Musical Theatre Music
A Blossoming Romance
an original musical
music + lyrics by Hali Alspach
book + lyrics by Joe York
"A Blossoming Romance" is a heart-warming romantic comedy that celebrates the joys of finding one's place in the world through love and loss. The story follows Brady, a perennially out-of-place Pittsburgher, who longs to find meaning amongst the masses. His luck changes when he and his friend Britt meet the owners of a local flower shop, Clara and Marley. Sparks fly and walls begin to come down as their lives intertwine, but as seasons come and go, they all have hard lessons to learn about letting go. Showcasing a vibrant chorus of Pittsburghers, "A Blossoming Romance" endeavors to plant the seed of hope through it's upbeat score and message of optimism.
Frankie Stein
a new musical
music by Hali Alspach
book + lyrics by Joe York
5th Grade is hard! Science! History! Math! Well, not so hard for Frankie Stein who breezes through all her classes except one, Gym. Her know-it-all status also separates her from her classmates who are more focused on fun, then memorizing facts. The only thing Frankie can't seem to learn is how to make a friend.
In an extreme effort to better relate to her peers, Frankie "borrows" their smartphones to try to learn more about them the only way she knows how, through data. However, the experiment quickly goes awry, and the now combined smartphone mass takes on a life of its own! Frankie and her classmate, Mary, must track down the iMonster before it gathers more devices and overloads on data. Along the way Frankie learns lessons about teamwork, compromise, and friendship.
Inspired by Mary Shelley's "Frankenstein", "Frankie Stein" is a 90-minute musical for audiences ages 5-95. It's energetic score and fantastical sense of adventure captures the joy, excitement and complexity of making mistakes and making friends.
Easy A
a new musical
music + lyrics by Hali Alspach
An Adaptation of "Easy A" (Screen Gems, 2009)
I do not have the rights, but I do have a full score, solid demos, and a draft of a book. If you have the rights, or know how to get them, do feel free to drop a line.
Frankie Silver
a folk musical
book and lyrics by Rachel Kunstadt
music by Hali Alspach
Nancy Silver, haunted by her mother's (Frankie Silver) bloody past and shunned by her community, decides to journey up the mountain to her family's old, abandoned cabin to uncover any secrets it might hold about her past. When the Sheriff's son, Jeffry, follows her up the mountain, Nancy has to answer for a few secrets of her own. Inspired by the folk story of Frankie Silver, hanged for killing her husband, "Frankie Silver" is the story of wrestling with the demons of your past and of the redemption the next generation brings.
Spray: Carson V. DDT
a chamber musical
music + lyrics by Hali Alspach & Sean Havrilla
Inspired by final years of Rachel Carson's life "Spray" presents Carson's testimony before Congress in 1963 warning the public of the devastating dangers of DDT. Interspersed are vignettes providing a glimpse into Carson's innate love of the ocean, her integral epistolary relationship with Dorothy Freeman, and her lasting legacy. "Spray" is a stark reminder that all policy is personal and there is always a price to pay when consequences are willfully ignored.
a song cycle
music + lyrics by Hali Alspach & Sean Havrilla
Suggested by the paintings of Edward Hopper, "Sixty Seven Moons" is a song cycle following three listless characters, constantly searching for something different from what they have. From Hollywood, to an alien invasion in Cape Cod, to an escape to the Ocean, "Sixty Seven Moons" riffs on themes of isolation, feeling stuck, and wanting more.
Sixty Seven Moons
a song cycle
music and lyrics by Hali Alspach