The Playwrights Database
RANDY COURTS
Nationality: USA
email: n/a Website: n/a
Literary Agent: The Susan Gurman Agency, LLC
Randy Courts is a composer/lyricist who collaborated with playwright/lyricist Mark St.Germain on the musicals The Gifts of the Magi (ten consecutive seasons at the Lambs Theater, two national tours, over 200 productions worldwide); Johnny Pye and the Foolkiller (Lambs Theater, AT&T New Plays Of The Nineties Award); Joseph and Mary (Los Angeles, Dallas, Indianapolis and in concert in New York starring Kris Kristofferson); Jack's Holiday (Playwrights Horizons, 3 Outer Critics Circle Award nominations, including Best Musical); The Book of the Dun Cow (10th anniversary of The New Harmony Project); and The Gingerbread House (Playwrights Horizons, commission from Playwrights Horizons and Dreamworks). Mr. Courts and Mr. St. Germain also contributed songs to the review A... My Name is Still Alice and to Cass Morgan's True Home. Mr. Courts collaborated with author Walter Wangerin Jr. on the Christmas oratorio Angels and All Children, and they are currently finishing Potter, an opera based on the book of the same title by Wangerin. This summer, Mr. Courts is set to collaborate with writer Will Osborne on a musical adaptation of The Magic Tree House, a popular children's book series by Mary Pope Osborne. Mr. Courts is a member of the Dramatists Guild and a regular participant at the New Harmony Project. His work has been published by Dramatists Play Service, Samuel French, Fireside Theatre, Augsburg Fortress Publishing and The Dramatic Publishing Company.
Research: Member of the Dramatists Guild of America (as at 2015)
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below is a list of Randy Courts's plays - click on a Play Title for more information
Book Of the Dun Cow Doctor Dolittle Fabulous Lipitones, The Gifts Of the Magi, The Jack's Holiday Johnny Pye Joseph And Mary St. Hugo of Central ParkBook Of the Dun Cow
Synopsis:
Set in a time when the sun turned round the earth and animals could speak, The Book of the Dun Cow is a powerful, uplifting new musical adapted from the National Book Award-winning Novel. Chauntecleer, an all too human Rooster, battles the evil forces of Wyrm for noting less than the fate of the earth. An allegorical tale told by a musical menagerie, this heartfelt, epic adventure will thrill all ages.
Notes:
Book And lyrics by Mark St. Germain And music And lyrics by Randy Courts, Adapted from the fantasy novel by Walter Wangerin, Jr.
1st Produced:
West End Theater, New York 2006
Organisations:
Prospect Theater Company
1st Published:
- -
Music:
-
To Buy This Play:
If Publisher (above) is underlined then the play may be purchased by direct click from the Publisher, otherwise (below) are AbeBooks for secondhand, signed & 1st eds and other Booksellers for new copies
Booksellers:
Genre:
Musical
Parts:
Male: 9 Female: 9 Other: -
Further Reference:
-
Top of PageDoctor Dolittle
Synopsis:
Hugh Lofting, a lieutenant in the Royal British Army, is separated from his son Colin during World War I. At his wife's urging, Lofting writes a story for him from the front. Despite the harsh conditions on the battlefield, Lieutenant Lofting's imagination comes alive as he concocts a marvelous tale about a kind-hearted physician who can talk with the animals: The Story of Doctor Dolittle. In the little English town of Puddleby-onMarsh, Doctor Dolittle lives with his animal friends. One day an African monkey seeks out the world-famous good doctor - there is a terrible illness afflicting his cousins, and Dolittle is the only one who can save them! As Doctor Dolittle and his friends set sail, Colin becomes more and more enthralled with his father's story. He begs Lofting to put him in the tale so that he can go on the voyage too, and soon First Mate Colin joins Dolittle's travels. But when Lofting is injured in battle and is unable to write to his son, it's up to Colin to decide how the saga ends. Doctor Dolittle is an enchanting musical about communication and the power of storytelling.
Notes:
written by Randy Courts And Mark St. Germain; inspired by Hugh Lofting's The Story of Doctor Dolittle
1st Produced:
Organisations:
-
1st Published:
- -
Music:
-
To Buy This Play:
If Publisher (above) is underlined then the play may be purchased by direct click from the Publisher, otherwise (below) are AbeBooks for secondhand, signed & 1st eds and other Booksellers for new copies
Booksellers:
Genre:
musical
Parts:
Male: - Female: - Other: -
Further Reference:
-
Top of PageFabulous Lipitones, The
Synopsis:
One member of a barber shop quartet drops dead during one of their performances. They remaining members must find a replacement quickly -but an Indian Sikh with dubious immigration papers?
Notes:
written by John Markus and Mark St. Germain, original music by Randy Courts, original lyrics by Mark St. Germain
1st Produced:
Balzar Theater, Atlanta, Georgia 30 Mar 2013
Organisations:
-
1st Published:
Dramatists Play Service, NY 978-0822233169
Music:
-
To Buy This Play:
If Publisher (above) is underlined then the play may be purchased by direct click from the Publisher, otherwise (below) are AbeBooks for secondhand, signed & 1st eds and other Booksellers for new copies
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Genre:
Comedy
Parts:
Male: - Female: - Other: -
Further Reference:
-
Top of PageGifts Of the Magi, The
It is Christmas in New York, but for two young lovers, Jim and Della, the prospects are bleak, as both are out of work and penniless. But as those familiar with the famous O. Henry story are aware, their dilEmma is solved when both part with their most precious possessions (she her beautiful long hair, he his heirloom pocket watch) in order to buy presents for each other thereby creating, at least for a magical moment, an aura of warmth and giving in the cold, impersonal winter city. In addition to their story there are glimpses of various city folk (played by the same two performers) going about their holiday business, and the hilarious plight of a cheerful bum named Soapy, who wants only to get arrested so he can spend the night in a cozy cell, all gracefully enhanced by tuneful songs and neatly tied together by a newsboy-narrator, Willy, who adds his own melodious contribution and informative observations to the delightful proceedings.
Notes:
Music by Randy Courts; lyrics by Randy Courts And Mark St Germain; book by Mark St Germain. Based on short stories by O Henry.
1st Produced:
Lambs Theatre, New York 33211
Organisations:
-
1st Published:
Dramatists Play Service 978-082214618
Music:
-
To Buy This Play:
If Publisher (above) is underlined then the play may be purchased by direct click from the Publisher, otherwise (below) are AbeBooks for secondhand, signed & 1st eds and other Booksellers for new copies
Booksellers:
Genre:
Musical Comedy/Drama Musical
Parts:
Male: 4 Female: 2 Other: -
Further Reference:
-
Top of PageJack's Holiday
The 1921 boast of Police Chief Thomas Byrnes that Jack the Ripper would be captured within thirty six hours in New York City sets off a series of murders and catches a young reporter in the midst of them. Based on the premise that Jack the Ripper actually crossed the ocean, as chronicled in the newspapers of the day, Jack's Holiday delves into the nature of evil and the responsibility of the press while holding a mirror up to our time.
Notes:
written by Randy Courts And Mark St. Germain
1st Produced:
Playwrights Horizons -
Organisations:
-
1st Published:
Samuel French, Inc - New York >>> 978-0573695841
Music:
-
To Buy This Play:
If Publisher (above) is underlined then the play may be purchased by direct click from the Publisher, otherwise (below) are AbeBooks for secondhand, signed & 1st eds and other Booksellers for new copies
Booksellers:
Genre:
musical
Parts:
Male: 9 Female: 5 Other: -
Further Reference:
-
Top of PageJohnny Pye
Synopsis:
Johnny is alone in the world when the Foolkiller, a Grim Reaper-type character, "collects" his father, Mr. Pye. although the townspeople try to find someone to look after him, Johnny ends up running away, fleeing Martinsville and the Foolkiller, but not before he promises to write to his childhood sweetheart, Suzy. Johnny moves from career to career - from doctor to artist to preacher - before joining the army. Johnny continues to encounter the Foolkiller during his travels, and while fighting in World War II, the Foolkiller almost claims him. Instead, however, he leaves Johnny with a riddle, "How can a man be a human being and not a fool?" If Johnny can solve it, the Foolkiller will let him live forever. Johnny rises from his sick bed and hurries back to Martinsville just in time to prevent Suzy from marrying Wilbur Wilberforce, an old rival for Suzy's affections. Instead, Johnny and Suzy marry, and Wilbur is out of the picture. Life with Suzy is wonderful and they are raising a family, but Johnny puzzles ov
Notes:
written by Randy Courts And Mark St. Germain, Adapted from the short story Johnny Pye And the Foolkiller by Stephen Vincent Benet
1st Produced:
- -
Organisations:
-
1st Published:
Dramatists Play Service, NY, -
Music:
-
To Buy This Play:
If Publisher (above) is underlined then the play may be purchased by direct click from the Publisher, otherwise (below) are AbeBooks for secondhand, signed & 1st eds and other Booksellers for new copies
Booksellers:
Genre:
Musical
Parts:
Male: 7 Female: 3 Other: -
Further Reference:
-
Top of PageJoseph And Mary
Synopsis:
-
Notes:
Music by Randy Courts; lyrics by Randy Courts And Mark St Germain; book by Mark St Germain.
1st Produced:
- -
Organisations:
-
1st Published:
- -
Music:
-
To Buy This Play:
If Publisher (above) is underlined then the play may be purchased by direct click from the Publisher, otherwise (below) are AbeBooks for secondhand, signed & 1st eds and other Booksellers for new copies
Booksellers:
Genre:
Musical
Parts:
Male: - Female: - Other: -
Further Reference:
-
Top of PageSt. Hugo of Central Park
Synopsis:
Hugo DePew is a young man with an unusual ambition: he wants to be a saint. Hearing the voice of God, Hugo goes to live in Central Park to tend the pigeons. A miracle occurs: a blind man is cured and Hugo is on his way to sainthood, but there is a horrifying catch to his God given power in this whimsical fable for all audiences.
Notes:
by Jeffrey Kindley, music by Randy Courts
1st Produced:
E.P. Conkle Playwrights Workshop, University Of Texas, Austin, TX 1988
Organisations:
-
1st Published:
Samuel French, NY, 1989 978-0573660160
Music:
-
To Buy This Play:
If Publisher (above) is underlined then the play may be purchased by direct click from the Publisher, otherwise (below) are AbeBooks for secondhand, signed & 1st eds and other Booksellers for new copies
Booksellers:
Genre:
Comedy with music, 2 acts
Parts:
Male: 5 Female: 3 Other: -
Further Reference:
-
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