Henry VI Part 1

by William Shakespeare

The Utah Shakespeare Festival 2018

Director Henry Woronicz
Scenic Designer Apollo Mark Weaver
Costume Designer Lauren T. Roark
Lighting Designer Michael Pasquini
Sound Designer/Composer Joe Payne

“Henry V has died, and his young son is soon crowned Henry VI. In France, war is raging. At home in England various factions are claiming the right to the throne, choosing between the symbolic red and white roses. In this seldom-produced history, Shakespeare gathers these threads together and combines them into a powerful tapestry of a country soon to be racked by civil war.”

For a script that is rarely done, this one sure had energy and drive, and was fun to watch. Sonically, we were interested in traditional melodies and a historical core with modern overtones and instrumentation. The score was written to span the divide between Shakespearean England and the director’s musical touchstones; Spirits by the Strumbellas, and 08 (Circle) by Bon Iver. Listen to my re-orchestrations of them below combined with original music. It was an exciting challenge.

Review: Finally, I applaud Joe Payne‘s sound design and music, which featured percussion for many of the battle scenes, but also electric guitar at critical moments—an unorthodox choice that worked well with the adrenaline of the battle scenes. – Russell Warne, Utah Theatre Blogger’s Association Article Link

Click here to listen to more clips and to purchase this score.