News: Beat by Beat Press Releases a Virtual Children's Musical Written to be Rehearsed and Performed Remotely



The YEM Theatre School  - First Show Meeting (Farnborough, UK). Image courtesy Michelle Tabnick PR
As a response to the COVID-19 pandemic, Beat by Beat Press has introduced the world's first virtual children's musical, The Show Must Go Online!, created in less than three weeks with the goal of helping theater groups continue to perform in these times of social distance.

In this first-of-its kind production, up to 20 young actors receive a one- to two-minute scene/song to rehearse, video record, and upload. When the videos are played in order, they tell the hilarious story of a group of passionate students desperate to keep their annual musical alive...online.

"It broke our hearts to hear that so many theatre performances had to be postponed or cancelled," said Denver Casado, founder of Beat by Beat Press. "This means that thousands of young actors out there won't get a chance to take to the stage in person and together. We wrote this musical as a way for children to work together as an ensemble - while staying safe in their own homes."

The creative team - Jessica Penzias (book), Dave Hudson (lyrics) and Denver Casado (music) - wrote the show in 19 days. Andrew Fox, music director and arranger, orchestrated the score in just five days.

The piece can be licensed for $149. The Show Must Go Online! runs 30-40 minutes and is written for a cast of 20 actors aged 7-14. The work is offered with a Pay What You Can model, which empowers those with various financial constraints to still put on a show. School and theater groups receive Actor Scripts, Virtual Production Guide, Music Lead Sheets, Logos, and Vocal and Accompaniment Recordings. The show's production materials are available after purchase for instant download  here.

Video: Members of The Garden Players Musical Theatre Program in Forest Hills, NY. Courtesy Michelle Tabnick PR.

312 productions have already been licensed by elementary schools, middle schools, youth theaters, performing arts academies and non-profit community organizations in nearly a dozen countries, with approximately 35% of licenses granted through the Pay What You Can model.

"It was incredible to see the outreach and offerings of help within our community. Everyone wanted to be a part of this very special project because they saw the value it could bring to theatre kids everywhere," Mr. Casado continued. "Our writing team realized early on that the format of a traditional musical would not work remotely, as group singing on Zoom can be a disaster, so we built this show from the ground up. We considered what kids and drama teachers are going through at this time and worked those themes into each scene - including the antics and technical mayhem that comes with performing a musical online. The result is a comedic and fun storyline designed to lift spirits when we all need it the most."

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