Synopsis

ACT 1

The Prophecy
Scene 1

The first scene of Act 1 sets the stage for what is about to unfurl, using the words of the Hebrew prophets normally associated with John the Baptist, and reimagining the melody from the opening tenor solo in Handel's Messiah.

Comfort – Isaiah

Shake It Up – Zachariah

The Birth
Scene 2

Scene 2 relates the miraculous nativity of John, as it explores the whole question of the names by which we are called, and why they are important. It ends with Zachariah (John's Father) singing a new rendition of the famous Benedictus Dominus Deus, also known as The Song of Zachariah.

Have You Heard? – The Naysayer, The Believer,  Townspeople 

What’s In A Name? – Elizabeth, Townspeople 

Blessed Be! (The Song of Zachariah) – Zachariah

The Wilderness
Scene 3

Scene 3 relates how the introvert John begins to find his own voice, as he gathers disciples around him, and starts to baptize. His cousin Jesus appears in this scene, and we see how similar their messages were, even as Jesus takes it to another level.  King Herod and his wife also appear, allowing John to call them to task on their immoral behavior, and thereby sealing his fate to an early death. Before the scene (and Act 1) ends, John is challenged by the religious authorities, arrested by the police, and taken to prison, as many of his followers turn away from him.

The Silence of Juan – Felipe, Andrew 

My God, I’m Hearing Voices – John, Voices 

Crying in The Wilderness – Townspeople, John, Jesus 

So, What Should We Do? – Middle-class folk, John, Tax-collectors, Police, Herod, Herodias 

The Love You Give – John, Jesus 

The Record of John – Priests, John 

The Arrest – John, Police 

The Privileged Can’t Let It Win – Townspeople, Greek Chorus

 

ACT 2

The Prison
Scene 1