Outline Including Songs and Suggested Transitional Music
John F. Kennedy: Light The World
(Note: Except for the theme music and Jerry Webb’s guitar work on “Wayfaring Stranger,” no transitional music is included on the CD or digital download. The band would provide this in a live production. All artists and vocalists received a one time, flat fee for their work on the accompanying album, CD/download)
Prologue: Processional, Invocation
Instumental theme music is performed, the actors enter in a procession through the audience. They state their goal, and in the manner of ceremonies of old, they pray for assistance from God and ask for inspiration from the Muses.
Processional Instrumental Music: “Londonderry Air melody”
Song: “The Golden Cup”
Transitional Music: Organ plays powerful chorus of “The Golden Cup”
Part One: JFK’s Speeches and Deeds
The actors present several important selections from John F. Kennedy’s speeches
and describe his heroic actions in World War II and after.
Song: “Amazing Grace”
Song: “Armageddon”
Transitional Music: Instrumental version of the first and second verses of the song “He Was Born to Live.” A full performance of this song follows in Part Two.
Part Two: Enduring Words
The actors identify numerous enduring words associated with John F. Kennedy’s assassination and describe how they have become a part of our National Memory and our culture.
Song: “He Was Born to Live”
Transitional Music: The musicians begin “The Golden Cup” theme which quickly becomes off key and cacophonous with all amplified instruments playing different chords; this chaotic sound then flows into a single, loud chord played by and held by all the instruments -- the electric organ and guitars dominating – for 10-20 seconds before stopping abruptly.
Part Three: Atomic Fear and Trembling
The actors refer to a Biblical monster, the Levithan, as a metaphor for the group of conspirators who killed President Kennedy. The animators and agents of this beast planned and executed the assassination as well as manipulating the public through shock and fear in the aftermath. Should the director decide on including an intermission, this would be ideal spot for it.
Song: “The End of November, 1963”
Transitional Music: Instrumental: “Poor Wayfaring Stranger”
Part Four: A Grief for the Ages
The actors express the grief and sorrow of citizens at the loss of their beloved President.
Song: “The Day Jack Kennedy Died”
Transitional Music: The keyboardist plays a portion of the foreboding first movement of Beethoven’s “Moonlight Sonata” on the electric piano
Part Five: Aftermath: Chaos, War, and Hell
The actors explain briefly what social, cultural, and foreign events
followed the assassination in the rest of that doomed decade.
Song: “Hero”
Song: “When the News Came Through”
Transitional Music: The organist at first plays a slow, almost funereal instrumental version of the first verse of the play’s theme, “The Golden Cup,” Then the music becomes brighter and more upbeat with the second verse.
Part Six: New Hope
The actors note that although the nation is still divided and poisonous political invective continues, there is hope that the appearance of strong new champions of America’s traditional values and remembering President Kennedy’s calls for unity and his bipartisan approach to issues will contribute to unity and support a revival of the American Spirit.
Song: “America the Beautiful”
Transitional Music: The band continues a softer and quieter instrumental interlude of “America the Beautiful” and then fades out.
Epilogue: The Myth Makers
The actors remind citizens that in our democratic republic, only the citizens themselves have the power to restore and recreate the country’s National Story and Myth
which is a powerful key to ensuring unity and survival.
Song: “My Country, ‘Tis of Thee”
Song: “The Golden Cup”
End of Play