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'Ghost Brothers of Darkland County'
John Mellencamp goes gothic;
NEW YORK DAILY NEWS
Published: Tuesday, June 4, 2013, 2:00 AM
Updated: Tuesday, June 4, 2013, 2:00 AM
Heartland rocker John Mellencamp and hit horrormeister Stephen King wouldn’t strike anyone as soul mates on the surface. But for a new musical they created called “Ghost Brothers of Darkland County,” they found a workable bond. It was hinted at by Mellencamp’s more recent recordings, which revel in the goriest and most defiant qualities of American folk and blues.
King’s libretto for “Darkland” tells the story of two generations of violent brothers. The elder pair meet their end with a murder-suicide.
Fun stuff.
To set it all in song, Mellencamp drew on the dusty styles that have made the murder ballad a staple in the States. To voice them, he roped in a wily cast of singers, including Elvis Costello (adopting some unrecognizable timbres), Kris Kristofferson (who sounds like death personified), Sheryl Crow (who never sounded this pretty) and Rosanne Cash (who arises as the voice of reason). A croaky Mellencamp warbles just one piece at the end, wryly titled “The Truth.”
It’s not all grit. Black humor courses through the piece like a siren luring you to ruin. The singers emphasize Mellencamp’s fine delineation of character — the highest hurdle for a songwriter new to theatrical music. Ryan Bingham does a great take on Tom Waits in “You Are Blind,” Taj Mahal snarls through “Tear This Cabin Down,” while an ornery child singer, Clyde Mulroney, shows that even a kid in this world can have a sense of threat. Many of the songs speak about the pain of being unrecognized for your true self. By adapting so well to a new medium, the creators of this CD have likewise told us something about them we didn’t know.
'Elvis in Stephen King's "Ghost Brothers of Darkland County"
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Re: 'Elvis in Stephen King's "Ghost Brothers of Darkland Cou
IU Auditorium announces Ghost Brothers cast
By Amanda Arnold
Sep. 16, 2013
IU Auditorium announced Friday the cast for “Ghost Brothers of Darkland County,” Bloomington-native John Mellencamp, author Stephen King and producer T Bone Burnett’s musical collaboration that will debut in Bloomington.
The actors that make up the characters in the McCandless family, which includes some of the main characters, include Bruce Greenwood, Emily Skinner, Lucas Kavner and Joe Tippett.
The show’s themes include fraternal love, lust, jealousy and revenge.
The story takes place in Lake Belle Reve, Mississippi in 1967 and follows the story of the McCandless family.
In this small town, two brothers and a young girl are killed. No one knows exactly what happened.
No one except Joe McCandless.
The rest of the show is spent watching Joe decide if he can tell the truth in time to save his troubled sons.
The audience is left wondering if the ghosts left behind will help Joe, or if they will tear apart the McCandless family forever.
The full cast is composed of 15 actors and a four-piece live band.
Directors have worked on the musical for 13 years.
Its debut follows the release of an album produced by Burnett that came out earlier in the year.
Featured artists on the album include Elvis Costello, Sheryl Crow, and Rosanne Cash, and some of the songs are Mellencamp’s.
The show is sponsored by Nature’s Way and WTTS 92.3.
After the show premieres at 8 p.m. Oct. 10 in the IU Auditorium, it will go on to tour 20 cities throughout the Midwest and Southeast.
The musical will return to the auditorium for another performance Oct. 23.
Tickets range from $20 to $41 for students with a valid ID.
Tickets may be purchased at IUauditorium.com and Ticketmaster.com, as well as at the IU Auditorium Box Office.
By Amanda Arnold
Sep. 16, 2013
IU Auditorium announced Friday the cast for “Ghost Brothers of Darkland County,” Bloomington-native John Mellencamp, author Stephen King and producer T Bone Burnett’s musical collaboration that will debut in Bloomington.
The actors that make up the characters in the McCandless family, which includes some of the main characters, include Bruce Greenwood, Emily Skinner, Lucas Kavner and Joe Tippett.
The show’s themes include fraternal love, lust, jealousy and revenge.
The story takes place in Lake Belle Reve, Mississippi in 1967 and follows the story of the McCandless family.
In this small town, two brothers and a young girl are killed. No one knows exactly what happened.
No one except Joe McCandless.
The rest of the show is spent watching Joe decide if he can tell the truth in time to save his troubled sons.
The audience is left wondering if the ghosts left behind will help Joe, or if they will tear apart the McCandless family forever.
The full cast is composed of 15 actors and a four-piece live band.
Directors have worked on the musical for 13 years.
Its debut follows the release of an album produced by Burnett that came out earlier in the year.
Featured artists on the album include Elvis Costello, Sheryl Crow, and Rosanne Cash, and some of the songs are Mellencamp’s.
The show is sponsored by Nature’s Way and WTTS 92.3.
After the show premieres at 8 p.m. Oct. 10 in the IU Auditorium, it will go on to tour 20 cities throughout the Midwest and Southeast.
The musical will return to the auditorium for another performance Oct. 23.
Tickets range from $20 to $41 for students with a valid ID.
Tickets may be purchased at IUauditorium.com and Ticketmaster.com, as well as at the IU Auditorium Box Office.