One of the best parts of the “Shakespeare in Love” movie is its sweeping romantic score—a score not available for the stage production. Theatres around the country have created their own scores for their productions and we listened to a number of these. But in the end, our Sound Designer, Luke Walchuk, decided to write an all original score for our production.
Here are some notes from Luke Walchuk about the process:
This project was a daunting but rewarding challenge. Though I have written incidental music (a term for any music written for a play that isn’t specifically a “musical”) for nearly every non-musical since I joined Charleston Stage in Season 39, Shakespeare in Love represents a step above. Normally, the music I write for a play is primarily transition music between scenes and occasional underscoring; it is intended to move the story along and enhance the emotions of a scene but does not usually require close interaction with the cast.
For this production, we had those things plus dances, sword fights, and a chorale sung by the whole cast. This meant that I had to be involved earlier in the process than usual. I attended rehearsals and worked closely with Directors Julian Wiles and Marybeth Clark, as well as Choreographer Cara Dolan and Fight Choreographer Evan Parry, to create music that complemented the action. Whether I was illustrating William Shakespeare’s writer’s block at the beginning of the show, adding intensity (and comedy) to an exciting sword fight, or supporting an emotional love scene, every piece was tailored specifically for this production of this play. I also created recurring themes for some of the major characters (you can check them out below). These themes help to subtly give focus to specific characters or aspects of the story. In the case of the Queen, perhaps not so subtly.
Creating a score for a play is not like creating a score for a film; I did not have each scene on a screen in front of me as I wrote, with perfectly concrete, consistent timing. Live theater is more unpredictable than that. This required the music itself to be written differently than a film score. If you listen closely during scene transitions or long pieces like the sword fights, you may hear sections that repeat on a short loop. This allows the action to catch up to the music. At a certain cue in the action, the loop will end and the music will continue. The challenge is to make the loop sound like a natural part of the piece. I used this strategy for moments that didn’t lend themselves to strict choreography. For other moments, such as the DeLesseps’ ball, I worked with Cara Dolan to map out the sections of a piece in exact musical terms of bars and beats. I then wrote the music and she choreographed to it, with both of us making adjustments over the course of a few weeks of rehearsal. Music Director Sam Henderson taught the “O Mistress Mine” chorale to the cast and checked in periodically to ensure that the piece was in good shape.
The result of all of this extra planning, rehearsing, and choreography is a living, breathing score that is an integral part of the production in a way that pre-made music could never be. Thanks to the close collaboration of every person involved in Shakespeare in Love. I am proud to say that we have created a fine and fitting tribute to Theatre itself. I hope our audiences feel the same way!
Audio Examples
Will Shakespeare’s Theme (Writer’s Block)
Viola’s Theme (O Mistress Mine)
Wessex’s Theme (I Need a Dowry)
Burbage’s Theme (Peddlers of Bombast)