Bella: An American Tall Tale

A CONCORD THEATRICALS TITLE

Bella: An American Tall Tale

Full-Length Musical, Comedy  /  5w, 7m

Book, Music and Lyrics by Kirsten Childs

Set in the Old West, this world-premiere musical comedy written by Kirsten Childs tells the tale of Isabella “Bella” Patterson, a young black woman in late 19th Century America.

Image: 2017 Playwrights Horizons Production (Joan Marcus)

Bella: An American Tall Tale

  • Cast Size
    Cast Size
    5w, 7m
  • Duration
    Duration
    More than 120 minutes (2 hours)
  • Audience
    Target Audience
    Adult
Accolades
Accolades
  • Nominee: Six 2018 Lucille Lortel Awards, including Outstanding Musical
    Nominee: 2018 Drama League Award, Outstanding Production of a Musical

Details

Summary
When Bella boards a train west to reunite with her Buffalo soldier sweetheart, she encounters the most colorful and lively characters ever to roam the Western plains. Bullets and fists will fly, heads and hearts will break, but – blessed with a big heart, and a voluptuous figure – Bella will breeze on through it all.
History
Bella: An American Tall Tale originally premiered at Dallas Theatre Center on September 22, 2016. The show made its off-Broadway premiere at Playwrights Horizons in New York City on May 19, 2017, under the direction of Robert O'Hara.
BELLA
AUNT DINAH / IDA LOU SIMPSON
DIEGO MORENO / CP CONYERS
NATHANIEL BECKWORTH
GABRIEL CONYERS / SCOOTER
SNAGGLETOOTH HOSKINS / BONNY JOHNNY
MR. DINWIDDIE / SCUMBUCKET
MISS CABBAGESTALK / MAMA
TOMMIE HAW / SKEETER
MRS. DINWIDDIE
ALOYSIUS T. HUNNICUT
GRANDMA / SPIRIT OF THE BOOTY
  • Time Period Wild West, 19th Century
  • Setting Mississippi and the Old West. Late Nineteenth Century.
  • Features Period Costumes
  • Duration More than 120 minutes (2 hours)
  • Cautions
    • Strong Language

Media

“A rollicking musical. Like its title character’s doozy of a derriere, Bella is impossible to ignore.” – Time Out

“As a composer, Ms. Childs has an enviable versatility.” – The New York Times

“Kirsten Childs’ high spirits are infectious, and Bella: An American Tall Tale is her irresistible invitation to kick up your heels.” – Variety

ON BREAKING CHARACTER

The Best in the West: Bringing Stories of African American Women During the Westward Expansion to the Stage
by A.J. Muhammad
March, 2020

Videos

  • Bella: An American Tall Tale Trailer youtube thumbnail

    Bella: An American Tall Tale Trailer

  • Bella In the Studio youtube thumbnail

    Bella In the Studio

Photos

  • Bella: An American Tall Tale

    Image: 2017 Playwrights Horizons Production (Joan Marcus)

  • Bella: An American Tall Tale

    Image: 2017 Playwrights Horizons Production (Joan Marcus)

Music

Music Samples

Act I

00. Overture – Orchestra
01. “Big Booty Tupelo Gal” – Bella, Miss Cabbagestalk, Bonny Johnny, Aloysius, Passengers
02. “The Language of my Nose and Lips and Hair” – Grandma, Mama, Bella, Aunt Dinah
03. “Private Hunnicutt’s Letter” – Aloysius
04. “Quien Fuera Luna, Part 1” – Diego
04A. Quien Fuera Luna, Part 2 – Orchestra
04B. “Quien Fuera Luna, Part 3” – Diego, Miss Cabbagestalk, Bella, Chorus
05. “What I Want” – Bella, Nathaniel
06. “Kansas Boun’” – Ida Lou, Bella, Chorus
06A. “Bella/Bonny Johnny Rakehell (Preprise)” – Orchestra
07. “Gal Over Yonder” – Nathaniel, Bella, Cowboys, Cowgirls
09. “Private Hunnicutt’s Letter (Reprise)” – Aloysius
10. “Star Song” – Bella, Stars
11. Tommie Haw (Intro) – Orchestra
11A. “Wagon Driver’s Song/Tommie Haw” – Tommie Haw, Animals
12. “A Bouncin’ Back From Adversity (Lead-In)” – Snaggletooth, Skeeter, Scootah, Scalawag, Scumbucket, Bella
12A. “A Bouncin’ Back From Adversity” – Bella, Snaggletooth, Scalawag, Scumbucket, Nathaniel
13. “Rollin’ Along” – Bella, Nathaniel, Turtle Doves, Warty Ol’ Toad

Act II

13A. Entr’acte – Orchestra
14. “Heaven Must Be Tupelo” – Bella, Chorus of Townspeople
15. “Intro to Bonny Johnny Rakehell” – Bella, Johnny
15A. Bonny Johnny Rakehell” – Johnny, Bella, Tupelo Townsfolk
15B. “Bonny Johnny Rakehell (Reprise) – Orchestra
16. One Ass (Intro) – Orchestra
16A. “One Ass to Another” – Spirit of the Booty, Johnny, Swamp Plants, Bella
17. “Bide a Little Time at the Circus” – Bella, Gabriel
17A. Tuning – Orchestra
18. “White People Tonight” – Bella, Villagers, Conyers, Gabriel
18A. White People Tonight (Underscore) – Orchestra
18B. “Well Slap My Knee” – Johnny
19. “Trav’lin’ The World” – Bella, Conyers, Gabriel, Circus Folks
20. “Mama, Where Did You Go?” – Mama
21. “Trav’lin’ The World (Reprise)” – Bella
22. “Don’t Start No Shit” – Aloysius, Soldiers
23. “Nothin’ But A Man” – Nathaniel
24. “You Don’t Know What You Got Until It’s Gone” – Bella, Spirit of the Booty, Spirits of Some Body
25. “Impossible” – Bella, Train Characters
26. “The Return of Bonny Johnny (Reprise)” – Orchestra
27. “What I Want/Gal Over Yonder Reprise” – Bella, Nathaniel
28. “Big Booty Tupelo Gal (Reprise)” – Bella, Company
29. Bows – Orchestra
30. Exit Music – Orchestra

1 Piano-Conductor
1 Double Bass (Acoustic, Electric Bass) 
1 Drum Set
1 Fiddle (Fiddle, Viola, Violin)
1 Reed (Flute, Clarinet, Bass Clarinet, Tenor Recorder, Piccolo)
1 Guitar (Acoustic Guitar, Banjo) 
1 Percussion (Cymbal, Shaker, Shakere, 
                    Bass Drum, Small Triangle, 
                    Field Drum, Wood Blocks, 
                    Cabasa, Djembe, Castanets,
                    Large Triangle, Guiro, 
                    Mark Tree, Slapstick, 
                    Caxixi, Gong, Jaw Harp, 
                    Cowbell, Slide Whistle, 
                    Vibraslap, Tambourine, 
                    Snare Drum)
  • Musical Style Pop/Rock, Country/Western, Folk, Contemporary Broadway
  • Orchestra Size Medium
  • Chorus Size No Chorus

Licensing & Materials

  • Licensing fees and rental materials quoted upon application.

Music Rentals

Concord offers a full suite of resources to help you put on the show of a lifetime!

13 Vocal Books
1 Piano Conductor Act 1
1 Piano Conductor Act 2
1 Reed
1 Guitar
1 Percussion
1 Drum Set
1 Fiddle
1 Bass

13 Vocal Books
1 Piano Conductor Act 1
1 Piano Conductor Act 2

Add-Ons

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Authors

Kirsten Childs

Kirsten Childs is the award-winning writer of the musicals The Bubbly Black Girl Sheds Her Chameleon Skin, Miracle Brothers, Fly (with Rajiv Joseph and Bill Sherman), Funked Up Fairy Tales and Bella: An American Tall Tale (directed by Robert O’Hara). Bella: An American Tall T ...

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