Foxes: The Musical
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| Foxes: The Musical | |
|---|---|
 Foxes Artwork | |
| Music | Shannon Parnell |
| Lyrics | Shannon Parnell |
| Book | Rachel Pengilly |
| Premiere | January 31, 2018: Belconnen Community Theatre |
| Productions | 2018 Belconnen Community Theatre(Ribix Productions) |
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Foxes: The Musical is an original musical with music and lyrics by Shannon Parnell and a book by Rachel Pengilly.[1][2][3]. Centering around two young women, Indi and Sierra, the musical focuses on themes of family and belonging[1][4]
Foxes premiered January 31 - February 3, 2018, at Belconnen Community Theatre in Canberra[2][5][6] and was originally produced by Canberra theatre company Ribix Productions[7][8][3]. Early-bird tickets were released in November and all four shows sold out[8][9][6]. The musical received rave reviews from critics and audience members[9], with Parnell's original music and Pengilly's characters the main addressees.
Synopsis[edit]
Original Production[2][3][edit]
Prologue[10][11][edit]
Queen Maria teaches her daughter Rosie the importance of making sure everyone belongs regardless of their status ("A Place for You"). Queen Maria later dies in a car accident and King Charles, so wrapped up in his grief, begins to forget his kingdom and his daughter. Rosie, feeling alone and without her place in the world, runs away from home ("A Place for Me").
Act I[edit]
Eight years later, a small café is overrun by a gang of street-kids titled the 'Foxes', who are fighting against and trying to bring down the King ("The Foxes"). The runaway Princess Rosie, now calling herself Indi, stumbles into the midst of their celebrations and comes face to face with Sierra, the fiercely protective leader of the 'Foxes'. After the gang receive a threatening edict from King Charles, Indi slips away to the palace with a plan to steal the music box gifted to her as a child. Her plan is thwarted, however, when King Charles discovers her in his office and attempts to make things right between them. Indi, confused and frustrated after he refuses to give up the music box, escapes the palace and realises that she has been blaming her father for all of her problems. Inside his office, King Charles mirrors her anger and grief. Above them, Queen Maria appears, trying to convince them of their similarities, and reminds them that they can still be a family ("Like Father, Like Child").
Indi, after coming to a conclusion about stealing the music box, is hit on the head by a garden gnome and knocked unconscious. Robin, one of the youngest 'Foxes' members, runs up to her in shock and starts wrapping bandages around her head in an attempt to fix her. Indi, waking up, discovers that Robin had been throwing garden gnomes at the palace windows in an attempt to prove his bravery ("I Can Be Brave"). Indi is jealous of Robin's innocent nature and begins to wish that she could "Turn Back Time" to when she was a child with a home and a family. Soon after, Robin is caught by palace guards, who are suspicious of him "sneaking around outside the palace". Indi convinces them that Robin is her brother and that he only came looking for her, and the guards turn Robin loose. It is at this moment that Sierra and the rest of the 'Foxes', looking for Robin, run into him and Indi. Robin, in awe of Indi's deceptive skills, tells her that she should become part of their gang, the 'Foxes'. Sierra quickly refuses, causing a heated argument in sign language with her deaf second-in-command, Ashton; during this, the palace guards return and chase them away.
Safe in the 'Foxes' Headquarters, the gang continue the discussion: Indi is eager to join the 'Foxes', as it will provide her with and Sierra is stubbornly against it. Dakota, the "smart one of the team", and Jay, the arrogant flirt, decide to resolve the argument by reviewing what Indi has to offer ('Work It Off"). After Robin retells how Indi managed to so easily convince the palace guards that he was her sister, Indi is voted into the gang by all except Sierra. Sierra, furious that her gang aren't following her lead, confides in Ashton her feelings of betrayal and says that she believes Indi is hiding something from them. Ashton agrees with her, but tells her not to worry.
The next morning, whilst the gang are checking on their suppliers in the marketplace, Indi reluctantly admits that she was at the palace because she was trying to steal a music box. She is interrupted by the yells of a baker who is being robbed. Sierra takes charge of the situation and, as Jay distracts the baker by throwing baguettes, runs in to rescue the thief, who happens to be a small girl called Bree. Sierra and Dakota comfort Bree, telling her that she can join the 'Foxes' as long as she has something to offer. Just as Bree mentions that she likes to make pancakes, Dakota realises that Robin is missing. The gang spread out, searching for him until Indi realises that he must have gone to the palace to try and steal the music box for her. Sierra storms off angrily, leaving Ashton and Jay looking for Robin whilst Dakota and Indi take Bree back to Headquarters. Indi is confused as to why the 'Foxes' demand something from each member and Dakota explains that having something to offer makes each person "feel like a valuable member of the team". As Dakota and Bree walk ahead, Indi begins to realise that she finally feels at home with the 'Foxes', a feeling she hasn't had in a long time. Meanwhile, Sierra is beginning to feel isolated from her gang. Both are unsure as to their course of action ("Which Way").
Act II[edit]
King Charles is fed up with the gang and resolves to take action against them, whilst his attendants sympathise secretly with the gang ("More and Less of Happiness). Hiding within the palace, Robin is arrested by the guards and turned over to King Charles. Back in the café, the 'Foxes' receive a message from King Charles telling them of Robin's arrest and commanding them to stand down in order to keep Robin from being hurt. The gang start to turn on each other: Sierra blames Indi for joining the gang in the first place, Indi blames Jay for putting ideas of bravo in Robin's head, Jay blames Robin for not being smart enough. Bree eventually speaks out, saying that they must all share the blame ("One Man Down") and the gang start to formulate a plan for Robin's escape.
Inside the palace, King Charles interrogates Robin about the 'Foxes'. Robin answers every question excessively, revealing to the King each person's job within the gang: Jay is the first one to start the fighting, Dakota sets up the technical equipment and collects data, Sierra runs the raids, and Ashton's role is normally behind the scenes due to his deafness. Robin also reveals to King Charles that Indi is now part of the 'Foxes'. As King Charles goes to leave, Robin stops him to ask him not to hurt the gang as "they all have good hearts". King Charles is shaken by the fact that he was prepared to hurt children and admits to the memory of Queen Maria that he isn't sure how to best rule the kingdom ("My Dear Maria").
One of the palace guards delivers Robin food whilst he is in prison, unknowingly giving him an earpiece hidden in the food. Robin discovers it, allowing the gang back at Headquarters to walk him through the escape plan. Robin refuses to follow through with the plan, however, and offers an alternative: to sneak into the ball at the palace that night and confront King Charles. Robin explains to the gang that King Charles was confused as to the gang's purpose, and suggests that the King doesn't know why the 'Foxes' are fighting against him. Dakota starts to agree with Robin, saying that a confrontation with King Charles in front of other people might actually change things for the better. Indi is still worried about Robin, but Robin reassures her that he can wait a little longer ("I Can Be Brave (Reprise)"). Sierra finally decides to follow Robin's plan and the gang leave to prepare.
At the palace, King Charles' Royal Advisor Karla and her intern Devin are stressing as the preparations for the ball are not going to plan ("Everything is Going Wrong"). As the ball begins, Sierra and Ashton enter dressed up as guests. Jay sneaks over to them disguised as a server and, after pointing out Dakota pretending to be a musician, confirms that Indi and Bree have gone to find Robin. Sierra becomes agitated in waiting for them to return and forces Ashton to dance with her ("Wild Animals"). As the dance finishes, King Charles starts to speak and Sierra, sick of waiting for Indi and Bree to come back with Robin, stands up with an objection. Dakota joins her, calling King Charles out in front of the guests at the ball, listing the problems with the employment systems and the families that "fall under the radar". Jay and Ashton stand with them, with Jay revealing that the King's orphanage system made him into a criminal. King Charles tries to defend himself, causing Sierra to grow angry. After calling him a coward and claiming that the destruction of his kingdom is his own fault, Sierra grabs King Charles and spits on him. The palace guards, previously on King Charles' order to stay back, come forward to arrest Sierra but she quickly throws them off. In the ensuing fight, she takes one of their guns and aims it at King Charles. It is at this moment that Indi, Bree and Robin run in.
Indi steps in front of the gun and finally reveals herself as the runaway Princess Rosalind. Sierra, conflicted, refuses to stand down and commands Indi to take Robin and Bree out of the room as "they don't need to see this". Indi remains between Sierra and King Charles, even as Sierra threatens to shoot her as well. Ashton yells at Sierra to get her attention and Sierra swings around to him, still holding the gun. Ashton steps in the way of the gun, protecting both Indi and King Charles, and tells Sierra that she is "better than this". Realising what she is doing, Sierra drops the gun and is quickly arrested by the palace guards who throw her into prison.
There, Sierra begins to see that whilst her intentions were to protect her gang, her actions have alienated herself from them. She fears that, in attempting to kill King Charles, she has revealed herself as a villain; she tries to come to terms with the idea of a future spent without her family, the 'Foxes' ("Alone Again"). As she sits by herself, Ashton is shown in by Indi, who is assumed to have bailed Sierra out, and he sits with Sierra.
Weeks pass, and Indi returns to the café after settling King Charles and herself in a place up north. The 'Foxes' reveal that, in the time that has passed and since Sierra was released from prison, they haven't seen much of her. It is at this moment that Indi notices Sierra sneaking into the back of the café with a travel bag, looking prepared to run away. Indi confronts her, asking why she is leaving her gang when they are her family and Sierra tells her that she can't face the 'Foxes' after what she did. When she tries to leave, the gang are confused and remind her that they are family, no matter what happens ("You'll Always Have a Home"). It is left for the audience to decide whether she ends up leaving or staying.
After the curtain call, the entire cast unite for the "Finale".
Musical Numbers[edit]
Titles of songs that do not appear on the Original Cast Recording are in italics.[12]
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Cast and Characters[edit]
The original production featured a double cast for all lead roles[8].
| Character | Belconnen Community Theatre (Cast 1) |
Belconnen Community Theatre (Cast 2) |
|---|---|---|
| Sierra | Katherine Berry | Shannon Parnell [lower-alpha 1] |
| Indi | Annie Liana Scott | Chazelle Cromhout |
| Ashton [lower-alpha 2] | Tanner Clark | Kate Bonnett |
| Robin [lower-alpha 3] | Grace Duncan | Joe Pike |
| Dakota | Angela Parnell | Holly Hancock |
| Jay | Caleb Wells | Andy Campbell [lower-alpha 4] |
| King Charles | Tim Lim | |
| Queen Maria | Brittany Lewis | |
| Rosie / Bree | Lara Duncan | Matilda Watts |
| Karla | Tessani Wells | |
| Devin | Shelly Robb | |
| Joe / Emcee | Jason Sarossy | |
| Jenna / Photographer | Matilda Saddington | |
| Stacy | Hazel Kinnear | |
| Anna / Soloist | Belle Harvey | |
| Angie / Flame 1 | Hannah Pengilly | |
| Meg / Flame 2 | Abby Maskell | |
| Liza | Sarah Stephens | |
| Baker / Chef | Cassandra Hanbridge | |
| Soloist | Maddy McGrath | |
| Florist | Stephanie Stephens | |
- Notes
- ↑ Shannon Parnell also worked in the role of Musical Director, Lyricist and Composer
- ↑ In the Original Production, this role was male or female dependant on the cast
- ↑ In the Original Production, this role was male or female dependant on the cast
- ↑ Andy Campbell was also the understudy for King Charles
Production[edit]
In 2017, Ribix Productions uploaded 'Foxes: The Musical' to the crowd-based funding platform Stir[13]. The musical was entered into the Season 3 grant round and received 277 votes.[13]
References[edit]
- ↑ 1.0 1.1 "Ribix Productions | Canberra". Ribix Productions | Canberra. Retrieved 2018-01-28.
- ↑ 2.0 2.1 2.2 Cerabona, Ron (2018-01-22). "Foxes: the Musical by two Canberra teenagers: an original musical with no fairytale ending". Canberra Times. Retrieved 2018-01-28.
- ↑ 3.0 3.1 3.2 "StageCenta : Foxes: The Musical". StageCenta. Retrieved 2018-03-22.
- ↑ Cerabona, Ron (2018-01-22). "Foxes: the Musical at Belconnen Theatre by Shannon Parnell and Rachel Pengilly". The Sydney Morning Herald. Retrieved 2018-03-22.
- ↑ "StageCenta : Everyshow - Everyday - Everywhere". StageCenta. Retrieved 2018-02-04.
- ↑ 6.0 6.1 "Foxes: The Musical". www.trybooking.com. Retrieved 2018-02-04.
- ↑ Lowe, Zac (2018-01-14). "Pengilly has her eye on the Foxes". Yass Tribune. Retrieved 2018-01-28.
- ↑ 8.0 8.1 8.2 Brady, Sophia. "Ribix Productions: providing a platform for emerging young performers | The RiotACT". The RiotACT. Retrieved 2018-03-21.
- ↑ 9.0 9.1 "Ribix Productions". www.facebook.com. Retrieved 2018-02-04.
- ↑ Ribix Productions (2018-05-31), Their Story Begins... | FOXES: THE MUSICAL Act I, Scene 1 | Cast 1, retrieved 2018-06-14
- ↑ Ribix Productions (2018-05-31), Their Story Begins... | FOXES: THE MUSICAL Act I, Scene 1 | Cast 2, retrieved 2018-06-14
- ↑ "Ribix Productions | Canberra". Ribix Productions | Canberra. Retrieved 2018-06-14.
- ↑ 13.0 13.1 "Foxes: The Musical by Ribix". Stir / Crowd-voted Grants for Creative Projects. Retrieved 2018-06-14.
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