FAQ

 

What is Stardust County?

Stardust County is a folk opera by Nancy Louise Freeman incorporating all styles of American acoustic music from  C&W to blues to rock, with a few world influences thrown in.  It’s set in a world resembling the Old West, but where magick is real; where pirate ships ply the desert wastes below the mesas; where the trains are run by Destiny, and they never run on time.  The story follows the luckless drifter Nimue John and the ne’er-do-well Nigel of Ephesus, who become unwillingly entangled in a sinister conspiracy led by the wealthy and powerful Queen of Clubs and Diamonds.  When Nigel is by treachery transformed into a wolf, Nimue must transform herself – into a hero.

 

Where can I catch a performance?

There’ve been a number of concert-style performances of Stardust County in Arizona, notably at Fiddler’s Dream in Phoenix, and at science fiction conventions including LepreCon and CopperCon in the Phoenix area, and TusCon in Tucson.  Right now we’re getting a cast together specifically to record Stardust County for CD, so there aren’t any live productions in the works.  That doesn’t mean there won’t be any in the future!  Click this link to get on Nan’s mailing list.

 

Who is involved in the CD project?

Jeff Bohnhoff of Mystic Fig Studios is producing the 2-disc album.    Paige Sullivan, who did the cover for Nan’s first album, Anchored to the Wind, is providing wonderful artwork.  Larry Warner is doing graphic design for the enhanced CD, which will include a full libretto and other fun stuff. 

The full cast of characters looks like this:
The Conductor/Narrator....................Lon Austin
Nimue John, a jill of all trades...........Nancy Louise Freeman
Nigel of Ephesus, a ne'er-do-well..........................Larry Warner
Rosa Fe Armandarez, the Queen of Clubs & Diamonds.................Maya Bohnhoff
Daisy, a barmaid................................Jennifer Ashley
The Sheriff.........................................Tony Fabris
Paul, a lighthouse keeper..................Tom Tuerff
Mercy, ditto........................................Michelle Dockery
The Juggler, a gunrunner..................Forrest Ashley
Pirate First Mate................................TBD

When is it coming out?

The release date will likely be sometime in 2007.

 

Can I get lyrics?  Is there a songbook?

The songbook sold out, but we’re planning a re-release to coincide with the CD release.  If you really want lyrics or music to a specific song and you can’t wait, email Nan – we can work something out.

 

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What gave you the idea to write a folk opera?

I didn’t set out to write a folk opera!  In 1996 I wrote a little fantasy C&W song called Stardust County Line, intending it to be a one-off.  My cohorts in the Phoenix Filk Circle kept on me to find out what happened next, and when the second song didn’t resolve the story either… Eventually I had 20 songs and an epic tale that really couldn’t be done as a one-woman show anymore.

 

So it’s really a filk opera, right?

Right, but I’ve found that broader folk audience who doesn’t know filk from milk really enjoys the Stardust County songs; I’ll usually throw one or two into my set when I play the local festivals.  Besides, filk is a subspecies of folk – like railroad songs or “songs of the women pioneers”.

 

My uncle has a barn, and I want to stage a production of Stardust County myself!

I admire your courage.  Email me and we’ll talk.