Overview
Adapted from the hit film by its Academy Award-winning screenwriter, Bruce Joel Rubin, GHOST THE MUSICAL follows Sam and Molly, a young couple whose connection takes a shocking turn after Sam’s untimely death. The bond of love transcends the boundaries of life itself to grow stronger and more fully realized. Trapped between two worlds, Sam refuses to leave Molly when he learns she is in grave danger. Desperate to communicate with her, he turns to a storefront psychic, Oda Mae Brown, who helps him protect Molly and avenge his death. GHOST THE MUSICAL is a poignant romance that builds comedy, suspense, and deeply felt emotion to an ethereal climax that audiences will never forget.
GHOST THE MUSICAL School Edition is a slightly reworked version of the National Tour script. The School Edition has been carefully edited, with additional director’s notes throughout, to make the show more producible for school groups. In some cases problematic language has been changed, while in others an alternate choice is offered at the discretion of the director.
Casting & Production
Casting
SAM WHEAT – 20’s, lead, male, office-worker in NYC, living with long-term girlfriend, MOLLY. Vocal Range: G# to Bb
MOLLY JENSEN – 20’s, lead, female, artist living in NYC with boyfriend, SAM. Vocal Range: G to Eb
ODA MAE BROWN – 20’s – 40’s, lead, black female, spiritual advisor at a storefront séance parlor in Brooklyn, told as a child that she had “the gift” by her mother and grandmother (who were both able to communicate with the dead). Larger than life, able to play for laughs but with sincerity and truth. Vocal Range: G to E
CARL BRUNER – 20’s, lead, male, “friend” and colleague of SAM. Strong actor and singer who becomes corrupted and jealous of everything that SAM has, including MOLLY. Vocal Range: F to G
WILLIE LOPEZ – 18 – 20’s, a Puerto Rican male, streetwise criminal. Not a singing role.
SUBWAY GHOST – Male, any age. He believes the trains are his because he was pushed onto the track and killed. Aggressive and powerful, a good physical actor is required. He must be able to fight with SAM and physically and emotionally dominate him. Not a singing role.
HOSPITAL GHOST – Can be played by a male or female and is one of the first ghosts that SAM encounters and is usually played older but not necessary. A good comic actor and singer. Vocal Range: C to A
*CLARA – Black female, Oda Mae’s sister/helper at her séance parlor. Comic role, good singer. Vocal Range: D to D
*LOUISE – Black female, Oda Mae’s sister/helper at her séance parlor. Comic role, good singer. Vocal Range: D to D
*For the School Edition, you could add a new character, MARIA in addition to CLARA and LOUISE, breaking up the dialogue between 3 girls instead of 2.
Cameo Roles:
LIONEL FURGESON — A bank officer
DETECTIVE BEIDERMAN — NYPD homicide detective, can be played by a male or female
MRS. ROSA SANTIAGO — Client of ODA MAE
OFFICER WALLACE — Can be played by a male or female
OFFICE ASSISTANT — Can be played by a male or female
MINISTER — Can be played by a male or female
ORTISHA JONES — Female client of ODA MAE
ORLANDO — A male ghost, deceased husband of ORTISHA JONES
NUN 1 — Female, any age
NUN 2 — Female, any age
CHORUS/ENSEMBLE:
GHOSTS IN HOSPITAL
PARLOR GHOSTS
BUSINESSPEOPLE/BANK WORKERS
Note: Where race and ethnicity are indicated, they should be honored. Where race or ethnicity are not indicated, that does not by default indicate whiteness, but rather that a character can be of any race or ethnicity.
Orchestral Information
9 Musicians
Piano/Conductor (Keyboard 1)
Utility (Keyboard 2, Acoustic Guitar)
Reed (Flute, Clarinet, Alto Sax & Tenor Sax)
Trumpet (doubling Flugelhorn)
Violin (doubling waterphone)
Cello
Guitar (Electric, Acoustic, e-bow)
Bass (Electric)
Drums/Percussion (Drum Set, Triangle, Shaker, Tambourine)
Credits
GHOST THE MUSICAL
Book and Lyrics by BRUCE JOEL RUBIN
Music and Lyrics by DAVE STEWART and GLEN BALLARD
Based on the Paramount Pictures film written by Bruce Joel Rubin
Original West End Production Produced by Colin Ingram, David Garfinkle, Adam Silberman, Land Line Productions, Donovan Mannato, Michael Edwards / Carole Winter
“Unchained Melody” written by Hy Zaret and Alex North, courtesy of Unchained Melody Publishing LLC