THE GHOST OF JOHN MCCAIN Developmental Workshop
Last week we here at Theatrely attended an invitation-only industry reading of a provocative and zeitgeisty new musical The Ghost of John McCain.
With a book by Scott Elmegreen and score by Drew Fornarola, The Ghost of John McCain offers a unique psychological exploration of power, rivalry, and the human condition. Directed by Marya Mazor, the reading featured a wickedly talented cast that included Ken Marks as John McCain, Hudson Loverro as Donald Trump, Major Attaway as Donald Trump’s brain and Others, Ann Harada as Karen and Others, Andrew Polk as Lindsey Graham and Others, and Angie Schworer as Hillary Clinton and Others.
The late Vietnam War hero-turned-senator awakens, horrified to find himself back in captivity, in the afterlife, inside the mind of Donald Trump. As a prisoner of Trump’s war to win the approval of an establishment that Trump both reveres and scorns, McCain must fight for his freedom by engaging in a high-stakes debate over life, legacy, and American values. As McCain navigates the surreal landscape within Trump's consciousness, a "Greek Chorus" of iconic public figures, including Hillary Clinton, Roy Cohn, Eva Peron, Teddy Roosevelt, Robert Jordan, and Lindsey Graham, rebel against the President's relentless demands for affirmation.
A truly wacky little show, I’m personally excited to see what the future holds for this project.