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Concept Recordings
The recordings on this page vary from semi-produced pieces with midi or live orchestral insturments to piano-vocal performances.
THE SONGS ARE NOT IN THE ORDER THEY APPEAR IN THE SHOW
THE FILES ARE COMPRESSED MP3s FOR FASTER DOWNLOAD.
All songs Copyright © 2007 C. G. Smith Literary Works #1 LLC
Recorded at Morning Star Studios
“The Testimony” - ACT II Scene 7 - Performed by Adam Jacobs ("Marius" from Les Miserables on Broadway)
In this piece (which is actually the climax of the show) John Newton, after nearly dying in a major storm, realizes he is not ready to face eternity. This song begins during a fierce storm and concludes on the London street corner he left years before, only now he testifies to what the Lord has done in his life. The midi instrument tracks on this recording will be dropped when the live symphony recordings are made.
The Testimony - Words and Music by Christopher Smith, Arr. by Christopher Smith
"Nothing There To Love" - Act II Scene 7 - Performed by Adam Jacobs
"Nothing There To Love" is the last original song in the show (only Amazing Grace remains). John has returned from his harrowing experience at sea and resolves never to tell Mary (whom he believes is already married) about his feelings for her. He does, however, go to visit Mary's mother and it is during a conversation about what has happened to him that he reveals how much Mary's steadfast belief in him contributed to his change. He is unaware that not only is Mary unmarried, but she is actually in the house. Mid-way through this song she appears (unbeknownst to him) in the background and hears what he is singing. After the song ends he will turn to see her.
Nothing There To Love - Words and Music by Christopher Smith, Arr. C. Smith and K. Burgman
"The Young and Simple Lad" - Act I Scene 4 - Adam Jacobs and Men's Ensemble
"The Young and Simple Lad" takes place in the bleak interior of the Langthorne Boarding School. Johnny, who is one of the oldest boys in the school, has taken it upon himself to thwart the seedy and conniving headmaster of the school at every turn. John makes sure that every prospective student receives a personal tour from him. It is during one of these tours that "The Young and Simple Lad" occurs. The boys paint a far different picture of life at the school that the headmaster did earlier in the scene. Note* to call someone simple at that time was to basically call them stupid.
The Young and Simple Lad - Words and Music by Christopher Smith, Arr. by C. Smith and K. Burgman
"Harwich, Pride of the Fleet" - Act II Scene 1 - Adam Jacobs, Tom Baust and Men's Ensemble
"Harwich (pronounced "Harrich"), Pride of the Fleet" opens Act II and recalls what seems like a fictional part of our story, but is in fact true. At the end of Act I, Johnny desserts the Royal Navy ship onto which he was impressed against his will. He was re-captured within sight of Mary's house and returned to the ship to be whipped and demoted. Royal Navy life was hard enough, but to lose one's place as a midshipmen, be demoted to common seaman and to have to live among the people you once commanded is a difficult transition for John. He acts out in a way very similar to his boarding school days by writing insulting songs about the leadership. The character he is arguing with is Mr. Briggs, another sailor. It is true that John wrote a song about the captain of the ship he served on while off the coast of Africa and taught it to the other sailors; the song is lost to history so we have written a new one. When the captain found out about John's treachery, he determined to dispose of John. This happens in the next scene and is how John was introduced to the slave industry in Africa.
Harwich, Pride of the Fleet - Words and Music by Christopher Smith, Arr. C. Smith, J. Ohrt, and K. Burgman
“What Are You Searching For?” - ACT I Scene 5 – Performed by Jennifer Felty - (Veteran of the Grand Ole Opry, Off-Broadway star of Smoke on the Mountain, veteran of numerous regional performances)
John has fallen desperately in love with Mary who cannot give her heart to him. She has tried to reason with him, but so far to no avail. This song takes place late at night on Christmas Eve. John must leave the next day and they will be apart until the second to last scene of Act II.
What Are You Searching For? - Words and Music by Christopher Smith, Arr. by C. Smith and K. Burgman
"Expectations" - Act I Scene 9 - Ali Ewoldt (Cosette from Les Miserables on Broadway) and the Women's Ensemble
"Expectations" occurs on a London street corner near John's father's shipping office. John and his dad have just had a sharp argument about Johnny's future (the same scene which features "Truly Alive"). After his father departs, John runs into an old mate from boarding school. This "friend", (named Pips) offers him a drink and seems accommodating, but the audience is aware that some sort of mischief is afoot. Pips is working with a street girl to lull unsuspecting men into the clutches of the Royal Navy press gang. As John becomes compliant from the alcohol, the street girl seeks to distract him. She does so with a song (which the other street girls join).
Expectations - Words and Music by Christopher Smith and Alana F. Smith, Arr. by C. Smith, J. Ohrt & K. Burgman
“Truly Alive” - ACT I Scene 5 - Performed by David Michael Felty ("Jean Valjean" in the National Tour of Les Miserables, Broadway veteran of The Civil War)
John's father, a very successful merchant sea captain, tries to sway John into facing what he perceives as the "real" world and let go of his artistic dreams. This song occurs during a heated exchange on a London street corner following John's failure to take a job his father had procured. The midi instrument tracks on this recording will be dropped when the live symphony recordings are made.
Truly Alive - Words and Music by Christopher Smith, Arr. by Christopher Smith
“A Chance For Me” - ACT II Scene 5 - Performed by David Michael Felty
Captain Newton realizes that all of his money and influence cannot find his lost son in Africa. This song follows a scene where Captain Newton must confront the truth about his own failures and the relationships he has squandered. This song is a collaboration between Christopher Smith and Karen Burgman, the production's piano-vocal arranger.
A Chance For Me - Words and Music by Christopher Smith & Karen Burgman, Arr. C. Smith and K. Burgman
“Nowhere Left To Run” - Act II Scene 7 - Performed by Gary Mauer ("The Phantom" in the Broadway and National Tour of Andrew Lloyd Webber's The Phantom of the Opera)
This, the most spiritually confrontational of all the songs in the show, is sung by Mr. Reid and occurs as he is accompanying John back from Africa to England. Reid is uniquely qualified to address John's spiritual decline as Reid was himself a slave trader who turned his back on the evil industry and left his life at sea. He has been serving as a land-based assistant to John's father and has thus known Johnny all his life. Mr. Reid offered to sail this one last time to find Johnny and buy him back from the slave traders on Plantain Island. The challenge embodied in "Nowhere Left To Run" is the first to contain the subject of judgement or consequences and it is the last song before the fierce storm scene begins.
Nowhere Left To Run - Words and Music by Christopher Smith, Arr. C. Smith
“A God Who Truly Hears” - ACT I Scene 3 Performed by Adam Jacobs
John Newton sings a song he wrote when he was nine. He explains to Mary Catlett, the young woman he has fallen desperately in love with, that this was the last Christian song he ever wrote after his mother's death.
A God Who Truly Hears - Words and Music by Christopher Smith, Arr. C. Smith and K. Burgman
“A Mother's Prayer” - ACT I Scene 2 – Performed by Laurie Gayle Stephenson and Elizabeth Southard (Both of whom have played "Christine Daae" on Broadway in The Phantom of the Opera)
Elizabeth Southard (who plays the dying Mrs. Newton, John's mother) and Laurie Gayle Stephenson (who plays Mrs. Catlett, Mrs. Newton’s best friend) share their final heart-rending words before Mrs. Newton dies. John is only six years old at this time.
A Mother's Prayer - Words and Music by Christopher Smith, Arr. C. Smith and K. Burgman
"Amazing Grace" Act II Scene 8 - Company
"Amazing Grace" brings our show to a triumphant finale. John Newton, now an older man and a pastor of the Parish Church at Olney, has had many years to reflect on his experiences. During the Christmas season, he has read through his entire journal from cover to cover for the first time and written a hymn summing up what he has learned. Now, on New Years day, 1773 the world will hear his song for the first time. He ascends to a small lectern, speaks to the gathered parishioners and then begins to sing. As the song progresses we begin to see the figures of people from John's past; his mother, his father, some of the slaves, his shipmates etc. These join in the song and by the final chorus the entire company is on stage. The final rousing chorus is performed with the orchestra, cast and even the audience joining in.
Amazing Grace Finale - Words by John Newton, composer unknown, Arr. C. Smith, J. Ohrt & K. Burgman
"The Overture" (midi version) - Written, orchestrated and performed by Christopher Smith
The piece is a bit of our show history and is the first music sample which Christiopher Smith put together to demonstrate his vision for the scale and passion of the show. It begins with the main adventure theme, "The Testimony," which is the climax of the show. We then transition to a summary of some of the major musical themes in the show: "A Mother's Prayer" - John's dying mother's theme, "The Young & Simple Lad" - a humorous romp from John's boarding school days, "A God Who Truly Hears" - a ballad of both longing and nostalgia, and "The Storm Theme" - an ominous buildup leading to "Amazing Grace" which emerges from this turmoil as a victorious anthem.
The Overture - Music by Christopher Smith, Arr. C. Smith
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