Wednesday, February 27, 2008

A Rugby Musical

I have to come up with an idea for an original musical for a class, and I've decided to have it be about rugby. I'm thinking the story should follow a rookie class in their first season, focusing on like, three players for the sake of not being totally confusing. I'm having it be about men's rugby, and I'm pretty excited. I don't need to put together a whole show, just come up with a story and a couple of scenes. So far I've decided to have a practice scene with lineouts and passing balls around looking all synchronized and sweet, and like, having rookies mess up and have to run laps (there's a slight hazing theme). I also want a game scene with a dramatic injury, and to include the Haka, and to have a scene with men's and women's rugby partying together. I'm going to try to use at least a couple of real rugby songs in the musical, I'm thinking "Alouette" for the party, and maybe "Jesus Can't Play Rugby" if I can work it in. I can't write songs, but if this was going to be a real musical I'd want a song about getting your nickname, something like "You Gotta Get a Gimmick" from "Gypsy". I'm basing some characters on real rugby boys (Big Tree totally gets a part, and Chase, as the heart-of-gold, bull dog-y, naked guy), and despite Clarence's worries that I'm going to tarnish their image or make them seem haze-alish and bad, it's going to send a pro-rugby message. I love the boys ruggers, I don't know what he's worried about.

4 comments:

Andrea said...

Yes, I can understand Clarence's point. To the "untrained" eye, rugby culture can seem a tad ...unusual. Clearly, you must bring to this project a senstive touch.

Bill said...

See "Damn Yankees" for a good example of how to combine sport and musical theater. It is the only example that comes to mind at the moment, but I like your idea.

Lily said...

dude, the CHS "men's" rugby has totally deteriorated. They're all guys from my grade, and since track chased GSA away by blaring obnoxious music,we shared the second floor with the aforesaid *ahem* men's rugby. All the freshmen GSA members could outrun and outstretch them. I am feeling empowered.

Greg said...

A good Haka on a wooden stage would bring the house down. Potentially literally. And it would probably count as a song-and-dance number.