 |
TV, the MusicalBook by Tracy Swedlow, Music by Ryan McQuinnWebsite: https://tv-the-musical.com OR https://decagon-chimes-x9b3.squarespace.com Contact Email: tracyswedlow@gmail.com |
|
SHORT OVERVIEW The bitter battle between two men from different worlds who fight each other for the right to be called “The Father of Electronic Television” no matter what it costs them. What they do changes the world forever. PARAGRAPH OVERVIEW As the curtain rises on “TV, The Musical,” the audience experiences the bustling entrance of the 1939 New York World’s Fair in a rousing opening number called “The World of Tomorrow.” Everybody who is there feels excited about a world on the brink of revolution. In a display of spectacle and power in front of the RCA Pavillion, David Sarnoff, the General of RCA, takes center stage, his voice ringing out with pride and optimism as he proclaims the dawn of the new era of broadcasting (i.e.) the commercial availability of television. In this moment of triumph tinged with the promise of a brighter future, all of this is shadowed by the looming specter of impending conflict in Europe for World War 2. Philo T. Farnsworth, the genius inventor of television stands somewhere watchful in front of the lone TV store window in Manhattan where he sees Sarnoff’s pronouncement. As Sarnoff makes his proclamation and yet does not mention Philo’s name (the inventor of TV), Philo’s world comes crashing down around him. The weight of this real achievement, coupled with the harsh reality of ruthless competition, proves too much to bear for him. In a terrible moment of collapse, he falls to the sidewalk, a lone figure amidst the bustling crowd, his anguish hidden from view. As musical unfolds, we go back to the beginning, exploring the origin stories of these titans of industry, their paths converging in a relentless pursuit of glory. From humble beginnings to soaring heights, each man grapples with the overwhelming pressure to claim the coveted title of “The Father of Television.” Yet beneath the veneer of success lies a darker truth: a world of secrets, manipulation, and the insidious grip of corporate power. Against this backdrop of ambition and intrigue, we witness the toll exacted by their relentless pursuit of greatness through invention and business. Health falters, relationships fracture, yet the indomitable spirit of determination and love shines through. In the end, for Pem and Philo who have gone through various tragedies such as the loss of their son, it is the journey to the moon all viewed on television by the entire world that becomes a symbol of hope, a testament to the resilience of the human spirit in the face of insurmountable odds and a reminder of the power of belief in oneself and the enduring legacy of those who dare to dream. Growing up in a small town like Columbus, Ohio, where quirky kids weren’t particularly fashionable, TV was my escape into a larger world I could turn on and off: lucky for me, it also came with a proscenium arch all its own. On TV, I discovered films and musicals on film and then soon found my parents’ Broadway cast albums, which I sang incessantly. Television was my gateway drug to theater, to acting, to becoming a writer, producer and director. Because of all this, I love theater, film and TV. A while ago, I had the honor of interviewing Pem Farnsworth (when she was 96 years old), the wife of the inventor of TV (Philo T. Farnsworth), at the Emmy Awards. When I told her how much I loved her story and how I wanted to make a musical out of it, she told me I was meant to do it – she could tell – she could feel it. I’ve never forgotten this moment. – Tracy Swedlow Development to Date
RYAN MCQUINN – COMPOSER I’ve written music since I was a child. Inspired by my mother, I would stay up past my bed time in her office writing music with her software. Since then, I’ve been fortunate to write for several audio dramas and video games with clients in the U.S, Germany, Portugal, Malaysia, and Russia. My work has been premiered by Orlando Contemporary Orchestra and Alterity Chamber Orchestra It has been nominated for and won several awards. I find expressing myself through music is more fulfilling than doing so through spoken language, and have always been told I should be writing for musicals. Since I have started down this path, I’ve enjoyed the people I have met, the new challenges to learn from and overcome, and the opportunity to offer my taste and style to the community. TRACY SWEDLOW – BOOKWRITER, LYRICIST, CONCEIVING PRODUCER I am the CEO, publisher, and editor-in-chief of InteractiveTV Today (ITVT) (https://itvt.com), which I founded in 1998, and am also the co-executive producer and director of the TV of Tomorrow Show conferences (https://itvt.com/tvot) that occur in San Francisco and New York City or as livestreaming events. Our ITVT email newsletter and Web site are read by thousands of high-level TV multiplatform-focused executives around the world. I interview these executives and creatives via video interviews called “Televisionation” (https://itvt.com/televisionation). SELECTED THEATER EXPERIENCE
My education includes a Ph.D fellowship in Directing (Theater) at the University of California, Berkeley studying with Tony Taccone; a Masters degree in Dramatic Criticism from Northwestern University; a certificate in French and French Literature from the Université de Cannes; a Bachelor of Arts degree in Theater History from Tulane University; studies in Drama at the Royal Holloway College at the University of London; as well as a high school degree from Culver Military Academy in Indiana. |
|
|
|
|
TV, the Musical
Book by Tracy Swedlow, Music by Ryan McQuinn
Website: https://tv-the-musical.com OR https://decagon-chimes-x9b3.squarespace.com
Contact Email: tracyswedlow@gmail.com
SHORT OVERVIEW
The bitter battle between two men from different worlds who fight each other for the right to be called “The Father of Electronic Television” no matter what it costs them. What they do changes the world forever.
PARAGRAPH OVERVIEW
As the curtain rises on “TV, The Musical,” the audience experiences the bustling entrance of the 1939 New York World’s Fair in a rousing opening number called “The World of Tomorrow.” Everybody who is there feels excited about a world on the brink of revolution. In a display of spectacle and power in front of the RCA Pavillion, David Sarnoff, the General of RCA, takes center stage, his voice ringing out with pride and optimism as he proclaims the dawn of the new era of broadcasting (i.e.) the commercial availability of television. In this moment of triumph tinged with the promise of a brighter future, all of this is shadowed by the looming specter of impending conflict in Europe for World War 2.
Philo T. Farnsworth, the genius inventor of television stands somewhere watchful in front of the lone TV store window in Manhattan where he sees Sarnoff’s pronouncement. As Sarnoff makes his proclamation and yet does not mention Philo’s name (the inventor of TV), Philo’s world comes crashing down around him. The weight of this real achievement, coupled with the harsh reality of ruthless competition, proves too much to bear for him. In a terrible moment of collapse, he falls to the sidewalk, a lone figure amidst the bustling crowd, his anguish hidden from view.
As musical unfolds, we go back to the beginning, exploring the origin stories of these titans of industry, their paths converging in a relentless pursuit of glory. From humble beginnings to soaring heights, each man grapples with the overwhelming pressure to claim the coveted title of “The Father of Television.” Yet beneath the veneer of success lies a darker truth: a world of secrets, manipulation, and the insidious grip of corporate power.
Against this backdrop of ambition and intrigue, we witness the toll exacted by their relentless pursuit of greatness through invention and business. Health falters, relationships fracture, yet the indomitable spirit of determination and love shines through. In the end, for Pem and Philo who have gone through various tragedies such as the loss of their son, it is the journey to the moon all viewed on television by the entire world that becomes a symbol of hope, a testament to the resilience of the human spirit in the face of insurmountable odds and a reminder of the power of belief in oneself and the enduring legacy of those who dare to dream.
Growing up in a small town like Columbus, Ohio, where quirky kids weren’t particularly fashionable, TV was my escape into a larger world I could turn on and off: lucky for me, it also came with a proscenium arch all its own. On TV, I discovered films and musicals on film and then soon found my parents’ Broadway cast albums, which I sang incessantly. Television was my gateway drug to theater, to acting, to becoming a writer, producer and director. Because of all this, I love theater, film and TV. A while ago, I had the honor of interviewing Pem Farnsworth (when she was 96 years old), the wife of the inventor of TV (Philo T. Farnsworth), at the Emmy Awards. When I told her how much I loved her story and how I wanted to make a musical out of it, she told me I was meant to do it – she could tell – she could feel it. I’ve never forgotten this moment. – Tracy Swedlow
Development to Date
- The book has been written, but can be tightened
- Production concept has been developed
- We’ve composed 3 songs
- Much effort has been made to inform executives in the TV industry that this is in development to “seed the market” for the right time when we ask for their support/investment
RYAN MCQUINN – COMPOSER
I’ve written music since I was a child. Inspired by my mother, I would stay up past my bed time in her office writing music with her software. Since then, I’ve been fortunate to write for several audio dramas and video games with clients in the U.S, Germany, Portugal, Malaysia, and Russia. My work has been premiered by Orlando Contemporary Orchestra and Alterity Chamber Orchestra It has been nominated for and won several awards.
I find expressing myself through music is more fulfilling than doing so through spoken language, and have always been told I should be writing for musicals. Since I have started down this path, I’ve enjoyed the people I have met, the new challenges to learn from and overcome, and the opportunity to offer my taste and style to the community.
TRACY SWEDLOW – BOOKWRITER, LYRICIST, CONCEIVING PRODUCER
I am the CEO, publisher, and editor-in-chief of InteractiveTV Today (ITVT) (https://itvt.com), which I founded in 1998, and am also the co-executive producer and director of the TV of Tomorrow Show conferences (https://itvt.com/tvot) that occur in San Francisco and New York City or as livestreaming events. Our ITVT email newsletter and Web site are read by thousands of high-level TV multiplatform-focused executives around the world. I interview these executives and creatives via video interviews called “Televisionation” (https://itvt.com/televisionation).
SELECTED THEATER EXPERIENCE
- Currently: Participate in many Theater Resources Unlimited (TRU) musical events and producer Master Class webinars
- Early 2008: Produced, directed and re-wrote an episode of the “Twilight Zone” called “The Obsolete Man” at the Dark Room in San Francisco.
- August 2005: Produced, wrote and directed a politically-charged multimedia “Blogtheater” (my term) piece that focused on post-election America called “Fuck That!: The
Political Science Show.” - Mid-1990’s: Worked with the stage manager during various George Coates’ productions in San Francisco. George is a famous empresario in San Francisco who mixed live theater with 2D and 3D projections on stage and was funded by Silicon Valley.
- 1992-1994: Conceived, produced, directed the first 3 Burning Man fashion shows (as interactive theater) on the Black Rock Desert.
- 1988-1989: Participated in the Director/Playwright Workshop at Playwright’s Horizons in New York City with founder, Bob Moss.
- 1987-1988: Worked within stage management at the WPA Theater in NYC when Israel Horovitz was doing “North Shore Fish.”
My education includes a Ph.D fellowship in Directing (Theater) at the University of California, Berkeley studying with Tony Taccone; a Masters degree in Dramatic Criticism from Northwestern University; a certificate in French and French Literature from the Université de Cannes; a Bachelor of Arts degree in Theater History from Tulane University; studies in Drama at the Royal Holloway College at the University of London; as well as a high school degree from Culver Military Academy in Indiana.