The Marsh King's Daughter: Hans Christian Andersen and Mary Rose

Ed Rutherford here. Mary Rose opens this weekend, and I wanted to give those of you who are interested a glimpse into parts of the process of adapting the original public domain J.M. Barrie play into this world premiere musical. One of the things I was interested in exploring in the adaptation was to have an answer (even if it’s one that is only kept to myself and the cast and creative team) for exactly what happens to the title character when she vanishes on the Island and then is returned unchanged a long time later, with only the vaguest impressions of where she’s been and no knowledge of how long she’s been away. I was also interested in exploring how Mary Rose herself might feel about or try to understand what has happened to her. For the adaptation, my way into this was to think about another author whose stories really got under my skin as a child: Hans Christian Andersen.

You know his stories, even if you don’t necessarily realize that he was the source of them. Like the Brothers Grimm, he has been often adapted and updated in other media, frequently in ways that bowdlerize the darkness of the source material. He’s responsible for The Little Mermaid (the version where, spoilers, the mermaid dies), The Snow Queen (which many years later was the seed that sprouted into Disney’s ‘Frozen’ franchise), The Ugly Duckling, Thumbelina, and a host of other stories that still permeate our collective consciousness.

The hard copy collection of those fairy stories that I grew up on was the 1940’s ‘Andersen’s Fairy Tales’ with illustrations by Arthur Szyk, and that copy (although increasingly battered and worn) still sits on my bookshelf to this day. The illustrations are vivid and intense, and have an intensely stylized quality to them that so often characterizes Szyk’s work. His drawings often resemble stained glass windows to me, with impassive faces of angels and cherubs applied to especially his drawings of children. Some of his more detailed work even smacks of illuminated medieval manuscripts. Other drawings have the flavor of a political cartoon in their exaggeration and indeed Szyk was a political cartoonist as well as an illustrator. Here’s an example of a moment Szyk portrays from the beginning of The Snow Queen:

The above is from the very beginning of The Snow Queen, before we are introduced to the title character or the two children Gerda and Kay. The opening of the story explains about a magic mirror that twists everything that appears in it to magnify the worst qualities of it, and as a prologue to the main tale describes the wickedness that follows when the mirror shatters and its shards are flung across the earth.

Another character that oddly appears at least by mention in two different Andersen stories is the Marsh King. He is some sort of fey creature that rules over the bogs and swamps of the world, and woe befall any who sink into his domain. Here he is in one of Szyk’s drawings:

The first of Andersen’s stories that mention this character is “The Girl Who Trod on a Loaf.” Much like many of the stories in Shockheaded Peter, the tale involves a child being punished egregiously for doing something improper or ‘wicked.’ In this case the child is charged with bringing her mother a loaf of bread, and is so preoccupied with keeping her outfit and fine shoes clean that during the trip she drops the loaf in a swamp and steps on it to cross over a puddle. Instead, she sinks into the Marsh King’s den and all manner of unpleasant things happen to her. Szyk finds this story so compelling that he’s drawn it not once but twice: first immediately after her descent, and second when she becomes a kind of curio or ornament on display in the Marsh King’s world, frozen still alongside other sinners:

But the Marsh King is also a key figure in another Andersen story, titled appropriately enough “The Marsh King’s Daughter.” It is sprawling tale involving Vikings, storks, Egypt and transformations into toads among other things, but one part struck me as very significant and similar to Mary Rose’s situation. Near the end of the story, the title character finds herself in similar situation to Mary Rose: she, too, vanishes and returns after what seems to her to have been the briefest of moments, but to the rest of the world a longer time has passed. It’s an odd twist to the end of the tale, that arguably snatches away what otherwise would be a standard “prince and princess marry and live happily ever after” faerie tale ending.

One of my conceits for this adaptation of Mary Rose is that, since Hans Christian Andersen was first translated into English and available to the British public by the mid 1800s (i.e. by the time the character of Mary Rose would have been a young child), the character knows these stories, grew up on them, and in one key song late in the show tries to explain to herself what has transpired in terms of these tales. The name of the song? “The Marsh King’s Daughter.”

Hope you’ve enjoyed this little detour into the adaptive process, and that you’ll check out Mary Rose! Tickets are on sale and we start performances any day now!

And now, a Message from Dr. Horrible...

Introducing the actor who will be playing Dr. Horrible in our authorized fan production this fall... Kevin Webb! The good doctor (or should we say the bad doctor?) has something to say regarding the ongoing Fractured Atlas crowdfunding campaign for the show...to donate, click the "Support Dr. Horrible" link above!

We do the Weird Stuff! Our 2021-2022 Season: Dr. Horrible, and Mary Rose!

Join our Evil League of Evil and support the Dr. Horrible Chicago Fractured Atlas fundraising campaign by clicking the "Support Dr. Horrible" link above!

Tickets for Dr. Horrible are now on sale! Click the "Doctor Horrible Tix" link above!

Black Button Eyes Productions is pleased to announce its 2021-22 season, launching this fall with the popular internet musical Dr. Horrible’s Sing-Along Blog, an authorized fan production to benefit the Chicago charity Season of Concern. Artistic Director Ed Rutherford directs this live stage version of the award-winning online sensation written by Joss Whedon, Maurissa Tancharoen, Jed Whedon and Zack Whedon.

Black Button Eyes’ 2021-22 season concludes next winter with the world premiere musical Mary Rose, adapted from the public domain play of the same name by J. M. Barrie (Peter Pan). Artistic Director Ed Rutherford also directs this eerie faerie tale featuring book, music and lyrics by Rutherford and Jeff Bouthiette.

Both productions will be presented at The Edge Theater (mainstage), 5451 N. Broadway Ave. in Chicago’s Edgewater neighborhood. Tickets for Dr. Horrible ($30) go on sale Thursday, July 1, 2021 at drhorriblechicago.eventbrite.com. Tickets for Mary Rose will go on sale at a later date.

In response to the COVID-19 pandemic, all cast and crew will be fully vaccinated. Audience members will be required to be at least two weeks out from their final dose of a COVID-19 vaccine by the performance they attend – and will also be required to wear masks.

Comments Artistic Director Ed Rutherford, “While we're optimistic that rescheduling won't be necessary, we will only proceed with the productions on the current timetable if Illinois and Chicago are in phase five in time for the start of performances – otherwise we will postpone.”

Black Button Eyes Productions’ 2021-22 Season:

October 8 – November 6, 2021 Dr. Horrible’s Sing-ALong Blog An authorized fan production to benefit Season of Concern Written by Joss Whedon, Maurissa Tancharoen, Jed Whedon and Zack Whedon Directed by Artistic Director Ed Rutherford Press opening: Saturday, October 9, 2021 at 7:30 pm

Through his webcam, supervillain wannabe Dr. Horrible shares his grand plans to crush his nemesis Captain Hammer, win the affection of the girl of his dreams and join the Evil League of Evil. This authorized staged fan adaptation of the celebrated comic musical web series will benefit the Chicago charity Season of Concern.

January 7 – February 12, 2022 Mary Rose – World Premiere! Book, Music & Lyrics by Artistic Director Ed Rutherford and Jeff Bouthiette Adapted from the public domain play of the same name by J. M. Barrie Directed by Artistic Director Ed Rutherford Press opening: Sunday, January 9, 2022 at 3 pm

This world premiere musical spins the tale of a haunted young woman named Mary Rose, and the mysterious supernatural connection between her, a manor house in Sussex and a misty island in the Scottish Hebrides.

Design Almosts in Whisper House: A How-the-Sausage-Got-Made-in-a-Parallel-Universe-Post

This post is dedicated to choices that fell by the wayside for various reasons in pre-production for Whisper House; the ideas that were cool or promising that there wasn't quite the time or budget for, or we decided would be too distracting...here's a taste of the "almosts" for the show!

The Eyeball Lighthouse- The script urges the set designer for a production of Whisper House to not attempt to literally build the lighthouse on the stage, and we follow that guidance in this production of show.Instead, our set incorporates the silhouette of the Maine coastline, with the shadow/outline of the lighthouse represented in the center, with some cleverly rigged lighting at the top that allows a few different looks (rotating brighe light, sort of a "rippling, watery glow", and a more standard light as well). The lamp at the top is the (traditional) fresnel lens, but we almost went much more expressionist with it. Perhaps you've seen our postcard image?

I feel like I’m being watched.

I feel like I’m being watched.

I asked the Eye at the top of the lighthouse to be incorporated into the graphic design for a few reasons. First, since the lighthouse is a place of secrets, it's appropriate to give the design of the structure a bit of an Illuminati vibe. I also was a bit inspired by the sun/light bulb in the Picasso painting Guernica; to me that image has always resembled a pitiless, staring eye. Thematically it resonates to me because of the role of God in the universe of Whisper House- rather than intervening to help these messed up people, the light of the lighthouse is an eye that stares impassively, but doesn't get involved.

So in initial set design discussions, I was interested in incorporating this eye imagery into the representation of the lighthouse in the set as well. Just one problem:

Oops.

Oops.

It eventually became clear that in doing a kind of eyeball-tower on stage we'd be making a (potentially very confusing) cultural reference that we didn't mean to. So reluctantly the EyeballHouse was scrapped.

The Ghosts and Touching in Whisper House; A How-The-Easter-Egg-Got-Made Post

WARNING: Spoilers for the show if you haven't seen it yet!

One of the themes in Whisper House is touch- human contact and connection, or the lack thereof. The stage directions make a big deal out of moments of physical contact between certain characters. For instance, in an early scene in which Yasuhiro and Lily are making tea, there is a moment where he almost might touch her to comfort her, and instead thinks better of it. In another scene in which Lily and Christopher are struggling to connect emotionally at the breakfast table, Lily tries to take Christopher's hand and Christopher sharply withdraws from her physically. The first time that Yasuhiro and Lily touch meaningfully is when she is cleaning his shirt near the end of the play, at the same time that the Ghosts sing about feeling "the touch of one you love..." I and our choreographer Derek thought this theme was important enough that we also incorporated it heavily into our portrayal of the two Ghost characters as well. Did you notice?

For the entirety of the play until the very final book scene, the two Ghosts (who were unexpressed lovers in life) never touch each other.

In our particular version of 'ghost rules' that we set for the show, part of their eternal punishment is that they actually aren't able to physically come into contact with each other. They can come very close to each other, even within inches, but are never able to connect directly, Instead, they either can use fabric (most frequently the male ghost's dress scarf) or manipulate the living in tandem. The touches that the living in the show are taking for granted are permanently denied the spirit characters.

This was my way in to figuring out the ghost characters' motivations. In his ghost story about the fate of the Solomon Snell yacht, Sheriff Charles opines that they simply want revenge on the living- to take lives as vengeance for the full lives filled with love and happiness that they never got. Fair enough, I suppose. But I was curious what other "why" they might have- what other goals- if we don't take Charles' statement at face value. After all, he's wrong about plenty of other things- why should we take his word for what's going on with the ghosts?

My theory for this production is that the ghosts are looking for freedom- both to touch each other, and to move on to the afterlife. But they are wrong about what is needed for them to be free. They think (like the ghost story Charles tells) that in order to end their ghostly state they need to take someone else's life, and that's why they are trying to nudge Christopher towards despair and suicide. My opinion for this rendition of the show: they are actually pinned in place by secrets, as punishment for the secret they kept (never declaring their love). And it's the speaking of secrets by the living that actually sets them free, unbeknownst to the Ghosts until their plot to drown Christopher fails.

Lily to Christopher in the final scene, just before the Ghosts exit the story:

"I'm going to tell you something that no one else living knows..."

The lighthouse is the titular Whisper House because it is filled with secrets and unexpressed feelings: Lily and Yasuhiro's feelings for each other, Charles' feelings for Lily, the truth about the wreck of the Solomon Snell, and on and on. The way to break the spell in our production is honest connection.

The Problem of the Sheriff in Whisper House: A How-The-Sausage-Got-Made Post

"And Quiet Men Turn into Wolves, During Certain Moons..."

From 'We're Here to Tell You,' Whisper House

WARNING: Spoilers ahead if you haven't seen the show!

The role of the Sheriff (also named Charles) in Whisper House is a tricky one. The actor playing him is written to double as the Doctor who breaks the bad news about his Mother to Christopher and sends him on his way to the lighthouse. As Sheriff Charles, he functions as an antagonist in several different ways: instilling xenophobic and jingoistic ideas in Christopher, posing a physical and legal danger to Yasuhiro, and imperiling Lily's plans in his service to an unjust law. Many of the ideas he expresses in the show are truly odious, especially viewed through the eyes of a 21st century audience member. When one of the ghosts sardonically muses, "Does he stand for justice, or something else instead?" when introducing the character to the audience, the script doesn't waste a lot of time getting to the 'something else.' The typical casting and portrayal for this type of role might be to make the part some sort of towering, swaggering bully, very much in the 'good ole boy' mode (the setting of Maine notwithstanding). The script definitely leans in that direction as well (the stage directions describe him as 'burly' in his first appearance). But the actor I chose to play the part, T.J. Anderson, decidedly doesn't match that type. What gives?

I think it's more dramatically interesting to lean against that type in the service of some of the other goals the piece is trying to accomplish. It's dramatically necessary for Christopher to take a very fast liking to the man, to the point that he readily soaks up his ideas and values. In the service of that need, it makes more sense to me for them to be more alike- for the Sheriff to be more bookish and slight, like Christopher is- and have similar energies onstage. The audience needs to understand why Christopher would find this character instantly likeable and listen to him- and what better way to accomplish that than to have the actor be one who exudes a likeable presence onstage (as T.J., frankly, does in spades)? Beyond that, I want the audience to find themselves liking the character at first, just like Christopher does, and then find themselves jarred by some of the insidious ideas that start coming out of his mouth. I wanted Charles to be portrayed in such a way that when he says about a Japanese character,

"He doesn't really count as someone, now does he?"

That the audience is genuinely surprised and appalled instead of it being exactly the sort of opinion we'd expect based on his type. To me, the lyric "And quiet men turn into wolves/ during certain moons" in the song "We're Here to tell You" is about Charles and men like him: mild-mannered people in whom certain circumstances bring out the worst. In this production we even underline that connection by having the actor playing the dual role 'transform' from the Doctor into the Sheriff during that lyric in the song, in a sort of parody of an old timey horror movie werewolf transformation. The circumstances of the piece bring out the worst in Charles, turning him from a banal but harmless individual into something truly dangerous.

We also see indications sprinkled throughout the script that Charles' focus on the lighthouse and suspicion of Yasuhiro have more complicated motivations than solely casual racism or misguided patriotic fervor: he has both a romantic interest in Lily and a genuine liking/sympathy for Christopher. We aren't asked to approve of Charles, but the script does ask us to understand him as another lonely, messed up individual who is making some terrible choices. In the song "Earthbound Starlight," for instance, a verse is dedicated in the script to seeing Charles on the shore, looking out longingly at the lighthouse at night (slightly reminiscent to me, at least, of Gatsby looking out across the water at Daisy's green light). In the end, though he still is condemned by the ghosts in the curtain call song as being "better when he doesn't do anything," he too has a modicum (however slight) of bending of his blind dedication to law-and-order in the final scene.

But let's be clear: he's still a jerk. I just think it's too easy (and lets audience members off the hook too easily) for him to be a totally hateful individual. Racists (and racism) are more complicated than that, and can also be much more subtle and hard to identify in the present day.

One advantage of casting T.J. in particular is that he's also an adept trumpet player. This was thematically/dramatically valuable to me at two moments in particular: the songs "Play Your Part," and the song "Earthbound Starlight." "Play Your Part" is the song in which the Ghosts convince Christopher to, well, 'play his part' by breaking his promise to Aunt Lily and turning Yasuhiro in. In the final verses of the song, a trumpet is very heavily featured in the orchestration, at the same time as Christopher has been convinced to conform/ go along with what society expects him to do. Since in the piece the Sheriff stands in as a proxy for that society with all its xenophobic and narrow-minded tendencies, it made a lot of sense to me to have that trumpet solo be literally played by the Sheriff onstage, as he leads Christopher behind him in a march towards conformity.

As mentioned before, in "Earthbound Starlight," the script shows us Charles looking longingly out over the water at the lighthouse during one verse. It's a moment that is at risk of being too static and also perhaps too confusing or obscure to the audience. Again, having an actor playing Charles who can play the trumpet line during that verse is advantageous; in addition to looking out over the water, he also is almost serenading Lily with his muted instrument- expressing his longing fumblingly but in the only way he knows how.

Now, as an audience member encountering the piece, none of the above may carry over, and it may not work for you- and that's completely valid! But if you're wondering what was going through my head...well, now you know.

-Ed

Check out our Spooooky Whisper House Photos!

A little earlier this month we did a photo shoot of the cast members of our Chicago Premiere production of the musical Whisper House by Broadway composer Duncan Sheik (Spring Awakening) and Broadway bookwriter Kyle Jarrow (The SpongeBob SquarePants Musical)! Photographed by Cole Simon with makeup by Syd Genco, these pictures give you just a taste of what's in store. Don't forget, tickets are on sale now! Just click on the "Whisper House Tix" link above!

Mikaela Sullivan (Ghost) and Leo Spiegel (Christopher)

Mikaela Sullivan (Ghost) and Leo Spiegel (Christopher)

Kevin Webb (Ghost) and Leo Spiegel (Christopher)

Kevin Webb (Ghost) and Leo Spiegel (Christopher)

Mikaela Sullivan (Ghost), Leo Spiegel (Christopher) and Kevin Webb (Ghost)

Mikaela Sullivan (Ghost), Leo Spiegel (Christopher) and Kevin Webb (Ghost)

Kevin Webb and Mikaela Sullivan (Ghosts)

Kevin Webb and Mikaela Sullivan (Ghosts)

Kevin Webb and Mikaela Sullivan (Ghosts)

Kevin Webb and Mikaela Sullivan (Ghosts)

Kevin Webb and Mikaela Sullivan (Ghosts)

Kevin Webb and Mikaela Sullivan (Ghosts)

Mikaela Sullivan (Ghost), Leo Spiegel (Christopher) and Kevin Webb (Ghost)

Mikaela Sullivan (Ghost), Leo Spiegel (Christopher) and Kevin Webb (Ghost)

A video from Ghost Quartet rehearsal! "I Don't Know"

At the link below is a taste of the music of Ghost Quartet from one of our early music rehearsals- a part of Side One, Track One, "I Don't Know"! Featuring TJ Anderson (the Astronomer), Alex Ellsworth (the Bear), Amanda Raquel Martinez (Pearl) and Rachel Guth (Rose). With music director Nick Sula on additional instruments. Enjoy!

Enjoy this clip from rehearsal for the Chicago Premiere of Dave Malloy's musical Ghost Quartet! This is one of our early run throughs of Side 1, Track 1, "I Don't Know," from the show. Performances are July 12-August 17, 2019. Tickets on sale now!