The Musicals of Scott Miller

New Line Theatre presents
the world premiere
Book, Music, and Lyrics by Scott Miller
Oct.12-Nov. 4, 2006
ArtLoft Theatre, St. Louis
http://www.newlinetheatre.com/johnnypage.html

Purchase the script here.
Purchase the vocal selections here.

SYNOPSIS
Johnny Appleweed, itinerant philosopher-stoner, is on his way to Washington D.C. to tell the President he's screwing up our country and he should stop that! Over the course of the first act, Johnny meets up with a Christian-Republican closet-case, a lesbian performance artist, Jesus Christ himself, and a perky former televangelist. In Act II, this quirky gang of five finally meets the President and they set about trying to convince him to change his political ways. Through the lens of a pot-friendly worldview, the show takes aim at American party politics, the War on Terror, poverty, our American culture of violence, gay marriage, the legalization of marijuana, sexual oppression, and increasingly rabid American religious fanaticism, all …

Harrah's Casino presents
the world premiere by Scott Miller
Dec.27-28, 2000
Harrah's Casino, St. Louis

Purchase the script here.

SYNOPSIS
The family and friends of Preston Seaborn have gathered for a benefit dinner for his upcoming political campaign, but barely five minutes into dinner, Preston falls dead into his food, barely noticed by his bickering wife and kids. Seaborn's campaign manager Sam Gaines tries to control the ensuing chaos, but when Detective Coffee shows up with some uncomfortable secrets from the Seaborns' past, their only escape may be to serve dessert...

THE CAST
Preston Seaborn/Detective Coffee – Troy Schnider
Veronica Seaborn – Mary "Mo" Monahan
Cordelia Seaborn – Robin Kelso
Thaddeus Seaborn – Troy Turnipseed
Sam Gaines – Colin DeVaughan

THE ARTISTIC STAFF
Director – Scott Miller

AN INTERESTING SIDE NOTE...
I found out in 2018 that, back in 2000, Harrah's canceled further performances of this show because they had been pressured by Par…

Out of Line Proudctions presents
the world premiere by Scott Miller
St. Marcus Theatre, St. Louis, Aug.5-28, 1999
Lillian Theatre, Los Angeles, April 6-May 27, 2001
Edinburgh Fringe Festival, August 2002
Strawberry Theatre, London, Feb. 12-March 1, 2003

Purchase the script here.

SYNOPSIS
It's Michael's thirty-fifth birthday, and his friends are coming over to celebrate, for better or worse, as he grieves over his advancing age in a youth-obsessed culture, and also over his inability to find a smart gay comedy with nudity to fill his small theatre company's bank account. And his late-arriving surprise birthday present will just make it all worse. Much worse.

Head Games takes pot shots at many aspects of pop culture at the turn of the new century, but also at itself, questioning the artistic value of the genre into which it fits. But it also doubles back on itself structurally, playing the story out of chronology -- so that as Act II opens, you realize that much of what you t…

New Line Theatre presents
a world premiere
Book, Music, and Lyrics by Scott Miller
May 5-20, 1995
St. Marcus Theatre, St. Louis

Purchase the 1995 original cast recording here.
Purchase the script here.
Purchase the vocal selections here.
Purchase the sheet music for "The Tale of Zachary Church" here.

SYNOPSIS
Part romance, part Gothic horror, part comedy, In the Blood explores the unlikely romance between the vampire Zachary Church and Adam Graham, a hematologist with HIV, in the early years of the AIDS pandemic. If vampires are the only ones who can't be affected by the AIDS virus, do they have some responsibility to pass on their immunity? And for someone with AIDS, what price is too high for acquiring that immunity? When Adam asks Zach to turn him to vampirism so he won't die, Zach is torn. He has vowed never to make another vampire, never to subject anyone else to the horrific loneliness he has known for so long. Ultimately, Zach has to choose between condemning …

New Line Theatre presents
a world premiere
Book, Music, and Lyrics by Scott Miller
based on an actual court case, Island Trees School District v. Pico
March 18-26, 1994
New City School Theatre, St. Louis

SYNOPSIS
Based on one of the most important book banning cases in U.S. history, Breaking Out in Harmony (a rewrite of The Line) explores the personal conflicts and powder keg emotions behind a simple act that snowballed into a U.S. Supreme Court case, Island Trees School District v. Pico. A small group of parents in a quiet suburban town break into their kids' high school library one night to remove "objectionable" books they've found on a list from a national conservative parents group. When their kids find out, the town is soon split in two – and so are some of the families – and the kids end up taking their parents and their school district all the way to the Supreme Court.

THE CAST
Tucker Goodman – Kent Hobson
Steven Goodman – Kevin Collier
Anne Goodman – Dena O’…

New Line Theatre presents
a world premiere
Book, Music, and Lyrics by Scott Miller
July 17-18, 1992
Center of Contemporary Arts, St. Louis

Purchase the script here.
Purchase the vocal selections here.

SYNOPSIS
Attempting the Absurd is one of the first truly postmodern meta-musicals (written 1986-1992, debuted 1992), about a young man named Jason who has figured out that he's only a character in a musical and doesn’t actually exist; and his special knowledge has persuaded those around him that he's off his nut. After he loses his girlfriend, he sets off on a quest to find The Answers To It All, along with his musical comedy sidekick, Chaz. Along the way the two find love (both gay and straight), community theatre friends, a little jail time, and ultimately irrefutable proof that Jason is right after all. Love and a copy of the script to Attempting the Absurd conquer all, and all ends as it should, with a happy, full company reprise.

THE CAST
Darcy Bowles – Jenni Ryan
Jason Chris…

Affton Alumni Theatre presents
a world premiere
Book, Music, and Lyrics by Scott Miller
based on an actual court case, Island Trees School District v. Pico
July 26-27, 1985
Affton Senior High School Theatre, St. Louis

SYNOPSIS
Based on one of the most important book banning cases in U.S. history, The Line explores the personal conflicts and powder keg emotions behind a simple act that snowballed into a U.S. Supreme Court case, Island Trees School District v. Pico. A small group of parents in a quiet suburban town break into their kids' high school library one night to remove "objectionable" books they've found on a list from a national conservative parents group. When their kids find out, the town is soon split in two – and so are some of the families – and the kids end up taking their parents and their school district all the way to the Supreme Court.

THE CAST
Max – Ann Pierce
Kevin Stratton – Todd Ryan
Steven Stratton – Ron Kenney
Linda Stratton – Cindy Keck
Lisa T…

never produced
Book, Music, and Lyrics by Scott Miller
Winter 1984
Harvard University, Cambridge, MA

Purchase the vocal selections here.

SYNOPSIS
Astro Turf is a twenty-minute one-act musical written as a special project for a history of astronomy class at Harvard University in 1986. Five major astronomers, Aristotle, Ptolemy, Copernicus, Tycho Brahe, and Johannes Kepler, come together and present in song their views on the nature of motion and the creation of the heavens.

THE CHARACTERS
A Voice Not Unlike God
Aristotle (Greek, 384-322 BC)
Claudius Ptolemy (Greek, c. 125 AD)
Nicolaus Copernicus (Polish, 1473 - 1543)
Tycho Brahe (Danish, 1546 - 1601)
Johannes Kepler (German, 1571 - 1630)

THE REVIEWS
(i.e., my professors' comments)

“This is really quite super! There is obviously a lot of research and thought here, and a lot of very subtle points! Bravo!  A+” – Owen Gingrich, professor emeritus of astronomy and the history of science, Harvard University

“A magnificent survey of the histo…

The Harvard Off-Key Musical Theatre Company presents
a world premiere
Book, Music, and Lyrics by Scott Miller
March 15-17, 1984
Leverett Old Library Theatre, Harvard University, Cambridge, MA

SYNOPSIS
Topsiders eavesdrops on six Harvard freshman, as they navigate their first year away from home, surrounded by nothing but other over-achievers – other “topsiders.” A full academic year goes by, from freshman orientation through to summer break, with papers, finals, drinking, Hostess snake cakes, all-nighters, more drinking, dating, homesickness, and the legendary final episode of M*A*S*H.

THE CAST
Michael – Charlie Godinez
Ice – Jonathan Engel
Steve – William Henderson
Kath – Lesley Blumenthal
Anne – Susan Harmeling
Dana – Marie Schumacher

THE ARTISTIC STAFF
Director – Scott Miller
Producer – Charles Rudnick
Choreographer – Clarissa Cerda
Technical Director – Christopher Roy
Lighting Designer – Christopher Roy
Spotlight Operator – Ralph Cahaly

THE BAND
Piano – Scott Miller

The Harvard University Freshman Dean's Office presents
a world premiere
Book, Music, and Lyrics by Scott Miller
Additional Lyrics by Dave Englehart
April 21-23, 1983
Harvard University Freshman Union, Cambridge, MA

SYNOPSIS
In Musical (the musical), Dave is a writer of musicals, and he navigates the difficult social, academic, and artistic terrain of college the best he can, considering the circumstances – but Dave is writing the musical we’re watching as we’re watching it, and as all the conflicts come to a head in the middle of Act II, the show stops cold, because Dave – the show’s author – doesn’t know what comes next...

THE CAST
Dave Musgrove – Christopher Roy
Ms. Rachel Lockhart – Teddi Howe
Ben Garfield – Charles Rudnick
Alec Moore – Chris Cowperthwaite
Nancy Kramer – Kendall Webb
Mike Langstrom – Chris Crutcher
Sue McDonnell – Clarissa Cerda
Roz Garrett – Carolyn Martin
Mr. Harvey Crumm – Jack E. Holt
Chet Forreter – A.J. Bakalor

THE ARTISTIC STAFF
Director – Yule Caise
Produ…

Affton Senior High School Drama Dept. presents
a world premiere
Book, Music, and Lyrics by Scott Miller
Nov. 20-21, 1981
Affton Senior High School, St. Louis

Buy the original 1981 Affton High School cast album on Amazon.

SYNOPSIS
Adam Graham is just an ordinary, nerdy, drama kid, who has an unhealthy attraction to the school’s sluttiest ball-buster, Angela. It takes losing his best friend and getting cruelly dumped for Adam to hit rock-bottom and realize he always had everything he needed to be happy inside himself.

THE CAST
Adam Graham – Chris Honigfort
Charley Williams – Darren Thompson
Ralph Stingleman – Jeff Kinderman
Fuzz Daniels – Craig George
Angela Richardson – Ann Pierce
Sherri – Stephanie McDowell
Skip Washington – Steve Murray
Mrs. Mildred Pyewacket – Laurie Plant
Mary Baxter – Linda Meyer
Principal Winslow – Chris Pratt
Mephistopheles – Jeff Amann
Ensemble – Paul Abbott, Debbie Amann, Laurie Amann, Pat Berry, Ray Blaskow, Sue Boll, Barb Dalton, Tom Garavaglia, Nancy Hasselbr…