The stage Musicals of Bernard J Taylor are performed around the world.
BACKSTAGE AT OZ is a comedy musical that follows the backstage antics of a group of six actors and a director (a total cast of 7) who are taking part in a stage production of The Wizard of Oz. There is a pompous Shakespearean actor who thinks his role as Oz is beneath him, a nervous drunk playing the Cowardly Lion, a practiced extrovert playing the Tin Man, a sharp-tongued cynic playing Glinda the Good Witch and a more easygoing actress playing The Wicked Witch. The Pollyanna nature of the actress playing Dorothy fits the part even though her breasts are too large for the role. All pull together after the Munchkins go on strike demanding bigger pay for little people. There are 10 songs. The show won an ATAC Award (San Antonio’s version of New York’s Tony Awards) for its musical score. You can see scenes from the San Antonio production on Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9AYe1805lbM&t=112s
A CHRISTMAS CAROL The ever-popular Christmas story has been adapted for a cast that can be as few as 12 or can be expanded to accommodate larger casts. It combines the ghost of Marley with the Ghost of Future Past and requires only one child performer as Tiny Tim (though additional children can be added). It combines new songs with traditional songs, hymns and carols and has a total of 20 songs. The other two ghosts can be played by women or men. High quality backing tracks are available, as well as orchestrations for a pit band of 6 to 10. See Bernard’s introduction to the musical at
Embed URLhttps://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iMy6Homj-Qk&t=384s
CINDERELLA’S MAKEOVER: A new spin on the Cinderella story, with music by a variety of classical composers plus a modern beat. Cinderella is discovered by a talent scout, gets a makeover, falls into peril, is rescued, falls in love and appears on “Ruritania’s Got Talent.” It has music taken from a raft of composers and features some of Taylor’s favorite music of all time, plus pieces of his own: Leo Delibes, W.A. Mozart, J.S. Bach, Jules Massenet, Carl Maria von Weber, Antonin Dvořák, Luigi Boccherini, Edvard Grieg, Josef Haydn, Felix Mendelssohn, Frederic Chopin, Jacques Offenbach, P.I. Tchaikovsky, Camille St Saens and Bernard J. Taylor. Arranged and orchestrated by Bernard J Taylor. A production inn San Antonio won an ATAC Award (San Antonio’s version of New York’s Tony Awards).
SCENES from Cinderella’s Makeover:
THE CORPORATE PIRATE OF PENZANCE. Incorporates many of the usual narrative elements of a Gilbert and Sullivan story – love across the social barriers, people not being who they seem to be, etc – and weaves them into a more modern story. The advantages offered by this show is that it incorporates some of Gilbert and Sullivan’s most loved melodies, does not require costumes (except for two policemen’s uniforms) as it uses modern dress, and has a simple setting (empty stage with woodland backdrop).
INTRODUCTION TO The Corporate Pirate of Penzance :
THE GOLDEN GLEE CLUB is a comedy musical inspired by the Golden Girls. It was first performed at Woodlawn Pointe in San Antonio with a cast of male actors in drag playing the four central characters, plus two additional characters – making a cast of six. The production was wildly successful with audiences and received rapturous standing ovations (and lots of laughter) during its run.
SCENES FROM Golden Glee Club:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XQ2d29-MEdQ
THE LOVE OF BECKY SHARPE. Drawing on the core story of George Thackery’s Vanity Fair, this new show tells the story of Becky Sharpe in a contemporary setting. Becky Sharpe is one of the more memorable female characters in literature and this provdied the inspiration for this musical. The show is very loosely based on the characters in the novel and develops the basic plot ideas freely. The show has a total cast of 8 (including chorus).A first reading was held in the UK in 2024.
You can learn more in Bernard’s introductory video at :
The singers on this video are Heather Hooten as Becky, Ian Fox as Joseph Sedley (the love of Becky’s life), Mary Morrow as Becky;s friend, Jesse Riggs as Rawden Crawkey, and Diana Reimer Tebaldi as principal chorus member.
THE MARSH KING’S DAUGHTER. Based on the story of the same name by Hans Christian Andersen and is set to music by Mozart arranged and orchestrated by Bernard J. Taylor. It ransacks Mozart’s repertoire for his most well-loved and most beautiful music and puts it all together in a stirring tale of hardships overcome, evil vanquished and opposites attracted.
Although the show has not received a world premiere or attracted as much attention as some of his other shows, Bernard Taylor regards this as one of his favorite creations, with a mixture of comedy and drama.
Here are two of the songs from the show:
MAKE ME A MUSICAL. A modern backstage comedy with a Faustian twist and a cynical view of showbiz. Employing a large cast and chorus this show evokes the spirit of classic Broadway shows like 42nd Street, West Side Story, A Chorus Line, Crazy for You and many more. A popular show especially with youth groups it’s high paced, satirical and most of all packed with singable tunes. The original concept recording stars Lon Satton, Claire Moore, Maurice Clarke, and Kathryn Evans.
View selected SCENES FROM Make Me A Musical:
MUCH ADO Based on Shakespeare’s Much Ado About Nothing. Concept recording stars Paul McGann, Claire Moore, Simon Burke, Janet Mooney, Barry James and Peter Karrie. The show had its world premiere in Shakespeare’s birthplace, Stratford upon Avon, and featured members of the Royal Shakespeare Company.
INTRODUCTION TO Much Ado:
NEW GUY AT SCHOOL. A modern version of the classic of the classic novel Tom Brown’s Schooldays by Thomas Hughes (the school story that created the framework for all school stories that followed, including the Harry Potter stories) this musical with a basically rock feel. It is perfect for school productions and addresses a topic that has always been with us and which has been increasingly in the new: bullies and what to do about them. You can hear one of the backing tracks from this show on Youtube:
NOSFERATU THE VAMPIRE. A version of the Dracula tale, based on the silent movie by F.W.Murnau. A concept recording off the musical featured West End stars Peter Karrie (voted the greatest Phantom of All Time by Phantom of the Opera fans), Claire Moore (who shared the role of Christine in the London premiere production of Phantom of the Opera with Sarah Brightman), Mario Frangoulis, Mark Wynter and Barry James.
Nosferatu Act Two: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=673KYIv_-VE
PRIDE AND PREJUDICE. Based on Jane Austen’s novel. Concept recording stars Peter Karrie, Claire Moore, Gay Soper, James Staddon, Janet Mooney and Christopher Biggins. To date there have been more than 40 productions of this show around the world, most recently in Japan.
Act One: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kNWUJnlZuLM
Act Two: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3TVEiAUmKVU
THE ROCK ‘N ROLL CAFE. A distillation of the rock ‘n roll experience of young people in the late 50s, 60s and 70s – the heyday of rock ‘n roll – with music reminiscent of that era and references to veteran rockers like Elvis Presley, the Beatles, the Rolling Stones, Fats Domino, Jerry Lee Lewis, Eddie Cochran, Journey and others.
THE ROAD TO MADNESS. Scott Fitzgerald is interviewed in purgatory by a modern admirer, who feels deep nostalgia for the era that Fitzgerald wrote about, even though she has never known it first hand.
Act Two: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=toUhJ9-lfqM
SHOW WHITE AND THE WICKED MALEXANDRIA
(Formerly entitled Snow White And the Evil Queen). . Can anyone stop the evil queen and her hairdresser Cedric from killing Snow White and gaining total control of everything? The show uses the music of Beethoven. In this version of the Snow White story, there are no seven dwarfs as they have left their home (which was demolished to make way for a bypass) and joined a circus as a tumbling act.
Here are two songs from the show:
ASYLUM features a number of historical as well as fictional characters who are seeking asylum from the madness of the world. They include Beethoven, Jean Valjean from Victor Hugo’s Les Miserables, Miss Havisham, Pip and Estella from Great Expectations), Javert from Les Miserables, Marilyn Monroe, Helen Keller, and Martin Luther King Jr. Orchestrations by Karl Logue and David Cullen (Andrew Lloyd Webber’s arranger). Here is the opening song:
TRANSFORMATION is about a shy and docile child who recreates himself and fights back against the bullies who have taunted him. It can be performed as an oratorio or a stage musical, done in modern dress. You can see and hear a video introduction to Act One by Bernard here. “The show combines the dramatic qualities and the timeless melodic strengths of Les Miserables with the more experimental content of Sondheim.” – Stewart Thompson, senior examiner, Victoria College of Music and Drama, London (which in 2013 made Bernard Taylor an honorary fellow for “services to music and the performing arts”). Here are some opinions:
SOME OPINIONS ABOUT TRANSFORMATION
Wonderful melodies – great lyrics – mesmerizing arrangements. I especially like the use of language in the lyrics, to cover the main issue of each song. Really well done, each of them. And insightful in terms of what that character is experiencing/thinking/feeling. Moving story. – Darlene Bridge Lofgren, screenwriter.
The show combines the dramatic qualities and the timeless melodic strengths of Les Miserables with the more experimental content of Sondheim. – Stewart Thompson, senior examiner, Victoria School of Music and Drama, London (which recently made me an honorary fellow for my “services to music and the performing arts”).
“Bernard has a true gift for melody. He writes original and catchy songs that stay in one’s mind. His musical style is natural and refreshing.’ – Matthew Freeman, leading British orchestral conductor and arranger.
I love the story concept since it has a journey for the central character which many new shows lack. Bravo. It is such a great work and I relate to it completely. – Lee Cusenbary, San Antonio theatre director, ATAC judge and musicals aficionado. Transformation once again shows Bernard Taylor’s immense talent. The ‘character’ songs are engaging and the story line through song is particularly inspiring. Transformation is a musical of this age showing that one can overcome personal circumstances to achieve greatness. Bernard Taylor is the driving force behind some of the most exciting musical theater being produced. If one was to hear the name, Bernard J. Taylor, you had best run to the box office and get a ticket. I guarantee you will not regret it – Prof Edward Figgins, former Director of the J.B. Sowards Theatre, Ashland, Kentucky
Transformation touches on a lot of universal truths about economic deprivation, failed relationships, dysfunctional families, victims of aggression, the hopelessness and the despair of those who have no-one to defend them. A lot of people will identify with all that – Williy King, friend and supporter.
I am again impressed by your facility for writing narrative lyrics that fit so well with the music and the story without drawing attention to themselves in the way that some modern lyrics do. Professor Hugh McCracken, former Professor of Literature at Youngstown University, USA
I remember Herbert Kretzmer saying something on BBC Radio about your score for Wuthering Heights having the sweep of a great novel. I think the score for Transformation is even more impressive, maybe even a landmark in musical theatre like Showboat, West Side Story and Les Miz. It has a monumental quality. – Alan Turner, friend, supporter and musicals aficionado.
Lush and lyrical, an operatic exploration of today’s troubling social issues. – “Backstage Writer”, theatre blogger based in Cleveland, Ohio.
WUTHERING HEIGHTS.
This beautiful musical is an adaptation of Wuthering Heights based on the classic novel by Emily Brontë. The concept recording stars Lesley Garrett, Dave Willetts, Clive Carter, Bonnie Langford and Sharon Campbell. It was the first stage adaptation of the story to be given the approval of the Brontë Society. The concept album was released by Silva Screen records in 1992, and opera star Lesley Garrett also used two of the songs for one of her best-selling solo albums.
Taylor’s adaptation enjoyed the rare distinction of an endorsement from the Brontë Society and some of the music was recorded and released by Silva Screen Records at the beginning of 1992.
Dave Willetts (star of the West End production of “Phantom of the Opera”) sang Heathcliff, leading British soprano Lesley Garrett performed as Cathy, and Bonnie Langford sang the role of Isabella. The recording received wide acclaim, and the music was described on BBC Radio by Herbert Kretzmer (lyricist for “Les Miserables”) as “having the breadth and sweep of a great novel” and a “romantic intensity not heard since the heyday of Novello”. Two of the songs from the recording “He’s Gone” and “I Belong To The Earth” were featured on The Lesley Garrett Album which topped the classic charts in Britain at the beginning of 1994, and another four songs were featured on her “Soprano In Love”, which went to number three in the classics charts in Britain shortly after its release in 1998.
A try-out production of Wuthering Heights took place in Holland at the beginning of 1994, receiving nightly standing ovations and excellent reviews. There have been subsequent productions in numerous countries. It has been running in repertoire in Poland since 1996 and Romania since 1997. It debuted in Australia in 1998. It is Taylor’s most performed work after Pride and Prejudice.