A Very Merry Unauthorized Children's Scientology Pageant | |
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File:A Very Merry Unauthorized Childrens Scientology Pageant promotional poster.gif Promotional publicity poster, Kurt Deutsch's Sh-K-Boom Records | |
Written by | Kyle Jarrow, from a concept by Alex Timbers |
Chorus | Thetans |
Characters | L. Ron Hubbard Xenu Tom Cruise Katie Holmes Kirstie Alley John Travolta IRS agent |
Date premiered | November 2003 |
Original language | English |
Subject | Scientology |
Genre | Musical |
Setting | Contemporary |
Official site |
A Very Merry Unauthorized Children's Scientology Pageant is a musical about Scientology and L. Ron Hubbard, written by Kyle Jarrow from a concept by Alex Timbers, the show's original director. The show was originally presented by Les Freres Corbusier, an experimental theatrical troupe. Alex Timbers initially came up with the concept and directed the play, while Kyle Jarrow wrote the accompanying book, music and lyrics.[1] Jarrow's script was "almost entirely based on Hubbard's own writings and the church's literature."[2]
The play first debuted in November 2003, and had sold-out Off-Off-Broadway and Off-Broadway runs that winter.[3] The play was initially shown at The Tank theatre on 42nd Street, and later moved to The John Houseman Theatre.[4] The play opened in Los Angeles in October of 2004.[3] In 2006, the play was performed at New York Theatre Workshop's 4th Street Theatre in New York City [4] and at the Center for the Arts in Boston [5] and at Dad's Garage Theatre in Atlanta. [6]
The 2006 edition of the play was an updated version, including sock puppet renditions by character Tom Cruise of his wife Katie Holmes and daughter Suri.[1] Other known Scientology celebrities that are portrayed as characters in the play include Kirstie Alley, and John Travolta.[3]
Plot synopsis
Though the child actors in the play are most often accomplished in their own right, their performances include a "realistic lack of polish", as they are actually playing non-professional children of Scientologists, performing in a holiday pageant.[2] The ages of the cast members typically range from 8 to 12.[7]
The play follows the life of L. Ron Hubbard as he developed Dianetics and then Scientology. As the cast is comprised of children, the play includes child-friendly explanations of technical Scientology jargon, including the e-meter, which is described in a puppet show,[1] and the reactive mind.[7] The aspects of space opera in Scientology are also discussed, and one of the child actors portrays an evil alien prince Xenu. The chorus of the play portray Thetans.[1] Though the musical pokes fun at Hubbard's science fiction writing and personal beliefs, the production has been called a "deadpan presentation" of his life story.[8]
The centerpiece of the production is the trial of Hubbard by the Internal Revenue Service.[9] Hubbard is later questioned in the play by skeptics, who bring up concerns about the Church of Scientology's finances and methods of recruiting and retaining members.[7]
Threatened by Church of Scientology
- New York
Early in the production of the play, John Carmichael, president of the Church of Scientology in New York, found out that a theatrical production involving Scientology was in the works.[10] After showing up unannounced to a rehearsal,[11] Carmichael sent a letter to the play's New York producer, Aaron Lemon-Strauss, citing his concerns at the possibility of being ridiculed.[12] In the letter, Carmichael also pointed out the church's many past lawsuits.[10] Alex Timbers was quoted as saying: "We've been told that the letter is a precursor to a lawsuit."[13] Carmichael visited the artistic staff a total of three times to voice his concerns before the play's debut.[13]
After this occurrence, Jarrow and Timbers' attorneys advised them to insert the word "Unauthorized" into the title of the play.[10] This move was done in order to avoid potential litigation from the Church of Scientology.[9]
In an interview with The New York Times, Carmichael later stated: "These folks have a right to write whatever play they want.. but they've sunk to cliches."[14] Carmichael asserted that L. Ron Hubbard was portrayed in the play as "an authoritarian demagogue whose methods create emotionless followers."[14]
- Los Angeles
When the production arrived in Los Angeles in 2004, the cast and crew were "intimidated" by Scientologists.[15] Scientology officials visited the theatre in the midst of rehearsals and handed out "documentation of court cases where the Church of Scientology had successfully prosecuted those seeking to disparage the Church's methods."[15] Director/creator Alex Timbers characterized these events as "terrifically wonderful and intimidating."[15] Editors from the Los Angeles Times received phone calls from Scientologists urging them not to write about the play.
In addition, the parents of one of the children from the cast received phone calls from members of the entertainment industry who were Scientologists. The parents of these cast members were told that if their children performed in the play, "it might be bad for their future career."[15] The parents politely informed these callers that they had read the script and understood the concerns voiced by the Scientologists, but did not share them.
Awards
- Obie Award, 2004 (Special Citations: Kyle Jarrow and Alex Timbers), New York City production[4][16]
- Garland Award, best director (Alex Timbers), Los Angeles production[17][18]
Reception
A Very Merry Unauthorized Children's Scientology Pageant received positive reviews from the press. A review in the The New York Times described the play as having a "crude, faux-naïf sensibility", and stated that it "provides a cult-hit blueprint for a young generation that prefers its irony delivered with not a wink but a blank stare."[7] A 2003 review in New York City's The Village Voice compared the play to The Resistible Rise of Arturo Ui, stating: "Just as Ui doesn't explain the complex phenomenon of the Third Reich, Scientology Pageant doesn't probe the psychology of cults; instead, both demystify subjects whose appeal stems in no small part from the mystique their acolytes have attributed to them."[19]
The Los Angeles Times reviewed the play in 2004, and stated that: "The show found a New York audience willing to move from the tongue-in-cheek children's pageant concept to something that became startingly adult."[10] In a 2004 review in The Guardian, the article cited notable quotes from other reviews, including The New York Times, The Village Voice, and The New York Observer. The review stated that audiences "have a chance to witness a wide-eyed, straight-faced, scrappy and touching telling of the story of L Ron set to a cheesy electro-pop score. See the great man, clad in a white Plyphonic Spree-style gown, wander from inquisitive soul to wounded war veteran to writer of pulp science fiction to leader of world religion. Sort of."[15]
Of the updated 2006 version, Variety magazine stated that "..the breezy one-hour show is equal parts adorable and creepy, hilarious and unsettling, making it way more compelling than your average holiday entertainment."[1] The Boston Globe also reviewed the 2006 edition of the play, and its review spent more time giving background on some of the cast and crew, particularly writer Kyle Jarrow, stating that "..Jarrow has created a musical about L. Ron Hubbard that is, in its own sardonic way, much more funny and touching than any of Cruise's diatribes against Ritalin."[8]
Cast recording
A cast recording of the play was released by Kurt Deutsch's Sh-K-Boom Records, on November 2, 2004.[3] The CD release received four out of five stars from All Music Guide,[20] where it was described as "Funny, weird and wonderful", and "the offbeat theater offering of the year."[20]
![](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/thumb/9/93/A_Very_Merry_Unauthorized_Childrens_Scientology_Pageant.jpg/250px-A_Very_Merry_Unauthorized_Childrens_Scientology_Pageant.jpg)
The first track on the album is entitled "Disclaimer", and is a general announcement to the audience. The Los Angeles Daily News surmised that this disclaimer served to "keep the creators of this acidic little send-up from getting hauled into court":[21]
Ladies and gentlemen: Before we go any further, I would just like to inform you, that Scientology, Scientologist, Dianetics, and the name L. Ron Hubbard, are registered trademarks - owned exclusively by the Church of Scientology. Thank you. Now let's get on with the show!
Songs include:
Track | Song Title |
1. | Disclaimer |
2. | Hey! It's A Happy Day! |
3. | L. Ron Hubbard |
4. | The Way That I Began |
5. | Searching |
6. | Science Of The Mind |
7. | Mister Auditor |
8. | Rain |
9. | Something Special |
10. | Finale |
11. | Rain With The Fabulous Entourage |
External links
- Official sites
- A Very Merry Unauthorized Children's Scientology Pageant, official site
- Sh-K-Boom Records, official site, on Kurt Deutsch's company's soundtrack
- Other
- Talkin' Off-Broadway, Review, Matthew Murray, (www.TalkinBroadway.com)
- About.com, review/analysis, Austin Cline
- Original Soundtrack, review of CD release, on All Music Guide
- Look, it's Xenu: A Very Merry Unauthorized Children's Scientology Pageant, LA Weekly, Review, Steven Mikulan, October 28 2004
- LandofTrust.com Website of author Kyle Jarrow
References
- ^ a b c d e Off Broadway - A Very Merry Unauthorized Children's Scientology Pageant, Variety (magazine), David Rooney, December 10 2006.
- ^ a b Review, A Very Merry Unauthorized Children's Scientology Pageant, Broadwayworld.com, Michael Dale, December 21 2006.
- ^ a b c d Youngsters Play Hollywood Spirituals in A Very Merry Unauthorized Children's Scientology Pageant, Playbill, Ernio Hernandez, October 15 2004.
- ^ a b c A Very Merry Unauthorized Children's Scientology Pageant Returns to NYC, Playbill, Ernio Hernandez, September 15 2006.
- ^ Songs of joy & praise (for L. Ron Hubbard), The Boston Globe, November 24, 2006
- ^ Rounding out the year in visual arts, theater, books, and the performing and culinary arts, creativeloafing.com, December 27, 2006
- ^ a b c d THEATER REVIEW; Crayon-Colored Excursion Into Positive Thinking, The New York Times, Ben Brantley, December 22 2003.
- ^ a b Songs of joy & praise (for L. Ron Hubbard): 'Unauthorized Children's Scientology Pageant' sets the story of church's founder to music, The Boston Globe, Christopher Muther, November 24 2006.
- ^ a b A CurtainUp Review: A Very Merry Unauthorized Children's Scientology Pageant, CurtainUp, Jerry Weinstein, December 2006.
Back in 2003 the avant garde theater group Les Freres Corbusier used media jujitsu to thwart the Church of Scientology after being threatened by a lawsuit by the Rev. John Carmichael, the Church's New York president. "Unauthorized" was added to the piece's title not merely for effect but to cushion the company against impending litigation. - ^ a b c d Astray in the manger, Los Angeles Times, Charles McNulty, October 10 2004.
- ^ Frères prove there is life and theater after college, The Yale Herald, Alexis Swerdloff, January 30, 2004, VOL. XXXVII, NO. 3.
- ^ Inspirational Irony, WNYC, Public Radio International, Kurt Andersen, November 29 2003.
The local president of the historically quite litigious Church of Scientology has made litigious noises about "A Very Merry Unauthorized Children's Scientology Pageant." "In general..I don't think you should ridicule a religion that helps people." - ^ a b On Stage and Off: A Church's Concerns, The New York Times, Jason Zinoman, November 14 2003.
- ^ a b Scientology's Child's Play, The New York Times, Zachary Pincus-Roth, December 21 2003.
- ^ a b c d e Curtain goes up on Scientology: At last, audiences can discover the secrets of Scientology without being zapped by the fabled electropsychometer, The Guardian, Dan Glaister, October 22 2004.
- ^ OBIES Awards, The Village Voice, "2004 Winners", Special Citations: Kyle Jarrow and Alex Timbers A Very Merry Unauthorized Children's Scientology Pageant, retrieved 2/23/07.
- ^ Josefsberg, Lysy, Etc. Set for Free 'Red Beard' Reading, Broadwayworld.com, BWW News Desk, January 24 2007.
- ^ Gutenberg! The Musical! - (Creative), "Alex Timbers", retrieved 2/22/07.
Alex Timbers (Director) Recent credits include Hell House (St. Ann's Warehouse), underground with David Dorfman Dance (BAM Next Wave and US tour), A Very Merry Unauthorized Children's Scientology Pageant (New York Theatre Workshop; OBIE Award—NYC; Garland Award, Best Director—LA)... - ^ Never Mind the Dianetics, Here's the Kiddie Scientologists, The Village Voice, Daniel Mufson, December 3 2003.
- ^ a b c Original Soundtrack, review of CD release, on All Music Guide, Sean Westergaard, AMG Album ID : R 714785.
- ^ Scientology skewered on stage in childish musical, Los Angeles Daily News, Even Henerson, Toronto Star Newspapers, Ltd., October 30 2004.
- ^ Sh-K-Boom Records, official site, on Kurt Deutsch's company's soundtrack, "Disclaimer" CD released November 2004.