Michael James Oberhauser
  • Home
  • Experience
    • Behind the Scenes
  • The Music
    • Compositions
    • Compositions Performed
  • A Composer's Blog
  • Contact

The Ballad of Esther Tanner (2008)

a one-woman, one-act musical

Book and Lyrics by Steve Spotswood
Music by Michael Oberhauser

Duration: 20:00

Cast: Elizabeth - mezzo-soprano - auditioning for a role in a musical

Instrumentation: violin, piano

Setting: a bare stage

Notes

This was written as part of a 24 hour musical theater festival. It went something like this:

9:00pm Friday: Everyone who wants to participate meets and shows what they can do. We’re broken into playwright/composer/director/actor teams.
10:00pm Friday - 9:00am Saturday: playwrights and composers write musicals
9:00am Saturday - 8:00pm Saturday: the musicals are learned, memorized, staged, and teched
8:00pm Saturday: performance

Even with this incredibly short timeline, I feel like Steve and I created something pretty great.

Premiere

2 February, 2008 - Ward Recital Hall, the Catholic University of America

Director - Jay D. Brock

Elizabeth - Eli Sibley
Piano - Gabriel Mangiante
Violin - Alison Candela

Other Performances

Composition Division Stage Music Scenes - 22 April, 2009 - John Paul Hall, The Catholic University of America
Rachel Holt, Elizabeth. Laura Yackley, violin. Michael Oberhauser, piano.