Blog - Harold of Angels

Main menu:

The following resources are available for use or purchase by contacting Christopher Whitty or Hubert O'Hearn at Four Freedom Publishing:

Script (PDF)
Songbook (PDF)
Score (PDF)
Individual Instrument Parts (PDF)
Production Notes (PDF)
Computer-generated accompaniment (MP3, WAV)
Computer-generated band performances (MP3, WAV)

October 19, 2018

The web page has been updated with photos and more details.

The second edition of the script and score are complete.

Noticible changes include the following:

The reprise of Sing With Us was deleted.
The lyrics to Trim My Tree and Open Me have been rewritten to be less suggestive. During the rehearsals last year the child actors understood all the hidden innuendo and the intent of this play is not to corrupt minors.
The cast was reduced from 41 actors to 33.
Many parts were made androgynous.
Some songs and scenes were shortened to reduce the running time by ten to fifteen minutes to approximately 2 hours and 20 minutes.
Ray's character became the master of doubling.

- Christopher Whitty

January 20, 2018

The play was very well-received although it was reduced to two shows from five. The Thursday and Saturday (two shows) were selling well but the Friday and Sunday shows were selling poorly. The producers chose to keep only the two Saturday shows and allow ticket holders for the other three shows to return their tickets for exchange or refund. This created a nearly full house for both of the remaining performances.

The play was performed with eighteen actors and the music director on stage interacting with the cast.

Other changes included:

Since there were only four adult men cast, many parts were played by women and girls (the punks, mall Santa, Jinkle, the Cameraman, Dr. Steele, the Rabbi...).
The bell ringer was played by a man.
Mad Mall Melee was dissected with some parts replaced by Silver Bells because they couldn't make the production number big enough.
The vendor carts were baskets.
They only had Carol become an angel at the end.
Beau's song (Trim My Tree) was performed instrumentally as a dance number.
Beau did not wear a box when singing to Eve.
The doubling was crazy good entertainment. For example, Ray was also the Bell Ringer, Anchorman, Mayor, Priest, a homeless man and a pilgrim. This worked very well.
One of the informed children danced as a sparrow during The Lost Sparrow.
There was no band, only the pianist.

What didn't help was the blizzard the night before and the flu epidemic affecting the cast right up until the final dress rehearsal.

In the end, the production raised over six thousand dollars toward the construction of a new church.

I used this production to identify what worked in the show and what needed fixing. This necessitated the release of the second edition of the script and score.

- Christopher Whitty

November 19, 2017

Harold of Angels will premiere on Thursday, January 11, 2018 at the Centrepointe Theatre in Ottawa, Ontario. The producers represent Longfields Community Church in Ottawa who intend to allocate nine-tenths of the proceeds toward building a new sanctuary for their congregation. The other tenth of the proceeds will be donated to local food banks in Nepean and Delta, Ontario at the request of the writer.

This production nearly was aborted several times by the producers. First, the church council was resistant to such a large endeavour. They changed their minds once corporate sponsors were found. The director and production team were found more by providence than by planning. Next came the problem of finding a venue still available in December (three months away). Not a school auditorium, college theatre or performance hall was available anywhere in Ottawa so the producers moved the performances into January. The next problem was finding a music director, again, everyone they contacted was already committed to a Christmas performance by other groups. Once an available music director was found the casting call went out. Well, Ottawa is a very theatric city and there weren't enough people auditionning so a rigorous casting call was put out and the auditions deadline extended.

Finally, the producers had everything and everyone they needed. They are a hardy group and the talent is incredible. I will be attending two of the performances, one with my family and one with my friends.

- Christopher Whitty