The MCR Interview:
Composing the Magic of OZ: Dr. Edward W. Hardy on His Music for The Woodsman
Street Theatre’s upcoming season is soon to begin with the play The Woodsman, which tells the backstory story of the Tin Man through movement, puppetry, and music. Dr. Edward W. Hardy wrote the music for the Obie Award-winning original production, as well as serving as the original music director and violinist. He kindly took the time to speak with us about his work in creating and developing this production, as well as his work as a composer and performer. Grace Krenz (GK): Tell us about The Woodsman, and how the play came into being. Dr. Edward W. Hardy (EH): The Woodsman explores the story of how Nick Chopper becomes the Tin Woodman, the beloved character from The Wonderful Wizard of Oz. The production is essentially like a silent film brought to the stage, relying almost entirely on music, puppetry, movement, and visual storytelling. Because there is very little spoken dialogue, the music became one of the primary ways audiences connect emotionally with each character. It also guides the audience through different perspectives, sometimes placing them in the middle of the action and other times allowing them to observe from a distance, while hinting at what’s to come through the scoreRead More
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