Music By: Regan Ryzuk
Book & Lyrics By: Mary Ryzuk
Production
July, 2004
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Music By: Regan Ryzuk Book & Lyrics By: Mary Ryzuk |
The Barn Theatre Guild Production July, 2004 |
 A newsboy brings news of another "Ripper" murder in the East End. "Poor Polly."  Those who are most vulnerable, East End Prostitutes, drown their fears at "The Ten Bells" pub.  Suffering with a failed Boarding House and a dissatisfying marriage to a much older man, Ellen Hodson dreams of her lost youth, "I Remember."  "Are you sorry you married me?"  At the Dead House, Dr. Phillips examines the mutilated body of Annie Chapman.  A tall stranger, Mr. Hunt, appears at the boarding house in the middle of the night looking for "Quiet Rooms."  Hunt becomes entranced by Ellen's daughter's photograph - Melissa.  Long Liz identifies Annie for Inspector Joe Chandler at the Dead House.  "Some one's got to help us!"  Compassionate about the murdered women, Joe, nevertheless, dreams about the life he has to postpone with his fiance, Melissa. "There Must Have Been a Time."  While outside The Dead House, frightened East Enders angrily gather, "The Smell of Blood."  Although Hunt seems a bit strange and very secretive about the black bag he carries...  ...Ellen is mesmerized by the new boarder...  ...who is willing to pay handsomely for the spare attic room.  Melissa is home, "Now is the Time"...  ...with a new trousseau for their marriage...  ...while Mr. Hunt is in a world of his own, "A Haven of Rest"...  ...and Ellen becomes more deeply attracted to the growing friendship.  Joe tells Melissa he is forced to postpone their wedding because of the "Ripper" crisis that consumes his time.  As weeks pass, Ellen worries more and more about Hunt's night time disappearances.  At the Ten Bells, worried, a bit drunk and rowdy.  Dancing through "We're The Gorgeous Belles of Ten Bells."  An ugly fight breaks out and...  Long Liz is thrown out...  ...only to unknowingly solicit the Ripper and become Victim #3.  Despite growing suspicion about her boarder, Ellen's attachment dominates her fantasy life. "We Should Have Met a Long Time Ago."  The East Enders are terrified... "The East Enders Ballet"  ...and furious at the lack of progress in solving the murders. "The East Enders Ballet" (Continued)  ...and at the Dead House, Joe obsesses over Catherine Eddowes, a sudden 4th victim on the same night Long Liz is killed. "The East Enders Ballet" (Continued)  Coming home late the same night, Hunt comes upon the object of his own fantasy, Melissa. "Could It Be?"  While East Enders wait outside the Inspector's office, hoping for answers...  Sir Charles Warren offers little, if any, help. "Jack The Ripper"  Viscerally affected by the murders he obsessively reads about in the journals, Hunt turns to the bible for comfort. "I'm Not To Blame."  But goes out again and Ellen watches and wonders where he goes during his nightly wanderings.  On the streets, the East Enders try to cover their anxieties, "The Heart of The Ripper"...  ...by teasing their old friend, Sgt. Shaw, who used to walk their beat.  Hunt is unexpectedly angered when Ellen accidentally discovers a "suspicious" letter he has written to the Home Secretary.  Now Melissa can no longer hide her own deep suspicions about their lodger, for the first time suggesting he might be the Ripper himself.  Deeply resistant, Ellen admits how close she feels to Hunt.  Realizing how upset Ellen is, Melissa calms her down. "Close Your Eyes."  Never having met the secretive lodger face to face, Melissa brings his supper only to overhear him reading strange bible passages, "Women are the way to hell..."  Ellen admonishes Melissa. "He only wants me to attend to Him."  But Hunt is mesmerized by the girl.  Joe's visit during which he discusses the Ripper case throws Ellen into a panic. "Joe's Visit"  Hunt overhears Joe's description of the Ripper who has been seen carrying a black bag and quietly decides to burn his own in the stove in his room.  They immediately dislike and distrust each other as Hodson introduces them.  While Melissa and Joe reaffirm their love, Hunt is overcome with passion for her. "The Melissa Trio"...  ...Until he catches them in an embrace and rushes out of the house, bitterly denouncing her as "Just Like All The Rest."  On the street, Mary Jane Kelly is plaintively waiting for the night's "boss." "Only a Violet."  Warned by the Ten Bells barmaid to watch herself..."It's a dark night..." she becomes Victim #5.  The Newsboy hawks the ghastly headline to Joe...  ...and also to Hunt, who has vivid nightmare about the 5 victims haunting him, "The Doss House Drags."  "I didn't do it!" he exclaims, but they are relentless.  Hearing him scream in the middle of the night through his nightmare, Melissa insists that there is something "wrong with that man..."  ...propels Ellen to search Hunt's room. She finds his burnt bag in the stove.  Catching Ellen "spying" on him, Hunt locks Melissa out. "I thought we were friends," he cries. "Betrayed Again."  Ellen confronts him with the photo she discovered under his pillow. "What is my daughter's photograph doing in your room!?"  Devastated at being caught with Melissa's photo, he unlocks the door.  Hunt rejects Ellen's deep desire to help him, protect him, believe in him.  She too is "Just Like All The Rest."  "There's nothing left."  "He's gone for good."  Who is he?  "We Should Have Met a Long Time Ago."  Forever famous in death, Polly Nichols, Annie Chapman, Long Liz Stride, Catherine Eddowes, Mary Jane Kelly. | |||
| JACK THE RIPPER The Barn Theatre Guild Montville, New Jersey July, 2004 | |||
| Musical Director | Regan Ryzuk | ||
| Director | Mary Ryzuk | ||
| Producer | Rich Witenberg | ||
| Conductor | Jim Horan | ||
| Choreographer | Lauren Moran | ||
| Costumes | Janet Lazar | ||
| Lighting Designer | Todd Mills | ||
| Set Design | Greg Cilmi | ||
| Scenic Art | Laurie Hall | ||
| Set Decor | Kathrynn Forsbrey | ||
| Photographer | Eduardo Patino - NYC | ||
| Digital Photo Editing | gswebs.com | ||
CAST | |||
| EMMA HODSON | Robin S. Totillo | ||
| MR. HUNT | Eric Kneitel | ||
| INSP. JOHN CHANDLER | Joe Sostarich | ||
| MELISSA HODSON | Sacha Kazan | ||
| MR. HODSON | John Hammel | ||
| SGT. SHAW | Marc Dacey | ||
| BARTENDER & SIR CHARLES | Greg Cilmi | ||
| BARMAID | Annette Winter | ||
| ANNIE CHAPMAN | Lauri Hall | ||
| LONG LIZ STRIDE | Ruth Morley | ||
| MARY JANE KELLY | Christie Oakes | ||
| CATHERINE EDDOWES | Christine Chmielewski | ||
| POLLY NICHOLS | Deborah Greenberg | ||
| DR. PHILIPS | Michael Mooney | ||
| NEWSBOY | Dillon Orr | ||
ENSEMBLE | |||
| Ronald Buesser, Brian James Grace, Michael True, Bethany Fustos, Melanie Lombardi, Kristen Schiano | |||
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