Synopsis
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