THIS AIN'T YER GRANDMA'S OPERA...
Dead Guy Opry is the first-of-its-kind Country Music opera, adapted by long-time Nashville singer/songwriter Ty Hager from his novel, "Diary of a Dead Guy - a Country Ghost Story." This raunchy and uproarious comedy tells the story of a slain country singer channeling his memoirs through a redneck kid, as the singer's widow stands trial for the murder in small-town Tennessee.
Development of the musical project as both a Concept CD and live production began in Nashville (with songwriter/recording artist/national touring act Sean Patrick McGraw cast in the lead) in 2017. Although Hager recently returned to his home state of Oklahoma, he and McGraw are continuing the CD project, with McGraw producing in Nashville and Hager working with a soon-to-be-announced producer near Tulsa.
Dead Guy Opry is the first-of-its-kind Country Music opera, adapted by long-time Nashville singer/songwriter Ty Hager from his novel, "Diary of a Dead Guy - a Country Ghost Story." This raunchy and uproarious comedy tells the story of a slain country singer channeling his memoirs through a redneck kid, as the singer's widow stands trial for the murder in small-town Tennessee.
Development of the musical project as both a Concept CD and live production began in Nashville (with songwriter/recording artist/national touring act Sean Patrick McGraw cast in the lead) in 2017. Although Hager recently returned to his home state of Oklahoma, he and McGraw are continuing the CD project, with McGraw producing in Nashville and Hager working with a soon-to-be-announced producer near Tulsa.
CAST OF CHARACTERS
JARED WHALEY - The murdered country singer. In his forties, long-haired, scruffy.
ANGEL WHALEY - The wife/widow/defendant. Young and beautiful.
WILLARD BLEVINS – He’s the poor, overweight, 12-year-old redneck kid channeling the Dead Guy.
MACK BLEVINS – Willard’s Pa. Good ol’ Redneck - loves NASCAR and beer, a little freaked out by his boy. 30’s-40s.
ELENORE BLEVINS – Willard’s Ma. 30's, meek, subservient.
HARVEY BOYD – He’s the small-town radio newsman Dead Jared lures into getting the word out. Late 20's-30’s.
MARSHALL LAUGHLIN – Angel's high-dollar Nashville defense lawyer. Kinda Fred Thompson-ish. Mid-late 50’s.
HAYWOOD BRICE - The Prosecutor. Quiet and mousy, mid-late 40’s.
JUDGE WAY – No-nonsense and fiery, in her 40's-50’s.
AMANDA - The Other Woman. 20's-30's. CHAD – Jared’s lead guitar player, 40's, married to Amanda.
DAN - Jared's bass player, 40's.
MULTIPLE ONLOOKERS, BYSTANDERS, JURY MEMBERS, ETC.
JARED WHALEY - The murdered country singer. In his forties, long-haired, scruffy.
ANGEL WHALEY - The wife/widow/defendant. Young and beautiful.
WILLARD BLEVINS – He’s the poor, overweight, 12-year-old redneck kid channeling the Dead Guy.
MACK BLEVINS – Willard’s Pa. Good ol’ Redneck - loves NASCAR and beer, a little freaked out by his boy. 30’s-40s.
ELENORE BLEVINS – Willard’s Ma. 30's, meek, subservient.
HARVEY BOYD – He’s the small-town radio newsman Dead Jared lures into getting the word out. Late 20's-30’s.
MARSHALL LAUGHLIN – Angel's high-dollar Nashville defense lawyer. Kinda Fred Thompson-ish. Mid-late 50’s.
HAYWOOD BRICE - The Prosecutor. Quiet and mousy, mid-late 40’s.
JUDGE WAY – No-nonsense and fiery, in her 40's-50’s.
AMANDA - The Other Woman. 20's-30's. CHAD – Jared’s lead guitar player, 40's, married to Amanda.
DAN - Jared's bass player, 40's.
MULTIPLE ONLOOKERS, BYSTANDERS, JURY MEMBERS, ETC.
ROUGH AUDIO DEMOS (links open in new window)
ACT I COMPLETE
(sung by the writer in a style one friend compared to "Neil Young after a stroke")
(sung by the writer in a style one friend compared to "Neil Young after a stroke")
Scene 1 HOW THE STORY ENDS
Scene 2 MEET THE BLEVINS
Scene 3 JARED MEETS ANGEL
Scene 4 JUST WEIRD THAT'S ALL
Scene 5 RECOUPABLE/SPEECHLESS
Scene 6 THAT COUNTRY SINGER DONE POSSESSED MY BOY
Scene 2 MEET THE BLEVINS
Scene 3 JARED MEETS ANGEL
Scene 4 JUST WEIRD THAT'S ALL
Scene 5 RECOUPABLE/SPEECHLESS
Scene 6 THAT COUNTRY SINGER DONE POSSESSED MY BOY
