''The Survival of St. Joan'' is a

rock opera A rock opera is a collection of rock music songs with lyrics that relate to a common story. Rock operas are typically released as concept albums and are not scripted for acting, which distinguishes them from operas, although several have been ad ...

by Smoke Rise (Gary Ruffin, Hank Ruffin, Stan Ruffin, and Randy Bugg — music composed by Hank and Gary) from an original concept and

libretto A libretto (Italian for "booklet") is the text used in, or intended for, an extended musical work such as an opera, operetta, masque, oratorio, cantata or Musical theatre, musical. The term ''libretto'' is also sometimes used to refer to the t ...

Off-Broadway An off-Broadway theatre is any professional theatre venue in New York City with a seating capacity between 100 and 499, inclusive. These theatres are smaller than Broadway theatres, but larger than off-off-Broadway theatres, which seat fewer tha ...

playwright and screenwriter James Lineberger.

Performances

An initial

concert A concert is a live music performance in front of an audience. The performance may be by a single musician, sometimes then called a recital, or by a musical ensemble, such as an orchestra, choir, or band. Concerts are held in a wide variety a ...

version that ran eight performances was at The Playwrights Unit. Lineberger's fully scripted

musical play Musical theatre is a form of theatrical performance that combines songs, spoken dialogue, acting and dance. The story and emotional content of a musical – humor, pathos, love, anger – are communicated through words, music, movement ...

with spoken dialogue, directed by Chuck Gnys, was next produced at the Studio Arena Theatre in

Buffalo, New York Buffalo is the second-largest city in the U.S. state of New York (behind only New York City) and the seat of Erie County. It is at the eastern end of Lake Erie, at the head of the Niagara River, and is across the Canadian border from South ...

, November 5–29, 1970. Facing a taxi strike and the dubious support of the local

Hells Angels The Hells Angels Motorcycle Club (HAMC) is a worldwide outlaw motorcycle club whose members typically ride Harley-Davidson motorcycles. In the United States and Canada, the Hells Angels are incorporated as the Hells Angels Motorcycle Corporatio ...

, which adopted Joan as their warrior princess, the production then had 16 performances

Off-off-Broadway Off-off-Broadway theaters are smaller New York City theaters than Broadway and off-Broadway theaters, and usually have fewer than 100 seats. The off-off-Broadway movement began in 1958 as part of a response to perceived commercialism of the prof ...

at the Anderson Theatre, directed by Gnys and produced by

Haila Stoddard Haila Stoddard (November 14, 1913 – February 21, 2011) was an American actress, producer, writer and director.Weber, Bruce (February 25, 2011)Haila Stoddard, Actress and Producer, Dies at 97.''New York Times''; accessed April 20, 2014. During ...

and

Neal Du Brock Neal Du Brock directed the world-premieres of many important plays including Edward Albee's Box (play) and Lanford Wilson's Lemon Sky (starring Christopher Walken and Charles Durning). He worked for many years at the Studio Theater and Studio Are ...

, with a cast that included

Gretchen Corbett Gretchen Hoyt Corbett (born August 13, 1945) is an American actress and theater director. She is primarily known for her roles in television, particularly as attorney Beth Davenport on the NBC series ''The Rockford Files'', but has also had a pro ...

F. Murray Abraham F. Murray Abraham (born Murray Abraham; October 24, 1939) is an American actor. Known for his roles on stage and screen, he came to prominence for his acclaimed leading role as Antonio Salieri in the drama film '' Amadeus'' (1984) for which he wo ...

, Richard Bright, and Janet Sarno. Smoke Rise performed all the singing, while the actors handled the dialogue. It was then issued by Smoke Rise as a concept 2-record set album on

Paramount Records Paramount Records was an American record label known for its recordings of jazz and blues in the 1920s and early 1930s, including such artists as Ma Rainey, Tommy Johnson and Blind Lemon Jefferson. Early years Paramount Records was formed in 19 ...

(PAS-9000) produced by

Stephen Schwartz Stephen Lawrence Schwartz (born March 6, 1948) is an American musical theatre lyricist and composer. In a career spanning over five decades, Schwartz has written such hit musicals as ''Godspell'' (1971), ''Pippin'' (1972), and ''Wicked'' (20 ...

and Dave Blume in mid 1971.

Plot

The plot of ''The Survival of St. Joan'' was possibly inspired by '' Operation Shepherdess: The Mystery of Joan of Arc'' by André Guérin and Jack Palmer White, a revisionist history alleging that

Joan of Arc Joan of Arc (french: link=yes, Jeanne d'Arc, translit= �an daʁk} ; 1412 – 30 May 1431) is a patron saint of France, honored as a defender of the French nation for her role in the siege of Orléans and her insistence on the coronati ...

escaped

execution Capital punishment, also known as the death penalty, is the State (polity), state-sanctioned practice of deliberately killing a person as a punishment for an actual or supposed crime, usually following an authorized, rule-governed process to ...

and later married a nobleman named Robert des Armoises. An idea rejected by historians, the notion of a legendary Joan who lived on in secret has persisted.Among other sources, see Régine Pernoud's '' Joan of Arc By Herself and Her Witnesses'', pp. 249–254 Certainly inspired by the

Vietnam War The Vietnam War (also known by #Names, other names) was a conflict in Vietnam, Laos, and Cambodia from 1 November 1955 to the fall of Saigon on 30 April 1975. It was the second of the Indochina Wars and was officially fought between North Vie ...

, the opera tells of the government of

France France (), officially the French Republic ( ), is a country primarily located in Western Europe. It also comprises of Overseas France, overseas regions and territories in the Americas and the Atlantic Ocean, Atlantic, Pacific Ocean, Pac ...

and

Pierre Cauchon Pierre Cauchon (1371 – 18 December 1442) was Bishop of Beauvais from 1420 to 1432. He was a strong partisan of English interests in France during the latter years of the Hundred Years' War. He was the judge in the trial of Joan of Arc and ...

Archbishop In Christian denominations, an archbishop is a bishop of higher rank or office. In most cases, such as the Catholic Church, there are many archbishops who either have jurisdiction over an ecclesiastical province in addition to their own archdi ...

Beauvais Beauvais ( , ; pcd, Bieuvais) is a city and commune in northern France, and prefecture of the Oise département, in the Hauts-de-France region, north of Paris. The commune of Beauvais had a population of 56,020 , making it the most populous ...

, releasing Joan of Arc and allowing a double, also believed to be a

witch Witchcraft traditionally means the use of Magic (supernatural), magic or supernatural powers to harm others. A practitioner is a witch. In Middle Ages, medieval and early modern Europe, where the term originated, accused witches were usually ...

, to burn in her place. She is sent to live with a mute farmer, who falls in love with her, as he elucidates in songs performed in

soliloquy A soliloquy (, from Latin ''solo'' "to oneself" + ''loquor'' "I talk", plural ''soliloquies'') is a monologue addressed to oneself, thoughts spoken out loud without addressing another. Soliloquies are used as a device in drama to let a character ...

toward the audience. Realizing that there is no end in sight to the

Hundred Years' War The Hundred Years' War (; 1337–1453) was a series of armed conflicts between the kingdoms of Kingdom of England, England and Kingdom of France, France during the Late Middle Ages. It originated from disputed claims to the French Crown, ...

, the first act ends with Joan seeking to rejoin the army, despite the fact that she is no longer hearing her voices. In Act II, Joan learns that she has lost the respect of the army, who attempt to

rape Rape is a type of sexual assault usually involving sexual intercourse or other forms of sexual penetration carried out against a person without their consent. The act may be carried out by physical force, coercion, abuse of authority, or ag ...

her. (The

in the concept album has Joan raped about halfway through the act; this was changed when stagings went beyond a band performance to a full-fledged

play Play most commonly refers to: * Play (activity), an activity done for enjoyment * Play (theatre), a work of drama Play may refer also to: Computers and technology * Google Play, a digital content service * Play Framework, a Java framework * Pla ...

.) She meets with some deserters who no longer understand the meaning of the war, and reject its former religious purposes, complaining that only their generals and the nobility can live above suffering. Alone and anonymous, Joan is eventually found by villagers who mistakenly decide she has put a hex on their cow, tie her to a tree and

immolate Immolation may refer to: *Death by burning *Self-immolation, the act of burning oneself *Immolation (band), a death metal band from Yonkers, New York *'' The Immolation'', a 1977 novel by Goh Poh Seng *''Dance Dance Immolation'', an interactive pe ...

her, thus ending her life almost as history would have it. Upon her death, Joan re-establishes contact with her three voices, St. Michael, St. Catherine, and St. Margaret. The play

script Script may refer to: Writing systems * Script, a distinctive writing system, based on a repertoire of specific elements or symbols, or that repertoire * Script (styles of handwriting) ** Script typeface, a typeface with characteristics of handw ...

is held in the North Carolina Collection at the

University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill A university () is an institution of higher (or tertiary) education and research which awards academic degrees in several academic disciplines. Universities typically offer both undergraduate and postgraduate programs. In the United States ...

, and remains unpublished. It contains many scene changes, often depicting how ordinary people's lives are affected by the war, including Joan's brother, Charles — acting as a scribe for his mother — requesting the king to provide them Joan's soldier's wages to live on, and chiding her for some irate informalisms she wants to include in the letter.

Songs

;Act I * Survival (Hank) * Someone is Dying (Gary) * Run, Run (Gary) — The Voices * Back in the World (Gary) — Joan * I'm Here (Gary) — Joan * Love Me (Gary) — Joan * Stonefire (Gary) — The Farmer * Love Me (Part 2) (Gary) — The Farmer; The Child * Lady of Light (Hank) — The Farmer * Country Life (Hank) — The Farmer * Run, Run (Part 2) (Gary) — The Voices * Precious Mommy (Gary) — The Farmer; The Child ;Act II * Medley (Survival, Run Run; Back in the World) — The Voices, Joan * Lonely Neighbors (Gary) — People on the Road * Cornbread (Hank) — Soldiers * This Is How It Is (Hank) — Joan * Cannonfire (Gary) — A Wounded Deserter * It's Over (Hank) — Joan, The Voices * Darkwoods Lullaby (Hank) — The Voices * You Don't Know Why (Hank) — The Voices * Propitius (Gary) — Penitents * Burning a Witch (Gary) — Penitents * Love Me (Part 3) (Gary) — Joan in Heaven ;Additional Songs for the Expanded Version * Living with the Devil — Witches * Her Strength in Battle — Court Poet * Hymn to the Warrior Saint — Court Poet * Army Life — Soldiers

worked on an unused song for the expansion called "I'll Call Her Barbara" (The Shepherd). The album featured a cover painting by Doug Jamieson.

Dramatis Personae

''(in order of appearance)'' * The Voices * Witches (3) * Pierre Cauchon, The Bishop of Beauvais *

Jeanne d'Arc Joan of Arc (french: link=yes, Jeanne d'Arc, translit= �an daʁk} ; 1412 – 30 May 1431) is a patron saint of France, honored as a defender of the French nation for her role in the siege of Orléans and her insistence on the coronati ...

(Joan of Arc) * Monks * Young Witch * Jailer * Friar * Townspeople * Child * Mother * The Shepherd (formerly known as "The Farmer" on the album

) * An English Soldier * Swineherd * Barmaid * Farmer * Wife * Boy * Colonel * Court Poet * Girl * Mme. d'Arc (Joan's mother) * Charles d'Arc (Joan's brother) * Three Fishermen * Soldier * Corporal * Whore * General * Soldiers and Whores * John de Stogumber, a blind man * His Servant * Villagers * Woman * Phillippe, her son * Passerby * Scribe * Deserter * Leper Woman * Leprous Thieves * Fortune Teller * Hunters * Four Nuns * Clerk * Abbot * Man * The Accuser * Penitents

Original Casts

Studio Arena Theatre, Buffalo, November 1970

— First Friar, Swineherd, Physician, Corporal, Philippe, Friar with Penitents *

Bill Braden Bill Braden (born 1954) is a former politician and former news reporter in Northwest Territories, Canada and a former member of the Legislative Assembly of Northwest Territories. Biography Braden was born in Rosthern, Saskatchewan. After graduat ...

— Bishop's Monk, Soldier, Leper, Penitent *Mary Carter — Fourth Witch, Barmaid, Whore, Philippe's Mother, First Nun *Tom Carter — Prison Monk, Soldier, Penitent, Leper * John A. Coe — Jailer, Farmhand, English Soldier, Bishop *

— Joan *Patrick Ford — Child with Mother, Farmer's Child * Judith Granite — Second Witch, Farmhand's Wife, Whore, Joan's Mother, Fortune Teller, Penitent * Peter Lazer — Hanged Soldier, Deserter, Young Monk, Penitent, Leper * Richard Bright — Farmer * Mac McMack — Third Witch, Poet, Soldier, Joan's Brother, Penitent * George Penrecost — Bishop, Colobel, Lieutenant, Man * Janet Sarno — First Witch, Mother with Child, Court Lady, Whore, Nun, Penitent, Leper Woman * Julia Willis — Young Witch, Court Lady, Girl with English Soldier, Whore, Villager

Anderson Theatre, New York, February 1971

*F. Murray Abraham — Prison Monk, Friar I, Swineherd, Corporal, Philippe, Soldier, Accuser * Willie Rook — Beggar Boy, Child, Passer-by, Leper, Villager *

Lenny Baker Leonard Joel Baker (January 17, 1945 – April 12, 1982) was an American actor of stage, film, and television, best known for his Golden-Globe-nominated performance in the 1976 Paul Mazursky film ''Next Stop, Greenwich Village'' and his 1977 Ton ...

— Jailer, English Soldier, Son, Soldier, Philippe, Leper, Monk with Lantern, Hunter, Penitent, Clerk *Ronald Bishop — Bishop, Soldier, Servant, Nun, Villager * Richard Bright — Farmer *Gretchen Corbett — Joan * Elizabeth Eis — Young Witch, Whore, Passer-by, Nun, Villager * Louis Galterio (replaced with Bill Braden) — Prison Monk, Poet, Another Soldier, Passer-by, Soldier, Monk with Lantern, Hunter, Man * Judith Granite — Country Witch, Wife, Joan's Mother, Whore #1, Passer-by, Fortune Teller, Penitent (also Mother) *Peter Lazer — Prison Monk, Soldier, Passer-by, Deserter, Leper, Monk with Lantern, Hunter, Penitent *

Anthony Marciona Anthony Marciona (born September 27, 1961) is an American film, Broadway and television actor, singer and dancer from New York City. Marciona began his acting career at the age of five playing Kirk Douglas' godson in '' The Brotherhood''. Bi ...

— Beggar Boy, Boy * Patricia O'Connell — Mother (replaced with Judith Granite), Whore, Passer-by, First Nun, Villager, Phillippe's Mother (2nd) *Janet Sarno — Crazed Witch, Whore #3, Passer-by, Leper Woman, Nun, Penitent *

Tom Sawyer Thomas Sawyer () is the titular character of the Mark Twain novel ''The Adventures of Tom Sawyer'' (1876). He appears in three other novels by Twain: ''Adventures of Huckleberry Finn'' (1884), ''Tom Sawyer Abroad'' (1894), and ''Tom Sawyer, Dete ...

— Friar II, Farmer, Soldier, Blind Man, Passer-by, Monk with Lantern *

Matthew Tobin Matthew may refer to: * Matthew (given name) * Matthew (surname) * ''Matthew'' (ship), the replica of the ship sailed by John Cabot in 1497 * ''Matthew'' (album), a 2000 album by rapper Kool Keith * Matthew (elm cultivar), a cultivar of the Ch ...

— Scribe, Colonel, Soldier, Monk with Lantern, Hunter, Penitent * Sasha von Scherler — Clever Witch, Barmaid, Whore #2, Philippe's Mother (1st), Villager *

Steve Reinhardt ''yes'Steve is a masculine given name, usually a short form (hypocorism) of Steven or Stephen Notable people with the name include: steve jops * Steve Abbott (disambiguation), several people * Steve Adams (disambiguation), several people * Steve ...

— Standby for Smoke Rise

Notes

External links

BadCat Records's Smoke Rise page

Excerpts from the rock opera ''The Survival of St. Joan'' on YouTube

''Operation Shepherdess: The Mystery of Joan of Arc'' on Google Books

Smoke Rise Myspace page with songs from ''Survival''
{{DEFAULTSORT:Survival of St. Joan 1970 musicals Off-Broadway musicals Rock operas Operas about Joan of Arc