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Mark Nichols

MARK NICHOLS  (1964 - )

 Nationality:    USA
email:    Click here to contact     Website:    Click here

Literary Agent:    n/a


Mark Nichols launched his career in theater in 1987 at the Annex theater in Seattle, with his rock musical fable, LITTLE BOY GOES TO HELL, directed by Garrett Bennett. A series of somewhat failed attempts to re-create the glory of Little Boy resulted in THE POTATO BOY (also for Annex), a Gilbert and Sullivan-esque post-apocalyptic operetta, and a number of other shows for children. Mark's next success was an opera for and performed by children called THE TOOTH COLLECTOR, trippy musings about the dreamtime, and music for Glen Berger's BESSEMER'S SPECTACLES, which launched him on many collaborative journeys as composer for original musical works, including THE COLLECTED WORKS OF BILLY THE KID, THE DRAGON, LIE OF THE MIND, THE FIREBUGS, CAUCAsian CHALK CIRCLE, and AS YOU LIKE IT. Mark's score and additional lyrics for CHALK CIRCLE are performed regularly around the world. As a playwright, primary book writer, and lyricist, Mark scored again in with JOE BEAN, a twist on the Job tale, and then again with the recent San Francisco hit, HOW TO SURVIVE THE APOCALYPSE, co-written with Erik Davis. Mark now lives in Los Angeles and is focused on turning his musicals into musical movies.

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below is a list of Mark Nichols's plays - click on a Play Title for more information

 How to Survive the Apocalypse (Aka Beautiful Freaks)         Joe Bean         Little Boy Goes to Hell         Potato Boy         Searching For Father Christmas         Tooth Collector, The         Wonka

How to Survive the Apocalypse (Aka Beautiful Freaks)

Synopsis:
Audiences are led by a snarky guy in a bunny suit through this ambitious opera, which tells the story of the founders of Burning Man,( a real-life San Francisco-based art event and some might even say, the gathering place of a social movement.) All is well until tragedy strikes in 1996 and anarchy must decide to live or die. "Involving the Man is part of the plan". Other main characters include "newbies" who either don't want to be there or just wanna take acid and go for a willy-ride. "Transformation is brutal."

Notes:
-

1st Produced:
Teatro Zinzanni, San Francisco    Oct 2009

Organisations:
Post Playa Productions

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:
Eclectic Rock Opera

Parts:
Male:  11            Female:  13            Other:  Band is very integrated into cast

Further Reference:
-

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Joe Bean

Synopsis:
A sort of passion play, wherein "new age gods" reaffirm the relationship of Human Being to God(s). The gods chose polytheistic hippy, Joe Bean, a man who has everything. Gradually he loses everything. It's the oldest story in the book. As Joe becomes more vulnerable, he and his wife begin to see the cosmic theater in which they are characters.

Notes:
-

1st Produced:
Bainbridge Performing Arts    2004

Organisations:
Really Big Production Co.

1st Published:
The Really Big, 2004   -

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:
Eclectic Rock Music Fable

Parts:
Male:  6            Female:  7            Other:  Band is very integrated into cast

Further Reference:
-

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Little Boy Goes to Hell

Mark Nichols
Hero's journey through the forest of the mind. Little Boy is lured into hell in order to save a man who believes he's the devil. Little Boy meets plenty of rock archetypes who'd also like a piece of his soul.

Notes:
As 4-record set 1987. Staged Summer 1988

1st Produced:

Organisations:
Annex (Seattle), Open Circle Theatre (Seattle) The Really Big Production Company

1st Published:
Pop Llama, The Really Big Production Co. April 1987   -

Music:
Original cast recording: Really Big Music (9022) 1998

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:
Rock musical fable

Parts:
Male:  7            Female:  7            Other:  1 young boy

Further Reference:
-

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Potato Boy

Synopsis:
(1989) Opera by Mark Nichols; produced as a workshop at the Annex Theater, Seattle, 1989. Cast of 30 including 7 children. This pre-David Lynch era obsession with freaks and deformities is a Doctor Seuss-type story of a post-apocalyptic village of haves and have-nots. The town leader is forced to admit to being the father of a child out of wedlock and acknowledge that his deformed son is the messiah they've all been waiting for. Dark comedy.

Notes:
-

1st Produced:

Organisations:
-

1st Published:
The Really Big 1989   -

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:
opera

Parts:
Male:  12            Female:  12            Other:  children

Further Reference:
-

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Searching For Father Christmas

Synopsis:
A group of children take it upon themselves to prove that Santa Claus exists. With the help of an alcoholic they take a "time machine" and are able to find and save Kris Kringle from the medieval Kidnopper, who's menace includes enslaving children by stuffing them in a sack and then imprisoning them in a huge tree deep in the woods. The most notable thing about this show was that a publicity stunt the kids pulled off was picked up by the A.P. wire service and run all over the world. The news story tells about a group of kids wielding signs saying, "Rudolph Schmoodolf", "Santa is Dead", "Show your Face Fat Man!" and singing songs from the show as they're being kicked out of a mall.

Notes:
-

1st Produced:
King Kat Theater, Seattle    Apr 1996

Organisations:
The Really Big Production Co.

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:
-

Parts:
Male:  4            Female:  1            Other:  lots of children

Further Reference:
-

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Tooth Collector, The

Synopsis:
A little girl moves to a new school where no one will talk to her. At night she dreams of her school and still no one will talk to her except a strange boy. They become friends. He collects stuff. She convinces him to go to her school when they're not dreaming which he does. The kids make fun of him. That night he steals all their teeth. They agree to meet in their dreams and go after him. Problems ensue. Twisted surreal kid stuff. Songs include "Permanent Teeth" "The Moon on a String."

Notes:
-

1st Produced:
Ordway School    1994

Organisations:
The Really Big

1st Published:
The Really Big, Spring, 1994   -

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:
Opera for Children

Parts:
Male:  -            Female:  -            Other:  -

Further Reference:
-

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Wonka

Synopsis:
Anthony Newley and Leslie Bricusse were heavily involved in this production and helped Mark and Red Farm get the rights from Roald Dahl and Warner Bros. At one point they had a falling out, during this "the longest-running childrens show ever" in Seattle. The two film composers decided they wanted to produce the show on Broadway and use Red Farm's script. The young upstarts apparently said no. Roald Dahl died later that week and his estate froze for a number of years.

Notes:
adaptation based on the movie

1st Produced:
Pioneer Square Theater    -

Organisations:
Red Farm, Seattle

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:
Adaptation Musical

Parts:
Male:  12            Female:  12            Other:  lots of children

Further Reference:
-

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