A Brief History
According to Newfoundland legend, Sheila Na Geira was an Irish Princess who while at sea was captured by the notorious pirate Peter Easton. She fell in love with Easton's lieutenant, Gilbert Pike, and the two settled in Bristol's Hope, Newfoundland c. 1605. The legend had all the ingredients musicals are made of, and Chuck decided he would do just that with the story.
In 1994 he started writing the script and enlisted his father John Herriott, a noted composer/musician, to write the score. In 1995 with most of the score complete, John Herriott passed away and the duties of composing were passed to Chuck's brother Richard, an accomplished pianist and composer. Chuck's other brother Mike would arrange the score.
Chuck received a grant of $11,000.00 for the project from the Newfoundland and Labrador Arts Council to aid in the creation of script, music and design elements with the aim that Sheila Na Geira: A Folk Opera be staged outdoors in Carbonear, NL, throughout the summer of 1997 for the Cabot 500 Celebrations.
Chuck then set himself to the task of amassing corporate sponsorship and convinced four companies to throw in $15,000.00 apiece. He then convinced the Federal and Provincial Governments to ante up. In the end he raised a total of $285,000.00, just in time to start rehearsals, build the set and costumes and start spinning the wheels of promotion.
Everything about the production had to be top-notch. An office was set up and people were hired. Professional actors would fill the main roles, four professional musicians would play his father's music, a professional costume designer was hired, a professional carpenter would build the set... and a team of locals would help out. Forty-five people were hired and set their minds to the task of bringing the legend to life. On July 19th, 1997 the show opened!
The project was a huge success. Audience members would arrive at the local mall, buy a ticket at a kiosk in the mall and then board a waiting school bus which would take you to the site – Dave White's quiet field far from the highway. The first weekend saw and average of four buses arrive at the field – each bus holding 50-60 people. The next weekend the number of buses increased to average of 8-10; and the third weekend 12-14. For the final performance on the fourth weekend, 19 buses drove up the gravel road to the main gate. An amazing 868 people paid to come and see the play that night. Word of mouth had done its job. It was an incredible success.
In 1998 Sheila Na Geira: A Legend of Love and Larceny began a two-year hiatus from the Carbonear festival and local troupes did their best to fill the void with a show based on the same story but with their own script and musical elements - not to be confused with the original production.
During the summer of 2000 the original Sheila was back!
Chuck joined forces with well-known actor Pete Soucy and the two brought the outdoor musical back to life. The result was another resounding success.
The future of Sheila...
The original Sheila Na Geira is currently being reworked. Chuck's brother Mike, a world-renowned musician, is re-working the score while Chuck adds a few more tunes and re-works the second act. The plan is to develop the score and the book and shop it around to producers everywhere.
SHEILA NA GEIRA: A LEGEND OF LOVE AND LARCENY
was first produced with the following cast and crew:
Written and Directed by - Chuck Herriott
Original Music by - John D. Herriott & Richard M. J. Herriott
Additional Lyrics by - Dennis Fitzgerald, Sean Harris, & Ken Murphy
Additional Music by - Chuck Herriott, Wade Pinhorn,
George Morgan & Sean Harris
Music Arrangements by - Michael Herriott & Wade Pinhorn
For the production:
Artistic Director - Chuck Herriott
Musical Director - Wade Pinhorn
Assistant Director - Liane Gregory
Stage Manager - Kelly L. Jones
Set Designer - Chuck Herriott with Paddy Mackey & Pete Soucy
Set Consultation - Clar Doyle & David White
Head Carpenter - Paddy Mackey
Assistant Carpenters - David White & Mark Cooney
Costume Designer - Marie Sharpe
Costumers - Sarah Dempsey, Debbie Sellers, & Beverly Haire
Properties - Bridget Zelasko
Fight Choreographers - Chuck Herriott, Jerry Getty, Alison Aylward, & David James Young
Fight Captain - Sean Harris
Dance Choreographer - Dale Jarvis
Front of House - Angela Sellers & Barbara White
Box Office/ Tour Guides - Dana Gillingham & Ken Slade
Security - Anthony Murphy & Dave Deering
Co-Ordinator - Claudine Garland
Assistant Co-Ordinator - Gail Powell
Secretary - Pauline Garland
Sheila Na Geira was performed on David White’s field, 1 Gunner’s Pond Road, Carbonear, C.B., Newfoundland. The World Premiere was July 18, 1997. The show ran from July 19th - August 16th, 1997.
THE CAST OF THE PREMIERE 1997 PRODUCTION:
SHEILA NA GEIRA ALISON AYLWARD
JENSON/JAKE CHRIS CHAFE
CABIN BOY/ JOHN ROBERT COLBOURNE
HAWK/ GRANT PHILIP COOMBS
PIRATE/MOLLY PAM EDWARDS
OULA JENNY GEAR
BOSUN/FRED/FAERY SEAN HARRIS
PETER EASTON CHUCK HERRIOTT
IRISH CAPTAIN/PIRATE/PATRICK KEN MURPHY
ROTTER/ENNIS JOHN SHEEHAN
CRAB/FAERY STUART SMITH
FAERY/FREDRICKS/BETH HEATHER STONE
GILBERT PIKE DAVID JAMES YOUNG
THE MUSICIANS:
KEYBOARDS WADE PINHORN
GUITAR PAUL MONOHAN
BASS GUITAR JACK DAW
PERCUSSION SONNY HOGAN
OTHERS WHO GAVE THE PRINCESS A HAND
DRAMATURGE Marion Cheeks
SCRIPT CONSULTANTS Pete Soucy & Ken Murphy
WORKSHOP ACTORS Dennis Fitzgerald, Mary Lewis, Beni Malone, & Ken Murphy
THE MUSIC & SONGS
OVERTURE Music by John & Richard Herriott (M. Herriott arr.)
PROLOGUE SONG Music & Lyrics by C. Herriott. (George Morgan arr.)
EASTON, EASTON Music & Lyrics by C. Herriott (Wade Pinhorn arr.)
TO THE VICTOR Music & Lyrics by C. Herriott with W. Pinhorn & Sean Harris
THE GROG, THE GROG Music & Lyrics by C. Herriott (W. Pinhorn & S. Harris arr.)
SLEEP, NOW, SLEEP Music & Lyrics by C. Herriott (W. Pinhorn arr.)
THOUGHTS OF SHE Lyrics by C. Herriott Music J. & R. Herriott (M. Herriott arr.)
MEANT TO BE Lyrics C. Herriott Music J. & R. Herriott (M. Herriott arr.)
MY ONLY LOVE Music C. Herriott Lyrics C. Herriott & D. Fitzgerald (W. Pinhorn arr.)
OVERTURE ACT 2 Music by J. & R. Herriott (M. Herriott arr.)
PROLOGUE ACT 2 Music by J. & R. Herriott (M. Herriott arr.)
SHEILA’S THEME Music by John Herriott Lyrics by Sean Harris (Wade Pinhorn arr.)
CULLAH, ANISH, CULLAH Music & Lyrics by C. Herriott ( W. Pinhorn arr.)
CHORALE Music by John & Richard Herriott (M. Herriott arr.)
REEL Music by John & Richard Herriott (M. Herriott arr.)
UPON THIS ROCK Lyrics by C. Herriott Music by J. & R. Herriott (M. Herriott arr.)