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The venue Jahrhunderthalle in Frankfurt will experience a sound it has never heard before: formed to a huge percussion ensemble, the audience accompanies US president Barack Obama on his successful way into the White House. The event organizer MOVE GmbH promises a double world premiere: at the premiere of "HOPE – the Obama Musical Story" on Sunday, 17 January at 8:00 pm, the audience will rhythmically participate on specially developed percussion chairs - for the first time ever worldwide. "Hope is the first interactive musical of a new generation", says musical producer Roberto Emmanuele, CEO and creative director of Move GmbH based in Bad Soden. "This is an enormous sound and a great musical experience for the audience."
The musical stages two moving and exciting stories in parallel plots. The audience looks behind the scenes of the presidential election in 2008 and follows the career of the present US president Barack Obama. The main character is presented less on a political level, but rather as an emotional person who fights for a new, more forgiving and peaceful world and a better future. At the same time, the viewer experiences the societal events from the point of view of a multi-cultural apartment-sharing community in Chicago. Caused by the prevailing tight political and economic situation, societal and social frictions and emotions arise. The people are given new hope by the new spirit of the age.
Author and composer Randall Hutchins works with the best Afro-American singers and actors of the German musical scene. He produces inter alia for "The very Best of Black Gospel", "Musical the Gift" and he participated in "Starlight Express" as a musician. In "HOPE", he combines an affectionately arranged mix regarding taste and aesthetics of different music styles in the field of Pop, Soul, Gospel, HipHop and Rock. The diversified mixture of catchy melodies electrifies the audience right from the beginning. Undoubtedly, the songs have what it takes to become hits.
For "HOPE", 30 world-class artists, singers, dancers and actors perform on stage. They participate in the production with great enthusiasm and dedication. "The spirit of the show is carried by the spirit of the entire team", praises the producer Roberto Emmanuele. Della Miles and Jimmie Wilson, known as the dream duo of the Michael Jackson musical "Sisterella", as well as Dynelle Rhodes, the original lead singer of the Weather Girls, join the cast as soloists. They are supported by well-known performers who are leads in "Cats", "The Lion King" and "We will rock you". The rehearsals took place inter alia at mediaArt FORUM in Bad Soden.
The production is realized in German and English, so that the story line can be followed by everyone.
On percussion: the audience sitting on specially developed musical chairs
In the course of the musical, the audience develops to co-musicians. For they sit on a musical instrument with an astoundingly high sound quality. Approximately 1200 of the 2000 available seats in the domed hall of the venue Jahrhunderthalle will be equipped with design chairs which house the smallest set of drums worldwide. The special construction of this musical furniture allows for a distinctive bass and snare sound. The people play while sitting, drumming with their hands on the percussion surface. Inspired by this characteristic sound, Roberto Emmanuele and his partner Patrick Strese call the innovation "BAFF musical furniture". The other musical spectators do not sit quietly on their chairs either. They are handed out rattles, so that the sound of "HOPE" will fill the entire hall. The producers want all people to have access to music as a strong medium.
tl;dr version: A German-American coproduction made a musical about Barack Obama during the presidential elections 2008. It shows his movement of hope in a time of economic recession and social frictions from the point of view of a multi-cultural apartment-sharing community in Chicago. It is also announced to be an interactive musical, with the audience sitting on special chairs which they also can use as drums.
Wow, Barack Obama gets his own musical. In Germany. Am I the only person to think it is strange to have a musical about the present President of the USA? Not that I would begrudge him for it, I like the man, but I can't understand why you would make a musical about him. Is the movie already in the works?
Well, I see great potential in this idea. I can already see "Bush - Adventures in the Middle East" (a tragic comedy) or "Angela Merkel - The Musical" in the theatres.
So, what do you think about this? Would yo have any wishes for the cast?
