The Survival of St. Joan
Encyclopedia
The Survival of St. Joan is a rock opera
by Smoke Rise
(Gary Ruffin, Hank Ruffin, Stan Ruffin, and Randy Bugg—music composed by Hank and Gary) on a libretto by James Lineberger. To date, it has not been issued on compact disc
. It was first produced as a concept album on Paramount Records
PAS-9000 by Stephen Schwartz
in 1971. A concert
version ran eight performances at The Playwrights Unit. A fully scripted musical play with spoken dialogue, directed by Chuck Gnys was produced at the Studio Arena Theatre in Buffalo, New York
, November 5-29, 1970. In its marketing, it was dubbed "the most exciting musical since Hair
." It had 16 performances Off-off-Broadway
at the Anderson Theatre, directed by Gnys and produced by Haila Stoddard
and Neal Du Brock
with a cast that inclujded Gretchen Corbett
, Mathhew Tobin, and Ronald Bishop. Smoke Rise performed all the singing, while the actors handled the dialogue.
Possibly inspired by Operation Shepherdess: The Mystery of Joan of Arc by André Guérin and Jack Palmer White, a revisionist history
alleging that Joan of Arc escaped execution and later married a nobleman named Robert des Armoises, an idea rejected by historians , and certainly inspired by the Vietnam War
, the opera tells of the government of France
and Pierre Cauchon
, Archbishop
of Beauvais
releasing Joan of Arc and allowing a double, also believed to be a witch, to burn in her place. She is sent to live with a mute farmer, who falls in love with her, as he elucidates in songs performed in soliloquy
toward the audience. Realizing that there is no end in sight to the Hundred Years' War
, the first act ends with Joan seeking to rejoin the army, despite the fact that she is no longer hearing her voices.
In Act II, Joan learns that she has lost the respect of the army, who attempt to rape
her. (The libretto
in the concept album has her get raped about halfway through the act; this was changed when stagings went beyond a band performance to a full-fledged play
.) She meets with a deserter who no longer understands the purpose of the war, unless it is God's desire to reduce the population, as well as civilians affected by the war's rationing, complaining that the general can have whatever he wants, whether or not he needs it. Alone and unappreciated, Joan is eventually found by villagers who mistakenly decide she has put a hex on their cow, who tie her to a tree and immolate her, thus her life ends almost as history tells us it did. Upon her death, she re-establishes contact with her three voices, St. Michael, St. Catherine
, and St. Margaret.
The play script
is held in the North Carolina Collection at The University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill
and remains unpublished. It contains many scene changes, often depicting how ordinary people's lives affect the war, including Joan's brother, Charles, acting as a scribe for his mother, requesting the king to provide them Joan's soldier wages to live on, and chides her for some irate informalisms she wants to include.
Act II
Additional Songs for the Expanded Version
Stephen Schwartz
worked on an unused song for the expansion called "I'll Call Her Barbara" (The Shepherd).
The album featured a cover painting by Doug Jamieson.
Rock opera
A rock opera is a work of rock music that presents a storyline told over multiple parts, songs or sections in the manner of opera. A rock opera differs from a conventional rock album, which usually includes songs that are not unified by a common theme or narrative. More recent developments include...
by Smoke Rise
Smoke Rise (band)
Smoke Rise was an American progressive rock band in 1969-1972. Its members were brothers Hank Ruffin , Gary Ruffin , and Stan Ruffin , and Randy Bugg . In 1970, they created the first American Rock Opera, The Survival of St...
(Gary Ruffin, Hank Ruffin, Stan Ruffin, and Randy Bugg—music composed by Hank and Gary) on a libretto by James Lineberger. To date, it has not been issued on compact disc
Compact Disc
The Compact Disc is an optical disc used to store digital data. It was originally developed to store and playback sound recordings exclusively, but later expanded to encompass data storage , write-once audio and data storage , rewritable media , Video Compact Discs , Super Video Compact Discs ,...
. It was first produced as a concept album on Paramount Records
Paramount Records (1969)
Paramount Records was a record label started in 1969 by Paramount Pictures after acquiring the rights to the name from George H. Buck. The previous label with the same name had been unconnected to Paramount Pictures. The new Paramount label reissued pop releases by sister label Dot Records, which...
PAS-9000 by Stephen Schwartz
Stephen Schwartz (composer)
Stephen Lawrence Schwartz is an American musical theatre lyricist and composer. In a career spanning over four decades, Schwartz has written such hit musicals as Godspell , Pippin and Wicked...
in 1971. A concert
Concert
A concert is a live performance before an audience. The performance may be by a single musician, sometimes then called a recital, or by a musical ensemble, such as an orchestra, a choir, or a musical band...
version ran eight performances at The Playwrights Unit. A fully scripted musical play with spoken dialogue, directed by Chuck Gnys was produced at the Studio Arena Theatre in Buffalo, New York
Buffalo, New York
Buffalo is the second most populous city in the state of New York, after New York City. Located in Western New York on the eastern shores of Lake Erie and at the head of the Niagara River across from Fort Erie, Ontario, Buffalo is the seat of Erie County and the principal city of the...
, November 5-29, 1970. In its marketing, it was dubbed "the most exciting musical since Hair
Hair (musical)
Hair: The American Tribal Love-Rock Musical is a rock musical with a book and lyrics by James Rado and Gerome Ragni and music by Galt MacDermot. A product of the hippie counter-culture and sexual revolution of the 1960s, several of its songs became anthems of the anti-Vietnam War peace movement...
." It had 16 performances Off-off-Broadway
Off-Off-Broadway
Off-Off-Broadway theatrical productions in New York City are those in theatres that are smaller than Broadway and Off-Broadway theatres. Off-Off-Broadway theaters are often defined as theaters that have fewer than 100 seats, though the term can be used for any show in the New York City area that...
at the Anderson Theatre, directed by Gnys and produced by Haila Stoddard
Haila Stoddard
Haila Stoddard was an American actor, producer, writer and director. During her career as an actress, Stoddard appeared in a number of plays, movies, and television series, including sixteen years as Pauline Rysdale in The Secret Storm from 1954 to 1970...
and Neal Du Brock
Neal Du Brock
Neal Du Brock directed the world-premieres of many important plays including Edward Albee's Box and Lanford Wilson's Lemon Sky ....
with a cast that inclujded Gretchen Corbett
Gretchen Corbett
Gretchen Corbett is an American actress most noted for the role of Beth Davenport on the television series The Rockford Files from 1974 to 1978.-Early Life in Oregon:...
, Mathhew Tobin, and Ronald Bishop. Smoke Rise performed all the singing, while the actors handled the dialogue.
Possibly inspired by Operation Shepherdess: The Mystery of Joan of Arc by André Guérin and Jack Palmer White, a revisionist history
Historical revisionism
In historiography, historical revisionism is the reinterpretation of orthodox views on evidence, motivations, and decision-making processes surrounding a historical event...
alleging that Joan of Arc escaped execution and later married a nobleman named Robert des Armoises, an idea rejected by historians , and certainly inspired by the Vietnam War
Vietnam War
The Vietnam War was a Cold War-era military conflict that occurred in Vietnam, Laos, and Cambodia from 1 November 1955 to the fall of Saigon on 30 April 1975. This war followed the First Indochina War and was fought between North Vietnam, supported by its communist allies, and the government of...
, the opera tells of the government of France
France
The French Republic , The French Republic , The French Republic , (commonly known as France , is a unitary semi-presidential republic in Western Europe with several overseas territories and islands located on other continents and in the Indian, Pacific, and Atlantic oceans. Metropolitan France...
and Pierre Cauchon
Pierre Cauchon
Pierre Cauchon , bishop of Beauvais. A strong partisan of English interests in France during the latter years of the Hundred Years' War, his role in arranging Joan of Arc's downfall led most subsequent observers to condemn his extension of secular politics into an ecclesiastical trial...
, Archbishop
Archbishop
An archbishop is a bishop of higher rank, but not of higher sacramental order above that of the three orders of deacon, priest , and bishop...
of Beauvais
Beauvais
Beauvais is a city approximately by highway north of central Paris, in the northern French region of Picardie. It currently has a population of over 60,000 inhabitants.- History :...
releasing Joan of Arc and allowing a double, also believed to be a witch, to burn in her place. She is sent to live with a mute farmer, who falls in love with her, as he elucidates in songs performed in soliloquy
Soliloquy
A soliloquy is a device often used in drama whereby a character relates his or her thoughts and feelings to him/herself and to the audience without addressing any of the other characters, and is delivered often when they are alone or think they are alone. Soliloquy is distinct from monologue and...
toward the audience. Realizing that there is no end in sight to the Hundred Years' War
Hundred Years' War
The Hundred Years' War was a series of separate wars waged from 1337 to 1453 by the House of Valois and the House of Plantagenet, also known as the House of Anjou, for the French throne, which had become vacant upon the extinction of the senior Capetian line of French kings...
, the first act ends with Joan seeking to rejoin the army, despite the fact that she is no longer hearing her voices.
In Act II, Joan learns that she has lost the respect of the army, who attempt to rape
Rape
Rape is a type of sexual assault usually involving sexual intercourse, which is initiated by one or more persons against another person without that person's consent. The act may be carried out by physical force, coercion, abuse of authority or with a person who is incapable of valid consent. The...
her. (The libretto
Libretto
A libretto is the text used in an extended musical work such as an opera, operetta, masque, oratorio, cantata, or musical. The term "libretto" is also sometimes used to refer to the text of major liturgical works, such as mass, requiem, and sacred cantata, or even the story line of a...
in the concept album has her get raped about halfway through the act; this was changed when stagings went beyond a band performance to a full-fledged play
Play (theatre)
A play is a form of literature written by a playwright, usually consisting of scripted dialogue between characters, intended for theatrical performance rather than just reading. There are rare dramatists, notably George Bernard Shaw, who have had little preference whether their plays were performed...
.) She meets with a deserter who no longer understands the purpose of the war, unless it is God's desire to reduce the population, as well as civilians affected by the war's rationing, complaining that the general can have whatever he wants, whether or not he needs it. Alone and unappreciated, Joan is eventually found by villagers who mistakenly decide she has put a hex on their cow, who tie her to a tree and immolate her, thus her life ends almost as history tells us it did. Upon her death, she re-establishes contact with her three voices, St. Michael, St. Catherine
Catherine of Alexandria
Saint Catherine of Alexandria, also known as Saint Catherine of the Wheel and The Great Martyr Saint Catherine is, according to tradition, a Christian saint and virgin, who was martyred in the early 4th century at the hands of the pagan emperor Maxentius...
, and St. Margaret.
The play script
Manuscript
A manuscript or handwrite is written information that has been manually created by someone or some people, such as a hand-written letter, as opposed to being printed or reproduced some other way...
is held in the North Carolina Collection at The University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill
University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill
The University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill is a public research university located in Chapel Hill, North Carolina, United States...
and remains unpublished. It contains many scene changes, often depicting how ordinary people's lives affect the war, including Joan's brother, Charles, acting as a scribe for his mother, requesting the king to provide them Joan's soldier wages to live on, and chides her for some irate informalisms she wants to include.
Songs
Act I- Survival (Hank)
- Someone is Dying (Gary)
- Run, Run (Gary) - The Voices
- Back in the World (Gary) - Joan
- I'm Here (Gary) - Joan
- Love Me (Gary) - Joan
- Stonefire (Gary) - The Farmer
- Love Me (2) (Gary) - The Farmer; The Child
- Lady of Light (Hank) - The Farmer
- Country Life (Hank) - The Farmer
- Run, Run (2) (Gary) - The Voices
- Precious Mommy (Gary) - The Farmer; The Child
Act II
- Medley (Survival, Run Run; Back in the World) - The Voices, Joan
- Lonely Neighbors (Gary) - People on the Road
- Cornbread (Hank) - Soldiers
- This Is How It Is (Hank) - Joan
- Cannonfire (Gary) - A Wounded Deserter
- It's Over (Hank) - Joan, The Voices
- Darkwoods Lullaby (Hank) - The Voices
- You Don't Know Why (Hank) - The Voices
- Propitius (Gary) - Penitents
- Burning a Witch (Gary) - Penitents
- Love Me (3) (Gary) - Joan in Heaven
Additional Songs for the Expanded Version
- Living with the Devil - Witches
- Her Strength in Battle - Court Poet
- Hymn to the Warrior Saint - Court Poet
- Army Life - Soldiers
Stephen Schwartz
Stephen Schwartz (composer)
Stephen Lawrence Schwartz is an American musical theatre lyricist and composer. In a career spanning over four decades, Schwartz has written such hit musicals as Godspell , Pippin and Wicked...
worked on an unused song for the expansion called "I'll Call Her Barbara" (The Shepherd).
The album featured a cover painting by Doug Jamieson.
Dramatis Personae
(in order of appearance)- The Voices
- Witches (3)
- Pierre Cauchon, The Bishop of Beauvais (Ronald Bishop)
- Jeanne d'Arc (Joan of Arc) (Gretchen CorbettGretchen CorbettGretchen Corbett is an American actress most noted for the role of Beth Davenport on the television series The Rockford Files from 1974 to 1978.-Early Life in Oregon:...
) - Monks
- Young Witch
- Jailer
- Friar
- Townspeople
- Child
- Mother
- The Shepherd (formerly known as "The Farmer" on the album libretto)
- An English Soldier
- Swineherd
- Barmaid
- Farmer
- Wife
- Boy
- Colonel
- Court Poet
- Girl
- Mme. d'Arc
- Charles d'Arc (Joan's brother)
- Three Fishermen
- Soldier
- Corporal
- Whore
- General
- Soldiers and Whores
- John de Stogumber, a blind man
- His Servant
- Villagers
- Woman
- Phillippe, her son
- Passerby
- Scribe
- Deserter
- Leper Woman
- Leprous Thieves
- Fortune Teller
- Hunters
- Four Nuns
- Clerk
- Abbot
- Man
- The Accuser
- Penitents
Studio Arena Theatre, Buffalo, November 1970
- F. Murray AbrahamF. Murray AbrahamFahrid Murray Abraham is an American actor. He became known during the 1980s after winning the Academy Award for Best Actor for his role as Antonio Salieri in Amadeus. He has appeared in many roles, both leading and supporting, in films such as All the President's Men and Scarface...
--First Friar, Swineherd, Physician, Corporal, Philippe, Friar with Penitents - Bill BradenBill BradenBill Braden is a politician and former news reporter in Northwest Territories, Canada and a sitting member of the Legislative Assembly of Northwest Territories...
--Bishop's Monk, Soldier, Leper, Penitent - Mary Carter--Fourth Witch, Barmaid, Whore, Philippe's Mother, First Nun
- Tom CarterTom CarterTom Carter may refer to:*Tom Carter , centre for the New South Wales Waratahs*Tom Carter , NFL player*Tom Carter , American golfer*Thomas Carter , actor and director...
--Prison Monk, Soldier, Penitent, Leper - John A. Coe--Jailer, Farmhand, English Soldier, Bishop
- Gretchen CorbettGretchen CorbettGretchen Corbett is an American actress most noted for the role of Beth Davenport on the television series The Rockford Files from 1974 to 1978.-Early Life in Oregon:...
--Joan - Patrick Ford--Child with Mother, Famrer's Child
- Judith Granite--Second Witch, Farmhand's Wife, Whore, Joan's Mother, Fortune Teller, Penitent
- Peter Lazer--Hanged Soldier, Deserter, Young Monk, Penitent, Leper
- Dennis LipscombDennis LipscombDennis Lipscomb is an American actor.Lipscomb's first feature film was Union City . From the early 1980s to the 1990s, Lipscomb appeared in key roles in various motion pictures including Eyes of Fire , WarGames , The Day After , A Soldier's Story , Amazing Grace and Chuck , Sister, Sister , The...
--Farmer - Mac McMack--Third Witch, Poet, Soldier, Joan's Brother, Penitent
- George Penrecost--Bishop, Colobel, Lieutenant, Man
- Janet Sarno--First Witch, Mother with Child, Court Lady, Whore, Nun, Penitent, Leper Woman
- Julia Willis--Young Witch, Court Lady, Girl with English Soldier, Whore, Villager
Anderson Theatre, New York, February 1971
- F. Murray Abraham--Prison Monk, Friar I, Swineherd, Corporal, Philippe, Soldier, Accuser
- Willie Rook--Beggar Boy, Child, Passer-by, Leper, Villager
- Lenny BakerLenny BakerLeonard Joel “Lenny” Baker was an American actor of stage and film and screen best known for his Tony Award-winning performance in I Love My Wife in 1977.-Early life:...
--Jailer, English Soldier, Son, Soldier, Philippe, Leper, Monk with Lantern, Hunter, Penitent, Clerk - Ronald Bishop--Bishop, Soldier, Servant, Nun, Villager
- Richard BrightRichard Bright (actor)Richard James Bright was an American actor best known for his role as Al Neri in the The Godfather films.-Early life & work:...
--Shepherd, Soldier, Monk with Lantern - Gretchen Corbett--Joan
- Elizabeth Eis--Young Witch, Whore, Passer-by, Nun, Villager
- Louis Galterio (replaced with Bill Braden)--Prison Monk, Poet, Another Soldier, Passer-by, Soldier, Monk with Lantern, Hunter, Man
- Judith Granite--Country Witch, Wife, Joan's Mother, Whore #1, Passer-by, Fortune Teller, Penitent (also Mother)
- Peter Lazer--Prison Monk, Soldier, Passer-by, Deserter, Leper, Monk with Lantern, Hunter, Penitent
- Anthony MarcionaAnthony MarcionaAnthony Marciona is an American film, Broadway and television actor, singer and dancer from New York City. Marciona began his acting career at the age of five playing Kirk Douglas' godson in The Brotherhood.-Biography:...
--Beggar Boy, Boy - Patricia O'Connell--Mother (replaced with Judith Granite), Whore, Passer-by, First Nun, Villager, Phillippe's Mother (2nd)
- Janet Sarno--Crazed Witch, Whore #3, Passer-by, Leper Woman, Nun, Penitent
- Tom Sawyer--Friar II, Farmer, Soldier, Blind Man, Passer-by, Monk with Lantern
- Matthew Tobin--Scribe, Colonel, Soldier, Monk with Lantern, Hunter, Penitent
- Sasha von Scherler--Clever Witch, Barmaid, Whore #2, Philippe's Mother (1st), Villager
- Steve Reinhardt--Standby for Smoke Rise