Fearless Francine and the Devil of the West

Music and lyrics by Allen Feinstein; book by Allen Feinstein, Anthony Giordano, and Lily Tiarks

1907, New York City—Sophie, a prodigy concert pianist, escapes a pogrom in Russia and overcomes sexism, finding a home at a small vaudeville theater in New York as the silent film era begins and movies transform the entertainment business.  Filled with action like the serials of the time, the musical explores a community of artists and entrepreneurs who helped film evolve from a curiosity to a cultural force.  The musical features actor-musicians accompanying silent films created for each production.

A full synopsis of the show appears below the recordings.

If you are interested in reviewing a script or producing this work, please email [email protected]

Demo recording music direction by Matt Stern. Vocals: Maureen Brennan, Gable Kinsman, Eli Neslund, Tyler Shore, Lorin Zackular. Piano, Amir Siraj (It Doesn’t Matter Where, Reminiscence, The Devil Man, Just Pretending), Matt Stern all other tracks; Clarinet, Heather Katz Cote; Trumpet, Josh Gilbert; Violin, Emily Stewart; Cello, John Bumstead; Bass, Rusty Chandler; Drums, Josh Goldman

Moving Picture Music / Overture:

A Man of Great Imagination:

It Doesn’t Matter Where:

Illegitimate Actor:

Reminiscence:

All I Remember:

The Devil Man:

The Costume Song:

Just Pretending:

The Dream Song:

Someone to Lend a Hand:

My Life Is This Movie:

Inside and Out:

Nowhere To Go:

When Mr. Banker Says Yes:

A Little Bit of Magic:

One of the Boys:

I Don’t Need Magic:

Synopsis:

Setting: New York City, 1907

Act I

A moving picture (“FEARLESS FRANCINE AND THE DEVIL OF THE WEST”) is projected as the on-stage band of Plotnik’s Vaudeville Theatre provides accompaniment (Moving Picture Music /Overture).  But as the audience watches the movie, the music falls apart. Undaunted, JOSEPH, the music’s composer and the band’s violinist, tries to convince theatre owner MR. PLOTNIK that music written to go with movies is the future of entertainment (A Man of Great Imagination).  JOSEPH’s brother, MIKE, drinks too much and isn’t up to playing piano for the group—he was the one who ruined the musical accompaniment.  JOSEPH can’t summon the courage to fire MIKE (A Man of Great Imagination Reprise).

SOPHIE, a 20-year-old world-class concert pianist, has escaped a pogrom in Russia with her grandmother RUTH.  Friendless and penniless, they seek out ILYA to help them (It Doesn’t Matter Where) at his apartment.  ILYA plays clarinet in JOSEPH’s band.  Back at the theatre, the hammy JACK, a juggler and comic, joins MR. PLOTNIK’s vaudeville troupe.  During rehearsal with the band (Someone to Lend a Hand–Intro), MIKE is drunk again—it’s the last straw and JOSEPH has no choice but to fire him.  JACK meets DAVID, a moving picture director, and MISSY, the moving picture actor who plays Fearless Francine.  JACK flirts with MISSY, who is charmed.  JACK expresses to DAVID his desire to appear in pictures (Illegitimate Actor).  DAVID invites JACK to act in his next picture, which is filming in a few days.

SOPHIE comes to the theatre hoping to be hired to play piano.  She briefly meets JACK, who flirts with her and gives her his calling card.  After SOPHIE introduces herself as a pianist, JOSEPH dismisses her and attempts to usher her out of the building, respecting MR. PLOTNIK’s rules prohibiting women from working in the theatre.  Desperate for work, SOPHIE rushes to the piano before JOSEPH can escort her out and plays an impressive piece of music (Reminiscence) that rekindles JOSEPH’s musical passions. JOSEPH marvels at her playing but explains that an accompanist for moving pictures must also sympathize with the characters on screen.  SOPHIE plays a simple lullaby in response, and they bond over their memories of music (All I Remember).  Disregarding MR. PLOTNIK’s rules, JOSEPH decides to teach her to play with moving pictures.

The next day at ILYA’s apartment, SOPHIE shares with RUTH her embarrassment about accompanying movies poorly during her rehearsal with JOSEPH (The Devil Man).  ILYA discovers that the old man who paid for the Atlantic passage of RUTH and SOPHIE, and who wanted to marry SOPHIE against her will, has begun to search for her.  ILYA shows RUTH a ‘Wanted’ poster he found offering a reward for SOPHIE.  They keep this information from SOPHIE.

At the theatre JOSEPH begins teaching SOPHIE in secret (Just Pretending), but MR. PLOTNIK discovers them and kicks her out of the theatre.  No longer able to play with JOSEPH, SOPHIE practices on ILYA’s piano at his apartment with the theatrically inclined RUTH miming the moving picture (Incidental Music—Ruth Dances the Movie).  When SOPHIE despairs about having to dress in costume as a man to play in the theatre orchestra, RUTH tells her a story about a troubled actress helped by her costume (The Costume Song), and SOPHIE learns for the first time that RUTH was an actress until the pogrom that claimed SOPHIE’s parents.

SOPHIE, disguised as a man, rehearses with JOSEPH’s band (Someone to Lend a Hand—Incidental).  MIKE secretly returns to MR. PLOTNIK’s theatre to try to get his job back, but is turned away before MIKE is seen by JOSEPH, who is angry with MIKE for stealing his music and playing it at another theatre.  MIKE bristles when he learns of JOSEPH’s rage, thinking that he doesn’t show gratitude to MIKE for raising him, and we learn of MIKE’s tough life and how his dreams have been dashed (The Dream Song).  ILYA accidentally drops the ‘Wanted’ poster and MIKE finds it.  MIKE sees SOPHIE dressed as a man and wonders if the new pianist in the group could be the girl on the poster.

The premiere of the new movie is moments away. Outside the theatre, JACK and MISSY (now JACK’s on-stage assistant and girlfriend) nervously practice their routine (Someone to Lend a Hand).  In a song/scene in and around the theatre (My Life Is This Movie), JOSEPH worries about the premiere; MR. PLOTNIK is anxious about his theatre business; MIKE, drunk, schemes to expose SOPHIE as the girl on the poster; SOPHIE, dressed as a man, overhears MIKE’s plan and is terrified—she is consumed by her fear of the police and being separated from RUTH.  The act ends with MIKE holding the “Wanted” poster leading a police officer into the theatre.

Act 2

As the movie “FEARLESS FRANCINE AND THE DEVIL OF THE WEST” premieres, RUTH meets DAVID in the audience (Inside and Out).  RUTH, at her first moving picture, dances along with sections that are familiar to her. DAVID, impressed with RUTH’s theatricality, invites her to act in his next movie.  The picture is a success—as the audience applauds, MIKE approaches the stage with OFFICER ROONEY.  SOPHIE flees in panic before she is seen.  JOSEPH is congratulated on the success of his movie music (A Man of Great Imagination—Reprise #2), but is distracted by SOPHIE’s disappearance.

Paralyzed by fear, SOPHIE wanders the streets; JOSEPH and ILYA search for her all night (Nowhere to Go).  SOPHIE finds JACK’s calling card in her pocket, and exhausted and delirious, she heads to the address on the card.  On a telephone in a bar, MIKE speaks with the unseen character who has posted a reward for SOPHIE.  MIKE offers to deliver SOPHIE to him by the next day.

The next morning at the theatre, MR. PLOTNIK, thrilled with the success of the premiere, tells JOSEPH he has invited a banker for a command performance (When Mr. Banker Says Yes).  JOSEPH feigns excitement, but knows he can’t present the movie music without SOPHIE, with whom he has fallen in love.  JOSEPH asks for a delay, but MR. PLOTNIK threatens to fire JOSEPH and the band if they don’t follow through with the command performance.  In desperation JOSEPH asks the other band members to find MIKE to play the piano part.

A few moments later at JACK’s apartment, SOPHIE enters, exhausted and bedraggled.  JACK doesn’t recognize her, but she has his card, so he knows they met at some point. JACK comforts her (A Little Bit of Magic).

At the theatre, RUTH introduces herself to JOSEPH; she is distraught over SOPHIE’s disappearance (The Costume Song Reprise #1).  The band is ready to perform, and MIKE has been dragged in, drunk, to play piano.  ILYA promises RUTH they will find SOPHIE (All I Remember Reprise).

Later the same morning at DAVID’s movie studio JACK appears, with SOPHIE, who he now feels responsible for.  SOPHIE meets MISSY at the studio, who tries to help her (My Life Is This Movie—Reprise #1).   SOPHIE realizes RUTH will be worried about her but remains paralyzed by fear (Nowhere to Go—Reprise).  JACK remembers that he met SOPHIE at the theatre, and he rushes to alert JOSEPH of the situation.

At the theatre JOSEPH and MR. PLOTNIK have begun their presentation for the banker (Reminiscence—Reprise #2).  JACK interrupts them, and to MR. PLOTNIK’s dismay and embarrassment, JOSEPH leaves the presentation and goes to the studio to find SOPHIE.  RUTH joins him.

JACK gets back to the studio in time to film a scene with MISSY.  JOSEPH arrives, then goes to look for SOPHIE, who has wandered off.  MISSY wrongly accuses JACK of being romantically involved with SOPHIE, and breaks up with him, leaving him without a stage partner for the vaudeville performance that evening.  RUTH arrives at the studio, barging into the scene that JACK and MISSY are filming, emotionally accusing JACK of stealing SOPHIE (The Costume Song—Reprise #2). DAVID captures this on film, thrilled with RUTH’s “performance.”  SOPHIE appears and is reunited with RUTH.  She innocently kisses JACK on the cheek in appreciation for his help, which enrages MISSY.  After JACK leaves, SOPHIE explains to MISSY that she is not romantically involved with JACK, and MISSY relents.  JOSEPH returns and begs SOPHIE to come to the theatre with him to perform, as she is now “one of the boys” (Her Life is a Movie—Reprise #2), but she declines.  After JOSEPH leaves, MISSY encourages SOPHIE to save the day, but to do it dressed as a woman (One of the Boys).  After SOPHIE and RUTH leave for the theatre, MIKE appears at the studio with OFFICER ROONEY, looking for SOPHIE, to no avail.  MISSY steals the poster from MIKE’s back pocket and learns about the reward.

MIKE speaks on the phone again with the unseen character who is after SOPHIE, and is offered a reward double the initial amount, but must capture her before a boat leaves later that day.

At the theatre, MR. PLOTNIK is ready for his final chance to present to the banker, who has returned for the evening performance (My Life Is This Movie—Reprise #2).  The performers return; SOPHIE is dressed as a woman, and JOSEPH asks her to join him on stage after changing into a man’s outfit.  SOPHIE will only go on dressed as a woman (I Don’t Need Magic).  MIKE appears with OFFICER ROONEY to take SOPHIE away.  SOPHIE and JOSEPH sing of how she belongs on stage (It Doesn’t Matter Where—Reprise).  MR. PLOTNIK has a change of heart, allowing SOPHIE to play with the band, and then bribes OFFICE ROONEY, who leaves.  In desperation MIKE tries to abduct SOPHIE.  MISSY explains that MIKE is doing this for the reward.  JOSEPH punches MIKE, who releases SOPHIE.  MIKE is exiled.

SOPHIE is now safe, but the audience for the vaudeville show is waiting—JACK, still needing a partner, pulls RUTH on stage with him.  Since RUTH is very theatrical but has never rehearsed with JACK, the juggling act is filled with hilarious missteps (Someone to Lend a Hand Reprise).  DAVID has an idea—to make they a comedy team in moving pictures.  JACK gets hurt during the act, and MISSY runs on to help him; they are reunited.  In an epilogue (A Man of Great Imagination Reprise #3) the ensemble sings of the future successes of JOSEPH, SOPHIE, JACK, RUTH, and their community.  A final short movie is shown featuring MISSY, JACK, and RUTH, all now movie stars (Incidental Music–Moving Picture Music—Finale), accompanied by JOSEPH, SOPHIE and the band.  A romantic moment in the movie is echoed by a kiss between JOSEPH and SOPHIE as the movie and show end.