruction is our first introduction to God. In this show God is portrayed by an Areatha Franklin type woman who is angry about what is going on in the world created by her. Her fire and brimstone are accompanied by E.M’s guardian angel and three other angels. God’s spokesperson to E.M is Death himself, but this is no ordinary Death. In he rides, with his black leather jacket and Harley. Well, it sounds like a Harley but at the time God summons Death the Harley is in the shop and he has to settle for a scooter. Death is accompanied by 2 angels and is told by God that E.M has by the Seventh Ball Of Light to find his way back to God or he will spend eternity…
After God sends Death off to do her bidding she shows her concern and passion in the gospel blues song God’s Got The Blues joined by a full chorus dressed in robes. God returns to the heavens … glorious Death finds E.M., with his friend the bartender putting down a few, and gives him the news in Pushin’ Up Daises. Quickly E.M looks to his friend for help and is turned down. One ball of light is distinguished. Next E.M. looks to his family in The Suburbanites, a comedic number featuring E.M’s father, his lush of a mother, his valley girl sister, and nerd of a brother. All they want to do is have E.M. lavish them with his money and when his problem is told to them they think he has lost his mind and kick line out the door. “Thanks for having us son”his father sings as he slams the door. Death shows up to distinguish another light.
Feeling angry at the situation he has to endure and all alone after being turned down by his friend and family E.M. sings Singled Out and All Alone He is joined by the mysterious vagrant who again confronts him and his guardian angel who tries to reassure him that if he looks deep with inside of himself he will realize he is not alone.
“You are not all alone, Everyman. For there’s someone you forgot.” End of Act 1.
Act ll starts with the guardian angel and cast wondering if anything that she has said to E.M. is getting through to him in Keep The Faith Reprise. Just when it seems like E.M. starts to understand that there is someone who knows of his love he runs to his accountant to see what he is worth. Man’s Enterprise is a production number featuring E.M’s accountant and an assortment of employees from all the businesses and establishments that E.M. owns as they embark on the enormous task of telling E.M. what he is worth… monetarily. When the dust settles E.M’s accountant reminds him that although he owns practically the whole city, “You can’t take it with you”. E.M’s will is then given to him as he is told “Remember those who have helped you on your way.” Another ball of light burns out.
The guardian angel now takes a more proactive approach to E.M. Feeling that his time is running out she introduces him to his five wits, intuition, truth, superstition, luck and hope in the New Orleans flavored song Five Wits. Leading us through the introductions of the five wits is Hope, which is something that E.M really lacks at this time in the show. After some confusion and a tap dance that goes awry they help E.M. see that “If you have your wits about you there’s always hope.” E.M. then approaches each one and asks them if they will go with him. As he is turned down and another light burns out Hope takes him to see someone she thinks can help knock some sense into him. The guardian angel is now left on stage to sing Will You Ever Know, a song that starts with her wondering if E.M. will ever find what he needs to find and if he will ever know that she was the presence that kept leading him on.
In the next scene E.M. is introduced to Knowledge, an Einstein character who is holding a class with Science, History, Math, Philosophy, Language and the Arts in his self entitled song Knowledge. After Knowledge has thoroughly confused E.M. he hypnotizes him in hope that he can bring him back to an earlier time in his life where he might have had the answers to the questions that are before him. Another light burns out.
In Dig, Dig, Dig Everyman The cast urges E.M. on to find the answer yet every time he fails. Thinking that his beauty when he was young will be his coat of arms and his strength and courage will stand by his side the last 2 remaining lights burn out with the chorus shouting No! No! No! No! With all of the balls of light gone out of the depths Judgement rises and bowing down before him E.M. has given up. The mysterious vagrant appears and instead of confronting E.M. she asks him to try again. E.M. then realizes the wrong way that he has chosen and reaching into his pocket he retrieves his will that was given to him. Telling her to take what he has and start a new and everlasting hope, E.M. gives the will to the vagrant. Seeing that E.M. has repented what he has done the vagrant reveals herself as God telling him “Everyman I was with you, With you from the start. When you go to visit God you have to have God in your heart.”
With E.M now ready to leave he asks God if he can say good bye. The Last Curtain Call is sung by E.M. and the cast as the finale before E.M walks into the light.
“One last farewell, One last goodbye, and one last curtain call.
Preview songs by clicking on the links below.
Everyman Song Preview (Recorded by original cast)
What You Get
- 2 Vocal/Piano scores
- 15 Vocal scores
- 1 Full instrumental
- conductors score
- Instrumentation
- Flute
- Reed 1
- Reed 2
- Reed 3
- Trumpet 1&2
- Trumpet 3
- French Horn 1&2
- Trombone 1&2
- Trombone 3
- Piano
- Synth
- Bass
- Guitar
- Drum set
- Percussion
The price of renting this musical will depend upon the number of performances. Rental material will be sent out two months prior to the first performance or on an agreed upon date.
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