Ray of Sunshine
Ray of Sunshine is a rock opera composed by Adam Farouk. Set in early twenty-first-century New York City, it tells the story of an eccentric man of means who unexpectedly befriends an old, weather-worn, warmhearted street dog. Together with a talented but shy cellist they meet along the way, the friends must face and conquer their greatest fears and most limiting beliefs to heal their souls and find their way back home.
Products:
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Songs from Ray of Sunshine (Album)
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Characters:
Raymond de Villiers - An eccentric member of a famously wealthy Swiss family. When the story opens, 50-something Ray has recently moved from St. Moritz to New York City, to organize a celebratory lighting of the Queensboro Bridge in honor of Pride Week. Sharp, creative, and highly engaged, Ray feels untethered until he encounters Sunshine, a warm-hearted old dog, and befriends Selina, a shy cellist - chance meetings that will indelibly alter his life’s trajectory.
Sunshine - A 15-year-old Australian Shepherd. Growing up in a harsh, loveless environment has not hardened this sweet, loving dog. When she first meets Ray, Sunshine refuses to be shooed away, intuitively recognizing him as “her person”--the human whose soul she must repair and save. Instrumental in Ray’s meeting with Selina, Sunshine wins Ray’s heart to become his friend and companion—and, when he needs her most, his savior.
Selina Lopez - A 20-something professional cellist who works at "Maggie's Music," a music store on 59th Street. Talented but self-effacing and shy, Selina prefers practicing to socializing. Her working-class family encouraged her to pursue music to gain confidence and blossom, goals she has yet to achieve. Initially distrustful of Ray, she eventually becomes his creative collaborative partner, as well as his closest human friend.
Maggie - A local 70-something singer-songwriter who owns Maggie's Music, and often plays at its weekly open mics. Maggie’s reflective, philosophical songs often represent local community’s voice.
Chaz - Carlos "Chaz" Lopez is Selina's older brother. A 20-something fisherman with an easy-breezy personality, Chaz tries to keep Selina focused on her goal of playing with the New York Philharmonic.
Brown - A local 40-something event organizer and a perfectionist known for his ebullient personality and flamboyant fashion sense. Brown accepts the high-stakes job of organizing the neighborhood’s Pride Day pageantry, which includes illuminating the Queensboro Bridge in rainbow-colored lights.
Dredd - The 30-something charismatic leader of "The Flock," a group of spiritual seekers obsessed with suicide. Dredd is a spiritual firebrand who fervently believes in his organization's credo of "Life, through Death."
LeFèvre - A young French-Canadian musician. LeFèvre performs for Ray and with Selina at West Side Fest, where the two go to discuss details about Ray's upcoming event.
"Baby, I'm bound to find my way out
Now I've got nowhere left to roam
Wading my way through muddy waters
Baby, I'll find my way back home"
- Sunshine ("Baby I'm Bound" from Ray of Sunshine)
Format:
Ray of Sunshine is designed to be a live-performance theatrical event, performed in two acts, with one intermission in between. The show is live-action with some puppetry, and combines songs, sung dialogue, recitativo secco, and instrumental numbers, with minimal spoken dialogue. By using music and song as the show's primary conveyor, the goal is that the audience experience its emotional impact in its most direct fashion. A brief summary of the show's storyline is available as program notes during live performances.
List of Numbers:
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Act One:
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Act Two:
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