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	Joe Bean

Mark Nichols personally invites you into his archives 1980-2004. Take a gander the "etchings" if you will. All the projects here were written, recorded, arranged, directed or produced by Mark, who has steadfastly worked in the dingiest black box theater to the nastiest beer soaked stage. This website contains over 30 hours of recorded music and video. Feel free to use it for your own entertainment. Pass it on or play it for friends, and most of all use it! Any commercial uses must be cleared with The Really Big Production Company. No request is or idea is too small or too big. We look forward to hearing from you.

Theater

Caucasian Chalk Circle

23 Seagull Variations

Joe Bean

Little Boy Goes To Hell

The Potato Boy

Searching For Father Christmas

The Collected Works of Billy The Kid

Bessemer's Spectacles

Orchestra and Rock Band

Jeremy Enigk and Fire Theft

Trillian Green

Simon Asher

Songs

Alphabetical Listing of some songs by Mark Nichols

Old Songs (before 1982)

Film Scores

(2003) THE SUFFERING OF JOE BEAN. Yes, Ladies and Gentlemen, this is Joe Bean! A most amazing and astounding piece of musical theatre! It is the most recent and most accomplished project of Mark Nichols (w/ director Bob McAllister). Joe Bean is the story of a man who has it all, and loses it all. It explores the age-old question: "why do bad things happen to good people?" Why? Why? Why?

(1987 & re-mounted 1997) LITTLE BOY GOES TO HELL. This musical was the first for Mark Nichols in 1987. Originally a 4-record mini-lp set with a book featuring the cartoons of The Squirrel's Rob Morgan, it was released by Conrad Uno's Pop Llama Records and featured members of The Young Fresh Fellows, Red Dress, The Squirrels, Skerik, Prudence Dredge, and on and on. Little Boy was the first musical produced by the Annex Theater in Seattle and was later re-imagined by Seattle's Open Circle Theater.

(1989) THE POTATO BOY. The Potato Boy is a Grand Opera about a post-appocalyptic village. Sort of Freddy Mercury meets Gilbert and Sullivan and David Lynch at the very end of a party and the host is trying to get them stop singing.

(1993) SEARCHING FOR FATHER CHRISTMAS. It's a big musical about a lot of Little Kids who are pissed off that Santa is being exploited for commercial reasons. Using all the latest swarming tactics they force the White House's hand and insist that Kringle show his face publicly. Only a band of misfit kids and a crochety professor really know where to look. Features the song "If there's no Santa Claus".

(1993) THE COLLECTED WORKS OF BILLY THE KID. Michael Ondaatje, who wrote the Booker Prize-winning novel "The English Patient," also wrote this beautifully vivid poetry play. It's as if Billy himself were telling the story. Mark Nichols wrote music using what might be called a south-of-the-border surrealist orchestra.

(1994) BESSEMER'S SPECTACLES. Glen Berger was living in Seattle before he moved on to New York. This is a very early version of this play which will be performed soon at the Minneapolis Children's Theater. Features the song "The Moon in My Teacup"

(1990) WONKA. Red Farm Films was a group of ambitious filmmakers in Seattle around the time of grunge. They didn't make a lot of films, but they produced the best play ever created in Seattle.

(2003) A LIE OF THE MIND. Act Theater in seattle did a version of Sam Shepard's famous play. The Walkabout's Carla Torgerson and Mark Nichols collaborated on this intensely personal journey into loneliness and separation.

(1995) THE DRAGON. Chris Petit and Seattle's Open Circle Theater produced this cartoon-like political allegory about a town under the thumb of a dragon. Featured huge characters and set the tone for most of Open Circle's later productions. Features the song "We Shall See"

(1996) THE FIREBUGS. Open Circle Theater, Seattle. A play was never more prophetic of 9/11 than this one. Chris Petit and Mark Nichols create an operatic world using the original Max Frisch text and some new lyrics as well.

(1992) THE TOOTH COLLECTOR. Ordway Elementary. What happens when you combine an ambitious and fairly insane composer in his early 20's with a 3rd grade class, and you leave them alone to work for 3 months? They create a surrealist opera about dreams and little men who steal your teeth at night.

(1994) MOTHER GOOSE. Mark Nichols wrote 28 songs about the greatest witch of all time. You know her, you love her, she's Mother Goose. This is the story of a cartoon townspeople who guiltily tell her story through her own songs.

(2001) TWO-PERSON SHOW. Various stories of Columbine and Pierot as presented by Mark Nichols and Amy Rider.

(1995-) MIDNIGHT CHOIR. Excellent Grammy-winnin' Norweigan band. Check out "Harbor Hope". Wow! Chris Isaacs or Roy Orbison in a sad sad mood.

(1991) BEAVERCHIEF & MARK NICHOLS: SPANKED BY THE SPIRIT. "A truly original music. I wasn't sure whether to laugh, cry, scream or dance."--NPR. Beaverchief always said, "We're doing this for the children," so kids, here it is! !n its full loud glory. The most mysterious and inspired collection of recordings to come out of Seattle . This is the real thing from the NW Coast tradition, combined with a rock orchestra so that you can get it.

(1989-) THE WALKABOUTS.The Walkabout's music is virtually unknown in their hometown of Seattle. Yet they have captured the hearts of Eastern and Western Europeans in great numbers. How sweetly ironic and appropriate that they chose Seattle composer Mark Nichols to be their orchestral partner in crime and stuck with him through it all. Listen here to some tidbits from both the Virgin CDs and the Glitterhouse CD collection.

(1997 - )JEREMY ENIGK & THE FIRE THEFT. Ah, sweet sounds. What soul-filled voice! What inspiration! If you haven't heard or bought this album you are a pop music fool. If you are not a fool, let me now introduce you to my favorite album so that you may go out and own it for yourself. And the new one's pretty damn good too.

(1995?) TRILLIAN GREEN: METAMORPHOSIS. I find walking around at Burning Man this summer (2003) trying to find some coffee at 7AM. The only thing I can hear at the time of day is Trillian Green's Metamorphosis album. I walk half a mile to find the source of the sound and sit with a bunch of other pilgrims to listen to the mellow furious hippy punk invention of Jarrod, Christine and Ben as the DJ plays the whole album from start to finish.

(1992) SIMON ASHER: 3-COLOR SUN. Conrad Uno produced these songs and brought Mark in to do arrangements. The song here is cool because of violinist Steve Tada's cadenza at the end. Much of Mark's work features The Bravura String Quartet and this was the 2nd project together.

(1985-)SONGS OF MARK NICHOLS. "A songwriter who managages to capture something wrong and make it seem right"--John Lawler "The mistakes are the best part"--Beaver Chief a.k.a. Fred Jamison, Lummi Tribe. Here you go kids!

(1977-1982) OASIS/ART DAMAGE. Mark Nichols' first real band was called Oasis. Well here it is folks. You asked for it, you got it. The really old stuff. Back when the term "The 80's" hadn't even been coined. Put on your headphones and rock!

(2003) A RELATIVE THING. (feature-length film, Hat Factory & EKE, 2003) This beautiful movie is playing to standing ovations at a film festival near you. Directed by Garrett Bennett

(2001) FAREWELL TO HARRY (Feature-lenth film. Hat Factory Studios) This soundtrack is all original and all oldies. Very old. Mark Nichols recreated the 20s and 30s New Orleans Jazz sound with the help of some of Seattle's finest jazz players including Skerik, Greta Matassa, Paul Elliott, Bob Storms, and the Apostles.

(1993-1994) AMERICAN FILM INSTITUTE PROJECTS. Mark did music for 3 films by Garrett Bennett while he was attending The American Film Institute. A few moments of these are here for your viewing pleasure.

(1991) FLARED PANTS (Red Farm Films, 12 Minutes) That's right. It's here. In its entirety. Ladies and Gentlemen...FLARED PANTS! The longest 12 minutes you'll ever spend. Watch Paul Giamatti, Brian Finney, Garrett Bennett, Jillian Armanante, and Christina Mastin in their first film! Winner of the Stranger's best film comedy. It really is good, sick fun!

(1995) END OF THE ICON. Directed by Garrett Bennett. Stars Brian Finney, Brent Frazier and Eric Roberts. Just good wholesome entertainment about being drunk in LA.

(2001) INTERVIEWS! INTERVIEWS! An educational film by Mark Nichols and Amy Rider featuring the students of Interency Academy. This very clever piece was meant to be a training film. It turned into something more. Much more.

(1999) M & M. (40 minute featurette.) An English friend, Simon Radcliff wrote this movie for a group of us friends while we were staying in England in 2001. He handed us a murder mystery story and we just sort of went for it.

(1997) LITTLE BOY GOES TO HELL LIVE @ OPEN CIRCLE THEATER. (115 minute DVD of production and CD.) When Open Circle remounted Mark Nichols' first musical, LITTLE BOY GOES TO HELL, in 1997, we were lucky enough to get a 3-camera shoot and a 24-track recording of it on closing night.

(2001) TWO-PERSON SHOW HIGHLIGHTS. (Video Short.) Here's a collage of material from Amy Rider and Mark Nichols' Two-Person Show which they performed in England and Seattle in various incarnations.

(1999) HOLES. A couple of years before Disney did it Mark Nichols and Amy Rider filmed some real kids in real trouble doing Holes while they spent time in a high-security school.

(1999) THE MUMMERS. (30-minute documentary) One of England's oldest acting/theater traditions is a home grown holiday tradition called Mummering. Mark Nichols actually captures a small town Mummer play complete with excellent and lovely Vicar!

(2000) SETTING THE ROAD ON FIRE. (13-minute teaser for full-lenth documentary.) Mark Nichols made this documentary of Seattle legendary Walkabouts as they embark for and tour Europe. One of America's most humble rock bands behind the curtain.

(2003) OPPORTUNITY SOMALIA. A group of Somalian Kids created this film with Mark Nichols and Amy Rider. It's a drug bust film that'll teach you a thing or two about messin' with the wrong people.

(1998) OPEN CIRCLE THEATER KIDS PROGRAM TRAILER. This is a 3-minute version of a 45-minute documentary Mark Nichols made on Amy Rider's summer children's theater program for kids in foster care. She went on to work with these same kids for 3 more summers.

(2002) UTILIKILTS MOCK-U-MERCIAL. Steven Villegas the founder of Utilikilts and Mark Nichols made this commercial in about 4 hours to kick off a mock commercial contest for the company. Mark plays the thief and Jay Craig plays the bad-ass kilt wearin' dude.

Peepolykus are comedy group made up of 1 Brit and 2 Spaniards. This 15-minute info-mercial attempts to suck you into the mad world of Britain's cherished comedy trio.

(1985-)THE SQUIRRELS. What gives with this Legendary Seattle entity called the Squirrels? Well, it's hard to explain. It's a big bucket of shake. It's Tuesday night bowling. It's Sunday school on acid. It's the best band in the world more than a few times.

Films (Directed by Mark Nichols)

Maximum Impact Performance Squad

Video Demo Reel

Little Boy Goes to Hell Live @ Open Circle

The Mummers (Documentary)

Walkabouts in Europe (Documentary)

Utilikilts Mock-u-mercial

Peepolykus

*Disclaimer: These are composer DEMOS and are sloppy and quick. Meant for writing and learning purposes. A more complete version is here http://marknichols.bandcamp.com/album/caucasian-chalk-circle

SEE VIDEO OF SOME OF THESE SONGS at

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bjW1Wcijqrk

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=86J8WImswsE

	*PART 1*
1)	*Once Upon A Time*
2)	Appeals to the King
3)	*The Procession into Church*
4)	*The City is Still Part 1*
	*The City is Still Part 2*
5)	*Blind Man*
6)	The Overthrow
7)	*I Will Have Been Waiting*
	*I Will Have Been Waiting Julie*
8)	Transition To Meyhem
9)	*And the Child Called to Her*
	PART 2
10)	*Barefoot Girl*
11)	The River Sirra
12)	Nobody Wants You Underscore
13)	*Because She's Free*
14)	Escaping the Ironshirts
15)	*Nobody Wants You - Julie*
16)	*Things Dont Always Go The Way Theyre Planned*
.	*PART 3*
17)	Seven Days
18).	The Sister was so Ill
19)	*Somewhere In Between - Julie. C minor.*
20)	The Wedding
21)	*The Drunken Peasant Song*
22)	Oh, Confusion
23)	Maritial Argument Underscore
24)	As She Sat By the Stream
25)	So Many Words Part 1
25)	So Many Words Part 2
26)	Soldiers taking Michael Away
27)	Who Will Decide the Case?
	*PART 4*
28)	Hear the Story of the Judge
29)	Old Begger a Bed
30)	*Am I Right?*
31 - 34)	*Azdak*
35)	Granny Grusinia
36)	Azdak Reprise
37)	Disorder Came to and End
	PART 5
38)	Hear Now the Story
39)	But Never Fear the Daylight
40)	Chalk Circle Underscore
41)	The Farewell Dance
42)	*And Age Of Justice*

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Lyrics to the Azdak songs, by Mark Nichols and Brecht

SINGER AND CHORUS
When wisdom burned to ashes
And blood ran down the street
And rats poured from the gutters
And maggots soured the meat

When towns were set on fire
And the river of blood rose higher
And Cockroaches crawled out of every crack,
You'd kill your only friend for little Bric a brac

And the courts overflowed with schemers
And the church was made of blasphemers
Your son begged food from the lowliest poor
Your wife became a festering whore

And The Only one on the level
Is the man up there on the bench…
Who can it be? Who can it be?
Azdak!

#32 AZDAK PART 2
(CUE: "Next Cases!)

Men won't do much for a shilling
But for a pound they might be willing
20 pounds and it's in the sack
50 pounds and he won't be back
As for those without out a penny
As for those without a horse
They've got only one recourse
A lone and honest legal force
Who can it be? Who can it be?
Azdak!

#33 AZDAK PART 3
Cue: "So the court can inspect the scene of the crime.")

All mankind should love each other
But bring an ax when you talk to your brother
What miracles of preaching
A good sharp blade can do
His honor of the high court knew
And understood it too!

When the sharks the sharks devour
Little fish will have their hour
Tis fishy to fix the scales of power
Thankfully, he's in the ivory tower
The poor man's magistrate…
Who's the man to seal your fate
The one, the only potentate
Who's the wise? Who's the great?
Who Can it be? Who can it be?
Azdak!

He gives to the forsaken
All the riches from the rich that he hath taken
Good and evil man he,
Smiled up on Grusinia's Granny
Our man's Neither mamby,
Nor is our man pamby
Justice for nothing, mercy for free
Give it to the poor, give it to me
Who can it be? Who can it be?
Azdak!

#36 AZDAK PART 4

The drowning, he did save them
Broken laws like breath he gave them
justice to the poor and lowly
Like an angel, not so holy
Swim them all to the shore on his tired, crooked back

For two years 'twas his pleasure
Give the beasts of prey his measure
From the forests to the hallows
He could smell the dung from the gallows
In the use of the noose he was never slack
Like a cornered wolf he would take on the pack
The only one with the point
Is the man sitting there on the tack
Who can it be? Who can it be?... Azdak.

The Caucasian Chalk Circle

Brecht

Another massive project directed by my old friend Chris Petit (The Dragon, Firebugs), for Whitman College, Walla Walla. The show opens March 2nd.

These are demos of original music(and some lyrics) written by Mark Nichols for Berthold Brecht's "Caucasian Chalk Circle." These songs are inspired by the traditional "polyphonic" music from Grusinia (aka Georgia, Russia) and other regional styles. The play is about fairness and equality, status and responsibility among other things. Brecht's lyrics and dramatic situations are always complex and rich, and the lyrics from this play are no exception.

The Caucasian Chalk Circle is set in the land of Grusinia, Russia. Part one tells of a young maid who escapes a political overthrow with a child not her own. In the second part we see them bonding and escaping the soldiers. In the third part we see her losing herself to a life in sacrifice for the child. In the fourth part, we meet the renagade and complex judge, Azdak, and in the fifth part we see the trial of our heroine as she attempts to keep the child rather than give it back to the irresponsible governor's wife.

The following images are from Whitman College's (Harper Joy Theater's) production of the play, directed by Chris Petit March 2006. All photos by Mark Nichols.

Barefoot Girl

Grusia's groom and his mother

The wedding

Grusian is encouraged by the chorus to sing

Azdak and Granny Grusinia

The Chorus and Singer

The Wedding Band

If you are interested in producing this play and using this music. You'll, of course, need to clear the rights for the play with Samuel French, then email me and we'll negotiate a fair price for the music. I'll send or email you the sheet music, along with backing tapes, or whatever you may need, (like minidisk no-vocals tracks.) There is complete sheet music for this show as PDF files available. Click here for an example file.

email: mn(at)thereallybig.com

1)	*The Marvelous Toy*
2)	*Nina's Daydream*
3)	*Treplev's Revision*
4)	*Your Plays Touch No One*
5)	*My Thoughts*
6)	*The Metephor Song*
7)	*Dance Of The Sprites*
8)	*Badada*
9)	*Scene Change With Extreme Grace, subtly Done by Actors*
10)	*Having Achieved Nothing*
11)	*Once Found Rest*
12)	*Then, A Disturbing Interlude*
13)	*Blah*
14)	Serenity is a Kind Illusion
15)	*Goat Dance*
16)	*Never Forget Me*
17)	Following That
18).	*A Scene Change Between Friends*
19)	*Marvelous Toy Reprise*
20)	*Dance of the Teacups*
21)	*Treplevs Crazy Dance*
22)	Dance of The Dying Seagulls
23)	*The Longest Ending Ever*

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23 Seagull Variations

A pet project of collaborator, Director, Bob McAllister. This show was a truly original and heartfelt piece. The Nina Variations, written by Steven Dietz, was the text used in the production at Bainbridge High School in fall of '05. The stage exploded with neosurrealism. Songs were added and dances, like the infamous TEACUP DANCE, where the audience experiences five ballet dancers performing wearing only large teacups, were painstakingly woven into the 39 repetitions of "The Seagull's" last scenes between Nina and Treplev. Bob's passion, Dietz's deep and beautifully written script and this music helped create a theater atmosphere that was hypnotic, creepy and sublime.

*Try looping one of these piece and letting it run for an hour or two. New age pop for the neo new age hipster. Note: If you burn a cd of these songs, remember that there are no two-second gaps between songs, the whole thing is one continuous song.

This CD is available from CD Baby and also visit "Awesome" at www.awesometheband.com

EXCERPTS from CD Baby

1. Delaware
2. Raising of the Flag / Factman
3. When it Rains in the Middle of the Ocean
4. Soliloquy
5. Del
6. Waffleman
7. Fuba Wuba
8. Zeno's Rock
9. Cold Water Tune
10. Are You Aware
11. Ukelele Forest
12. Gone
13. American Boyfriend
14. Night Rainbow
15. Rob In Space
16. Where Did You Go

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"Awesome" Delaware

Produced and mixed in 8 days at Avast Recording, Seattle, by Mark Nichols, "Awesome" the band and Director, Matt Fontaine, collaborated with writer Tim Sanders and created this amazing theater album. The show got stellar reviews.

This 12 Minute movie is still in development. If you would like to show it publicly for any reason, contact us at www.info@thereallybig.com

Quicktime

Windows Media

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Maximum Impact Performance Squad

A MiPS. and Mark Nichols Short Film, Starring Evan Mosher and Kirk Andersen Julie Lewis and Ian Bell MAXIMUM IMPACT PERFORMANCE SQUAD Cameras by Nick Vroman & Mark Nichols Boom by Aidan Fay Directed & Edited by Mark Nichols

"Awesome" the bands Drummer/Singer and Trumpetist/Singer become three different characters in this weird/funny story of two regular guys looking for a place to shoot a short film. On their quest they come across the MAXIMUM IMPACT PERFORMANCE SQUAD, a pair of psychologists, and a passive aggressive coffee shop girl and her boss (Julie Lewis & Ian Bell).

	ACT 1
1)	Overture
2)	Time to Get Back to Black and White
3)	Joe Bean
4)	Afraid
5)	A Rich Man
6)	Repo Man/ Cryin' Shame
	Got To Get Down
7)	If God is Good
8)	Poor Young Lad (Billy Gates)
9)	Friendly Fire
	Friendly Fire & The Worms (Video Clip)
10)	The Worms
11)	Faith In Desperation
12)	Skin For Skin
13)	It's Time to Go, Joe
14)	Only A Show
	ACT 2
	Wide Space Between Words
	Joe Beans Bean Seen
15)	Don't Despair
16)	Sufferin' Joe
17)	Sufferers Anonymous
	Sufferers Anonymous (Video Clip)
18).	The Herbalist
19)	The Accupuncturist
20).	Everything
21)	Take it To the End (Suicide God)
	Take it To The End
22)	Why?
	Why? (Video Clip)
23)	Where Were You?
	Where Were You? (Video Clip
24)	Finale
***	Audio Commentary by Director, Bob McAllister

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"Why me?" Joe on his last legs.

Bob McAllister introduces the show using only the latest mime techniques.

The Suffering of Joe Bean

Music by Mark Nichols, Lyrics by Mark Nichols with Bob McAllister. Story by Mark Nichols and Bob McAllister. Still very much in process, this show had its first run at Bainbridge High School in April of 2003. Every year Heaven puts on a show-a sort of passion play to reaffirm the relationship of Human Being and God(s).

The gods chose Joe Bean, a man who has everything. Gradually he loses everything. It's the oldest story in the book. The versions of songs below are demos performed by Mark Nichols and Carla Torgerson. This play is currently available for production. Contact info@thereallybig.com. Immediate plans include finishing the CD and a tour of the Northwest Coast.

The New-Age Gods congregate

Joe and Sara Bean

The meeting of Sufferers Anonymous

The Suicide God & a messenger carrying a gun for Joe

JOE BEAN

JOE'S FRIENDS AND NEIGHBORS
Scrambling for the 5:30 home. Every day I think a fuse is gonna blow.
Wiped out in the city I'm so stressed out it seems. The only person I know who's mellow is Joe, Joe, Joe Bean. You're the mellowist guy we've ever seen. You the happiest, luckiest, friendliest, wealthiest, funniest, mellowest, sickeningly modest stable, religious guy We Know

JOE
Well I'm not really that religious, I'd say I'm more spiritual.
My wife's the religious one in the family. She's pretty old-testament compared to me…

NEIGHBORS
How do you do it? What's your secret, Man?

JOE
Faith in the universe I guess. If I lost it all tomorrow I think I'd make it
I'd make it back, back again. Because there's nothing that people can't do If they put their minds to it

(CHORUS)

JOE
Well I'm not exactly a Buddhist. But I do think the universe takes care of me
In a Zen sort of way. I have no fear--n.o fear of anything. At least I'd like to think so.

NEIGHBORS
How do you keep the stress from building up?
How do you stop yourself from jumping off a building
because of a sense of creeping malaise and overwhelming guilt?

JOE

My family keeps me going. They are really wonderful.

(Joe puts on his Bike helmet, bungies his briefcase and rides off. We hear a ferry horn.)

(The following songs & excerpts were recorded live at Open Circle Theater, Seattle in 1997)

ACT 1

Introduction

Where No Light Shines

Bible Pictures(Minkler,Bagley)

10)

Running From Officer Friendly

11)

I Stay Inside (Annex Trailer from 1987, directed by Garrett Bennett)

Opening/Cold Karma Pie/Mammy/Happy Guy (9-Minute Movie)

ACT 2

14)

15)

Rivers in the Mud

16)

Lookin' for That "Why" in the Road

17)

You're the Kind of Friend

18)

Transcendental Muddle

19)

Deathwish

20)

Light At the End of the Tunnel

22)

Finale

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Little Boy Goes To Hell

Music & Lyrics by Mark Nichols, Annex Theater, Seattle , June-September 1988, Directed by Garrett Bennett . This show began as a 4-record set and book in 1987, featuring a number of Seattle rock musicians from groups such as The Young Fresh Fellows, Red Dress, The Squirrels, and Prudence Dredge and was produced by the legendary Conrad Uno, who has gone on to work with everyone from Mudhoney to The Presidents of the United States of America.

Annex Theater took it on during their first season and it still holds the record for attendance at that theater. Little Boy was revived ten years later by Open Circle Theater, Seattle and directed by Scott Bradley with choreography by Amy Gordon. This version included 6 new songs and a more developed story line. Cast size: 12-20. Arranged for keyboard, guitar, bass, trumpet, trombone, sax, clarinet/flute, percussion, cello (strings), violin (strings), drum set. Set in a mental institution, a man believes he's the devil.

He makes a deal with the resident psychiatrist whereby, if he can obtain a whole new soul from someone he can leave the hospital forever. The setting becomes the fairy tale woods of an Uncle Wiggly-esque child's board game. Masquerading as a plethora of rock n' roll icons (preacher, cop, bad girl, junkie etc…) the Devil and the psychiatrist try to trick Little Boy into giving up his soul in a hero's journey that reveals more about the Devil's history than he would care to remember. (Illustrations by Rob Morgan.)


The Devil gets the soul to his surprise	Mr. Yuk & nurses

"Yesterday was the was the worst day but today's my 7th birthday"	Jason Dittmer as the psychiatrist

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Burning Mother Goose

The witch they didn't get. Sort of like the Crucible but for kids. Originally Featured 2 children, 2 young adults and 2 old people. Music by Mark Nichols; arranged for 17-piece orchestra. A show about birth, love, community and death, this production featured actual people in their 80's as the old people! Performed at Western Washington University during the winter of 1994.


	Examples coming soon.

1)	Garbage Overture
2)	Don't Worry Babies (featuring Andrew Wilde)
3)	I Heard The Big Explosion
4)	Back to the Cross
5)	Fool is a Wise Man
6)	Oboe Duet
7)	Take Me Home
8)	Potato Juice
9)	Far From Home
10)	Time Takes Getting Used to
11)	Hunting Cockroaches
12)	Roll Over
13)	2nd Act Overture
14)	Responsible

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The Potato Boy

(1989) Opera by Mark Nichols; produced as a workshop at the Annex Theater, Seattle, 1989. Cast of 30 including 7 children. This pre-David Lynch era obsession with freaks and deformities is a Doctor Seuss-type story of a post-apocalyptic village of haves and have-nots. The town leader is forced to admit to being the father of a child out of wedlock and acknowledge that his deformed son is the messiah they've all been waiting for. Included here are mostly instrumental demos from the show as there are no recording of the vocal pieces by and large.

	ACT 1
1)	Kids These Days!
2)	Find Him
3)	Ridiculous
4)	Truth
5)	The Depression Song
6)	The Puppet Show

	ACT 2
7)	If There's No Santa Claus
8)	The Forgotten Toys
9)	Hinx Minx
10)	Bad For Goodness Sake
11)	Boring, Boring
12)	Finale

The President of the USA.

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Searching for Father Christmas

"The Amazing" Bruce Bickford holding his FC characters

Music & Lyrics by Mark Nichols; produced by the Really Big Production Co. Nov.-Jan. 1993. Directed by Dennis South; featured animation and book designs by Bruce Bickford (best know for his work on "Baby Snakes" by Frank Zappa & Bickford). This self-produced show was a critical and box office disappointment, but a favorite some (Mark's mom for example), about a group of children who take it upon themselves to prove that Santa Claus exists. They do this with the help of an alcoholic professor who happens to know an awful lot about Kris Kringle. Using Professor K's "time machine" they are able to find and save Kris Kringle from the Kidnopper, who's menace includes kidnapping children by stuffing them in a sack and then enslaving them in a huge tree deep in the woods.

The show had a cast of 23 children and an orchestra of 17, and ran for 15 performances at the 800-seat King Cat Theater, Seattle. The most notable thing about this show was that a publicity stunt the kids pulled off was picked up by the A.P. wire service and run all over the world. The news story tells about a group of kids wielding signs saying, "Rudolph Schmoodolf", "Santa is Dead", "Show your Face Fat Man!" and singing songs from the show as they're being kicked out of a mall.

The Picket Kids protesting Santa as consumer icon


"show your face fatman!"	Mr. K and the kids set out on the time machine.

	ACT 1
1.	Midnight Tea at the Zoo
2.	A Minute Past Midnight
3.	The Moon in My Teacup
4.	The Educated Clam and the Oyster
5.	The Clam Holds Up a Jewelry Store
6.	I've Seen Acts of Awful Violence
7.	Let Me Drown in My Sea Of Regrets
8.	Rioting Over the Clam
9.	The Clam is Back in Town
	ACT 2
10.	Old Yazoo
11.	The Ballad of the Clam
12.	Moon in My Teacup, Reprise
13.	Shanks Grows Thinner
14.	Shanks Travels Around the World
15.	Tea Without Jam
16.	Bessemer Shanks, Age 78

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Bessemer's Spectacles

Music by Mark Nichols Book & Lyrics by Glen Berger; Directed by Allison Narver at the Annex Theater in 1994 as a "workshop" production. This was a very early draft of Glen Berger's play which has since changed considerably. This version was based on the idea of a map-maker who travels the world. As in all of Glen's plays there is a tremendous amount which must be seen to be understood. Suffice it to say that there are layers under layers under layers...

This version featured the songs, "Moon in My Teacup," and "Tea Without Jam." Starred Jillian Armenante, Mike Shapiro, and Adrian LaTourelle.

"Is there anything worse than tea without Jam? Is there anything worse than tea without jam? Rosebury died. She died today; a terrible plague did take her away. And now she'll not have tea with jam; tonight she'll not have tea with jam. Oh, what a shame for Rosebury. I pity dear, poor Rosebury. She'll not have tea with jam. She'll not have tea with jam." lyrics by Glen Berger

"The moon in my teacup the stars in my spoon. A cherub down at the pub sang us a tune. And tramcars colliding with comets at noon, was high street so high did an angel wing by?. St. Peter was sighted. He stands and he waits by the pearly Victorian train station gates and Gabriel's playing his horn on the strand he's begging for tuppence with halo in hand, oh the angels are mixed up but for what it's worth I've found a pair of spectacles and now I see heaven on earth." Lyrics by Glen Berger

Warning: These files are very low-fi and only for the hardcore enthusiast. All degeration of audio tape is strictly due to the ghost of the kid himself, who destroyed every copy including the masters. Ha Ha! You didn't get this one, Thanks Mike.

1)	Poor Young William's Dead
2)	The Dog
3)	Moving Across The World On Horses
4)	Angela Dee
5)	Hungry Bird
	Hungry Bird (Performed by Megan Haas 2003)
6)	Oh, Bury Me Not On the Lone Prarie (Traditional. Arr. Nichols)
7)	Bowdry's Shoes
8)	Intermission Music
9)	I've Seen Pictures of Great Stars
11)	Curtain Call

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The Collected Works of Billy the Kid (1992)

Book and Lyrics by Michael Ondaatje; music by Mark Nichols; directed by John Lawler; ran from April-May 1992 in the space currently occupied by Seattle's Empty Space Theater. Arranged for the onstage presence of Guitarron, 3 Guitars, Accordion, Harmonica, Mandolin, and multiple singers as Billy's Gang, this show was a combination of psychedelic/historical poetry with a musical mariachi-bluegrass mix; features the songs "Hungry Bird", "Angela Dee", and "Poor Young William's Dead". You might also want to check out a much more recent and better quality recording of "Hungry Bird".

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Dreams of Spirits Smiling Script Rough Draft Word Doc

Dreams of Spirits Smiling (1992)

This is only an idea and a script. I worked with a native american guy named Beaverchief very intensely for over a year to produce an album of Northwest Coast Salish songs. During that time I became obsessed with the idea of writing an opera about that Coastal culture and all of its magic and sadness. I knew only that I wanted a great story to hang music and poetry on. I took a trip up to Alaska to visit Juneau. While I was there the obsession was really strong. One day I just walked into a museum of old indian pictures of people and said out loud, "if anyone wants to tell me a story that I can use for an opera say it now." And I walked right up to this picture of a man holding a canoe paddle. I stared at him for a long time and then walked across the street to a bookstore and opened the first book I saw. The page I came to was a story called "Dreams of Spirits Smiling" and it was the story in the script here about a hunter who's young wife is having an affair with a man across the river. The husband's young daughter discovers the lovers when she's trying to find someone with an active coal for her morning fire. She tells her dad, and the husband goes off to a gravyard and finds bones of dogs and people and covers himself in them and lots of mud. Then he flies up and through the roof of the lover's house and kills them both with gambling sticks. At the end he rows out to sea (suicide).

I was sort of stunned, I went outside and saw on a newspaper that there was a trial going on about a native woman who was being sued for burning her family's traditional button blankets. She was Christian and didn't wan't any of that old stuff. Well, that gave me the character of an old woman who is in a bit of denial and some bookends for this epic. I figured she was the granddaughter of the man I had seen with the canoe paddle.

Getting a projet like this done would be a huge undertaking and so I'm waiting until my film making skills are up to it, then I'd like to find native people who want to make it, and just do it. Who knows when.

	Tooth Collector Script
1)	Spin Around
2)	Oh To Be A Tooth Collector!
3)	Permanent Teeth
4)	Goodnight, Goodnight
5)	Moon on a String
6)	Cloudfishing
7)	You're the Kind of Friend
8)	How Dad Helped Me "Lose" My Tooth
9)	Little Girls
10)	Little Boys
11)	The Spelling Bee
12)	Finding Out What Things Are About
13)	Wake Up
14)	Nasty Little Tooth Stealer
15)	Running Toward The Sun
16)	A Tooth For A Tooth
17)	Tell Us Where He'd Be
18)	Remember Zeezues Bingogee

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The Tooth Collector

An opera for 3rd grade; music and Lyrics by Mark Nichols; performed at Ordway Elementary School, Bainbridge, WA. 1993. Featured Bob McAllister as The Grand Poopah. Sandy Young was the teacher. A little girl moves to a new school where no one will talk to her. At night she dreams of her school and still no one will talk to her except a strange boy. They become friends. He collects stuff.She convinces him to go to her school when they're not dreaming which he does. The kids make fun of him. That night he steals all their teeth. They agree to meet in their dreams and go after him. Problems ensue. Twisted surreal kid stuff. Songs include "Permanent Teeth" "The Moon on a String."

DENTIST: When I was a young man, Much younger than I am I would occasionally notice between my teeth a kind of jam. When I was a little kid much littler than you
I would occasionally notice, betwixt my choppers some kind of goo. Breakfast, lunch and dinner, and each and every snack, would gather up and fester between each tooth and crack. But I would never brush it out; I was lazy as a sow, And now! I spend my life lecturing kids like you on how! I never took the time you see to do the stuff I needed. I let my brushing go to hell and then my gums receded! Oh there's so much to be grateful for from molars to bicuspids. They're each a sacred gift my friends to which we're all entrusted. They're not baby teeth, They're big person teeth

Permanent teeth, Permanent teeth, You've got to take care of your permanent teeth got to be careful of things that you eat. Take it easy on things that are sweet, use a soft brush to get rid of your plaque. and proper tooth care after each snack if you lose those teeth they won't grow back. If your teeth are growing moss why not try . . . dental floss If your gums begin to swell maybe you're not . . . brushing well

ALL
Permanent Teeth, Permanent Teeth, We've got to take care of our permanent Teeth, Permanent Teeth, Permanent teeth, We've got to take care of our
Permanent Teeth.

TOOTH COLLECTORS
Oh, to be a Tooth Collector (stomp)
and Trader. What a mystical, important thing to be!
We're such mystic folks are we. Collecting deedle dee
We're the mystikest that mystic folks can be!

So give a "Yip, Yoo Ya!" to the Grand Hoo Ha
and a Tooth Collector/Trader you will be

Oh, to be a Tooth Collector (clap) and Trader
What a wonderful and wondrous thing to be. All the people that I see only DREAM of deedle dee. There's nobody who's as mystical as me.

So Give a "Rip Roo Rah" to the Grand Hoo Ha and a Tooth Collector/Trader you will be.

Willy Wonka

Arrangements by Mark Nichols based on Walter Scharff's originals from the movie; music and Lyrics by Bricusse & Newley; starring Brian Finney, script by members of Red Farm; Produced by Rick Stevenson, Mark Nichols, Garret Bennett, Synthia Learned, Brian Cole, directed by Garrett Bennett; ran 140 shows at the Pioneer Square Theater, Seattle; April to December 1990. This 2 ½-hour show was the longest-running children's show in the history of Seattle. All the above-mentioned creators of the original movie were involved in one way or another including Roald Dahl, who passed away during the Seattle run thereby making any further attempts to tour or otherwise continue the show impossible. The show was a smart-assed, psychedelic commentary on pop culture and was popular with young and old.

	KJET Review (now called KEXP) with Mia Boyle
1)	Wonka Overture
2)	Candy Man - Tara Haivel & Kids
3)	Cheer Up, Charlie - Tara, Kathleen Clarka & Kids
4)	The Everlasting Gobstopper (by Mark Nichols) - James Kelton
5)	Golden Ticket - Bob McAllister and Gary Dansenberg
6)	Pure Imagination - Brian Finney
7)	Augustus Oompa Loompa Song - Nichols, Kelton
8)	The Boat Ride - Brian Finney
9)	Violets Edible CD Karaoke (Blueberry Hill) - Melany Bell
10)	Violet Oompa Song - U.G.L.Y.
11)	I Want It Now - Meg Frodel
12)	Veruca's Oompa Loompa Song - Kylee Martin, Jessica Wilson
13)	Mike TVs Oopma Loompa Song - Nichols, Eric Van Beuzekom
14)	Glass Elavator (Finale) - Cast

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1)	It's Been A Great Show (Intro)
2)	At The Crossroads
3)	Morning Train Passes
4)	Black Box Witness
5)	Crazy Dancing With Strangers
6)	Song For Goose, Sax and Voice
7)	Great Show (reprise)
8)	Grey Sky Blues (Instrumental)
9)	Breathsong
10)	Sleeping Under The Flag
11)	Shadow On Your Heart (Lyrics by Nicole Schoonover)
12)	Just One Kiss
13)	Love & Patchwork Lies
14)	They Float Like Butterflies
15)	Pure, Pure, Blue
16)	Grey Sky Blues (Full Version)
17)	It's Been A Great Show

There's an odd hole in Lie of the Mind. At the very end of the play Shepard's main character, Jake, leaves his childhood home and his nagging mother in a frenzied state of fury (here's the hole) and arrives completely and unexplicably calm and transformed at his wife's childhood home in Montana. In this strangely serene state he lets go of his wife and gives his blessings to his brother to be with her. Hmm?...What happened to him on this cross-country trip? Our Lie of the Mind begins and ends with a speculation about what a person goes through in the letting go process.

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A Lie of the Mind

Based on the play by Sam Shepard. Music and Lyrics by Mark Nichols, Carla Torgerson (The Walkabouts) Directed by Robin Smith. Ran for about 6 weeks at the ACT Theater, Seattle; March 2003; released as a soundtrack on Glitterhouse Records Germany. This collaboration between long time friends Mark and Carla was performed live as songs and underscore for the play. The CD itself focuses on an event that wasn't brought out in the play where the main character, Jake, goes on a cross-country journey to bring back his disenfranchised wife. By the time he arrives he is mysteriously changed.

Carla and Mark conceptualized the project as a journey story, exploring themes of divorce, freedom, loneliness, alienation, family, remorse, and civil disobedience. Includes the song "Shadow on My Heart", and "Grey Sky Blues."

A brief history of the making of this album: Mark Nichols (a long time collaborator with my band The Walkabouts) emailed me in December of 2002 asking me whether I would like to co score and perform the music. for a Sam Shepard play at the ACT Theatre in Seattle. Having grown up with and gone to the ACT Theatre most of my life I thought, ir would be a wonderful way to reciprocate. I also thought "Mark Nichols ... ? Sam Shepard...? how perfect! " Perfectly twisted, perhaps. Mark Nichols living on Bainbridge Island, and me living in Seattle, meant twelve ferry rides and six sessions later we had an album. My housemate and friend Michael Willet turned out to be a rather good lyricist so we worked some of his poetry into the songs. Most of the songs I've ever written have been about finding oneself in a hole and deciding to decorate between Sam, Mark, Michael and me, we had a blast doing so! -Carla Torgerson January 26th 2003

Songs by Mark Nichols (Really Big Production Co. Publishing), Carla Torgerson (Beckywild Publishing/ ASCAP/ administered by Bug Music Inc.), and partial or complete lyrics on # 1, 13, 16, 17 Michael B. Willet (Acidmusk Publishing) and lyrics on track # 11 Nicole Schoonover.

All musical performances by Nichols & Torgerson. Sound Effects recorded by Torgerson. Music recorded by Nichols.

The Firebugs

Lyrics by Max Frisch; music by Mark Nichols; directed by Chris Petit; performed at Open Circle Theater Seattle, 1997. This is very operatic version of the classic dark comedy. When a troupe of 'Firebugs', (mysterious arsonists obsessed with their meticulous preparations for disaster,) appears in a man's house, he finds himself incapable of action despite the warnings of a vaudevillian chorus of firemen. The play poses the question, "can we ever really be secure from terrorism in a gluttonous and fearful society?"

Some Scenes from The Firebug's With Music

Watchers! Listeners! Friends of the Friendly Town. We are friends of the friendly town! We guard your homes, patrol your streets. Resting, but never quite asleep. Casing up and down the joint in case enraged combutibles might reach the kindling point, in case some hidden danger might come into the light too late!

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The Dragon

By Eugene Schwartz, Music & Lyrics by Mark Nichols Directed by Chris Petite; produced by Open Circle Theater, Seattle, 1996; remounted in 1998. This modern fairy tale/political allegory/ romance, by a communist playwright uses biting wit to tell the tale of Lancelot, who, on his quest to slay the dragon, stumbles upon a small town governed by a comic hierarchy of Bureaucratic clowns using the dragon as a cover for their own lust for power. The songs include We Shall See, The Book of Wrongs, and "The Burgermeister's Song." Instrumentation: Harpsichord/Organ, Perussionist/Sound Effects, Acoustic Guitar, Bass

1)	Weightless Man	Mark Nichols singing it in the bathroom
2)	Bergermaster's Food Song
3)	Dragon Puppet Show
5)	Hail To The Killer
6)	We Shall See	Performed by Mark Nichols
7)	Not For 200 Years
8)	Book Of Wrongs
	Some Scenes From The Dragon Production

"We Shall See, We Shall See. We shall see heat rising to the top. We shall see what's already going isn't easy to stop. We shall see. We shall see hallucinations, We shall see seven trumpets spray molten ash, pestilence and boils, we shall see what happens when the rats come out to play, don't hold your breath, just breathe fire. Love's blistering heat, and my desire. A steaming moat built round a funeral pyre, take morning swim as we watch the sun go higher. We shall see infestications, frightened treefrogs dropping from the sky, fallen angels in wart containers splat sticky sweet on the street and give a croak before they die. Don't lose your mind just conspire and row your paddleboat across the mire. Mallicious grin spread thin as you retire in your big fat lawchair, watch them hang the town crier! We shall see. We shall see. We shall see." Lyrics by Mark Nichols

Excerpts from the tape/CD of music performed by Beaverchief, Mark Nichols and others, and arranged by Mark Nichols called "Spanked by the Spirit"

Cedar Tree Song Live Intro

Ceder Tree Song

Swan Song

A Long Time Ago

Long Ago

The Totem Pole Song

Breathsong

Grandmothers Song Intro

Grandmothers Song

Indian Doctoring Song

The Salmon Song

The Ocean Song

Grandfather's Song

The Deer Song

The Younger Generation

Dreamers Song Intro

The Dreamers Song

Deer Song

Talking About Sacred Breath

Song That Couldn't Come out

Whirlwind Song

Younger Generation Song

Indian Blues (Live)

Live Bootlegs

Beaverchief w/ Seattle Symphony The Swan Song Arr. Nichols, Conducted by Michael Moore.

Beaverchief w/ Seattle Symphony Salmon Song, Skunk Song, Ceder Tree (Conducted by Michael Moore)

Beaverchief, Barbara Leischner, Mark Nichols

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Beaverchief & Mark Nichols Spanked by the Spirit

AKA "Songs of Spirits Smiling",
"Big Magic" or "Two Home Boys & A White Girl"

17 Songs performed by a man who was, among other things, a native of the NW Coast, & Mark Nichols, using Orchestra, a rock band, horns and The Northwest Girl Choir. Recorded at Red Farm Films, 1990, by Mark Nichols and produced by Mark Nichols, Barbara Leischner, and Beaverchief (Fred Jamison). Beaverchief passed away on June 8th, 2001 and left behind a huge number of friends, students, fans and family. The 3 producers of this music had big plans for it and called their company Big Magic, Inc.

The sound was loud, emotional and interactive to say the least. One could not listen to it without being part of it. While he was alive Beaverchief performed countless ceremonies in his own style, which was derived from his inherited experience and ancestry in the NW Coast traditional native tradition or medicine known as saseewis (his family has been an Indian doctoring family registered with the Lummi tribe and West Saanich tribe and travelled the coast for thousands of years), and his life experience in the Catholic Church, Indian Shaker religion, Hari Krishna, Yoga, and so many other traditions. His music and voice were as big and unique as his ability to lead a group. This music in this form was performed only three times live: Once with the Seattle Symphony, once with a large band comprised of Skerik, Keith Lowe, Mark Nichols, and members of Trillian Green etc... at the Velvet Elvis Theater, Seattle, and once for a Peace Concert at Seattle's Volunteer Park with a very stripped down rock band. Beaverchief always had a hard time performing this music live and would get very sick before each show, but he wanted this music to exist so that it would inspire children, native or otherwise, to be creative. One of Beaverchief's messages was that the Northwest Indian culture is a constantly evolving way of life, not something to be stuck in a museum and frozen in time.

[From an obituary from the Stranger] One of Jameson's friends in the music community, Sky Cries Mary founder Roderick Romero, said he was "the most significant native of this area that I've encountered. His whole purpose was to bridge the indigenous culture and that of what he called 'the settlers,' and try to heal the pain. His dream was to have a children's center where children could learn more about the indigenous people of this area.... He had a massive impact on Seattle, not just because he was a native but because he stepped out side of those boundaries. He was open to every religion. He didn't alienate anyone; he was always open to what anyone had to say or was feelng." Well said.

Beaverchief is survived by his son Fred Jr.,wife, Sabine, mother Marion, and brother George.

	A few songs from the Squirrels.
1)	Happy Guy, Squirrels Version (by Mark Nichols)
2)	Lean On Me
3)	Bone Of Contention intro by Mark
4)	Please Behave by Joe Kline arr. Mark Nichols
5)	Seasons in the Sun/The Hustle

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The Squirrels

Rob Morgan brainchild band has been around since 1984 and has featured at least 50 of Seattle's workin' musicians. Albums include "What Gives?" "Harsh Toke of Reality" and "Scrapin' for Hits". Mark Nichols was in the Squirrels primarily from 1987-1992. Rob Morgan, Joey Kline, John Hollis Fleishman, and Jimmy Thomas are the band members he's spent the most time with. Anyone who loves a good bit of theater and likes to rock tends to like the squirrels...a lot. Hmmm what gives? If you are interested in purchasing any Squirrels products go to www.poplust.com

(Clockwise from left top. Craig Ferguson, Mark Nichols, Dave Gwinn, Jimmy Thomas, Rob Morgan, Joey Kline.)

"I'm a happy guy., I got a happy life. Hear my happy whistle, from my happy lips. And all the world seems happy when you're a happy man and all the happy wanderers go happy hand in hand." -- Mark Nichols

Excerpts from Various Walkabouts Recordings.

1)	Finnley's Motel (Live in Brussels)
2)	Christmas Valley
3)	All For This
4)	Forever Gone
5)	Follow Me an Angel
6)	Rebecca Wild
7)	Harbor Lights
8)	Lift Your Burdens Up
9)	Cool Extended Ending
10)	Blue Head Flame

The Walkabouts

For 11 Years Mark Nichols has been the main string arranger for the Walkabouts. This band from Seattle has been described as "cinematic rock". The Walkabouts have influenced a whole generation in Europe. Their history is pretty astounding (www.thewalkabouts.com). Let's just say for now that they truly are big in Greece. Not only that, they have recorded with orchestras all over the world including the Warsaw Philharmonic. CDs available from Glitterhouse in Germany (www.glitterhouse.com.)


Christine Gunn (on the left) was the Walkabouts live cellist for many tours during her time off from Trillian Green.	Live in Brussels(?) at the Paradiso with a 15-piece orchestra. The Walkabouts toured opera houses throughout Europe in support of their second Virgin Records release called 'Nighttown'.

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	RETURN OF THE FROG QUEEN
1)	Call Me Steam (Excerpt)
2)	Carnival (Excerpt)
3)	Explain (Excerpt)
4)	Lizard (Excerpt)
5)	Return of the Frog Queen (Excerpt)
6)	Shade & the Black Hat (Excerpt)
7)	End of Shade (Excerpt)

THE FIRE THEFT (2003)

1) Uncle Mountain (Excerpt)
2) Waste Time Segue
3) Oceans Apart (Excerpt
4) Chain
5) Backward Blues
6) Summertime (Excerpt)
7) Houses (Excerpt)
8. Waste Time
9. Heaven
10. Rubber Bands
11. It's Over
12. Carry You (Excerpt)
13. Sinatra (Excerpt)

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Jeremy Enigk & The Fire Theft

Here's another transcription sent to me. Based on a phone interview in 2005 about making the Frog Queen CD. I couldn't find it on the web, but here's what she emailed me at the time.

Return of The Frog Queen mashed a rock band together with an orchestra in a song-world where its place and power equalled that of the guitar, drums or voice. People seem to love 'Frog Queen' which sort of confirms the reality of the rushes while making it. Greg Williamson, the producer, also had a lot to do with the in-your-face orchestra color. Frog Queen did 2 U.S. tours with a small orchestra.

From a review: "Great surprise. The most startling musical moment of all 1996 is the second half of the otherwise buried "Shade and the Black Hat," where the pent-up frustration inherent in this whole LP is suddenly let loose like Enigk were the delirious keeper of Pandora's box. He pounds a piano and howls like his wife just left him for his best friend, as the violins, violas, and cellos scrape at their strings as if to break them, and the flutes, piccolos, trumpets, trombones, French horns, and clarinets blow like they were hired by a wolf to blast a few recalcitrant pigs' houses down. The waves of classical countermelodies are extraordinary, adding on to each other to create an "1812 Overture" anvil clarion call, a roar so dense, so overpowering, it's like gasoline exploding, even more so as they back Enigk's fevered wail as if he were long past desperation. There are many other smaller, striking moments -- many far sweeter, too, though always tempered by Enigk's dark voice -- found throughout the LP, such as the chorus of "Carnival," where the man and his players turn positively paranoid to the suddenly depraved strains of circus sounds. The overall songwriting is superb, too. A truly remarkable work that has done the unthinkable, Frog Queen breaks new ground yet remains a direct hit, with the passion, power, and rage of punk; the simple, appealing babbling of folk; and even the multidimensional, nasty din of modern Russian classical. Wow." ~ Jack Rabid, The Big Takeover, All Music Guide


	Waiting for something or other to happen before leaving Seattle.

The Fire Theft In 2003 Mark Nichols worked on Jeremy's new CD with ex-Sunny Day Real Estate and Foo Fighter members Nate Mendel and William Goldsmith, arranging and orchestrating (a team effort with Jeremy) and conducting. Hopefully you can look forward to more collaborations including Mark and Jeremy's spaghetti-core western, "Billy the Fish."

1) Gasworks
2) Kudzu
3) Boreas
4) Jack the Cat
5) Karak Setra
6) Liquid Moon
7) Circle in the Sand
8) Geist (Gargoyle II)
9) Halcyon
10) Pan Parag
11) Tapestry
12) Gargoyle (Sentinal of the Nocturns)
13) Oregon Rain

To Listen to excerpts go to www.omnivine.com

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Trillian Green

"Metamorphosis" produced by Todd Fogelsonger and Mark Nichols. Trillian Green's second and last album with Mark's best friend from high school Todd Fogelsonger. Features: Christine Gunn, Cello; Jarod Kaplan, Percussion & Ben Mark and Todd's vision was to make TG sound like a rock band instead of a new-agey flute, cello, percussion trio--make the cello sound like a semi-distorted bass guitar and the djembe like a fat bass drum and snare-type drum set and to take all the reverb off the flute and put it right in your face. It worked. The band's playing and writing was at their peak, and thanks to the continued efforts of percussionist Jarrod Kaplan, and his Omnivine label, the CD continues to sell even years later.

	*[Excerpts from 3 Midnight Choir CDs.]*
1)	Harbor Hope
2)	Ballad Of Emma DeLoner
3)	Degas Eyes
4)	End of Harbor Hope (Excerpt)
5)	Muddy River of Loneliness
6)	My Masquerade
7)	Neon Moon
8)	Poisoned Veins

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Midnight Choir (1995-2000)

Chris Eckman, a leader of the Walkabouts was asked to produce this Norwegian band. Chris contacted Mark Nichols to do the strings. 3 albums later they won a European Grammy. Listen to the singers voice and the dark country of the songwriting. It's sort of like Chris Isaacs on a really gloomy day. Midnight Choir is a band that's not afraid of darkness and space. Hey Al DeLoner, give me a call sometime I never did tell you how cool I thought this was. --Mark

1)	Favorite Things
2)	Drive (w/Marcus Briscoe)
3)	Machinery
5)	Party Underground
6)	Sucking Life
7)	When Will I See You?
9)	Cows That Moo & Moo (Featuring Sylvia Plath)
10)	Meat Pie

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Oasis/The Art Damaged Rodents (1976-1983)

Yes, It's true. Mark Nichols' first real band was called Oasis, a rotating cast which evolved out of bands starting in the 6th grade and finally chrystalizing with George Drapeau on Keyboard, Todd Fogelsonger on Guitar, Juan Plata on Guitar, Doug Johnson on Bass and Joe Granger on Drums (sometimes Nathan Johnson played drums).

Most of the songs on this website were recorded under the name The Art Damaged Rodents and are a collaboration between Mark Nichols and his childhood friend and drummer Nate Johnson, who later went on to play with Flop and The Fastbacks and now plays in Budapest, Hungary. Nathan Johnson-Drums, Mark Nichols-Keyboard and Bass, and Chris May-Guitar.

	A-L
	3 O'Clock
	A is For Apple
	Afraid
	At The Crossroads (with Carla Torgerson
	Bloody Nose (feat. Tom Vail, vocals)
	A Bone In The Head
	Boogie Woogie (For Amy)
	Boogie Woogie (For Amy) score for piano (finale file)
	Children's TV Theme
	Chinese Round
	Cold Meet Pie
	Cows That Moo & Moo (tribute to Sylvia Plath feat. Sylvia Plath's voice.)
	Deathwish (Excerpt)
	Don't Despair
	Don't Worry Babies
	Elusia (Excerpt)
	Everything
	Far From Home
	Find Him
	Friendly Fire
	The Friendship Song (Live)
	Garbage Overture
	Girl With A Harmonica
	Goodnight Song
	Grey Sky Blues (w/ Carla Torgerson)
	Happy Guy Song
	Hinx Minx
	Hungry Bird
	I Am A Weightless Man (shower version)
	I Heard The Big Explosion
	If All the Seas Were One Sea (Feat. Tom Dew)
	If God Is Good
	If I Ran To You
	If There's No Santa Claus
	Indian Christmas
	Japanese Punkers in Love
	Jerusalem Excerpt (Dan Bern song)
	Dabbling through Keys of Change
	Joe Bean
	Learning Acupuncture
	Life is a Dream
	Light at the End of the Tunnel

Mark Nichols

(A Selection of Songs from 1983-2006)

Biography

Mark Nichols began writing film scripts and musical theater at the age of 21 with the his pop fable, Little Boy Goes To Hell, which became a hit for Seattle's first "fringe" theater, Annex, under the direction of Garrett Bennett. The show predated Seattle's (and the world's) current obsession with circus by about ten years--combining rock, big band, theater and physical humor, and setting the bar for hundreds of Seattle fringe productions to follow, but who's counting. Since then, Mark has written and produced a vast catalogue of shows for children and adults, including Seattle's longest-running children's show ever, WONKA! Mark's original shows like, Joe Bean, and Brecht's Caucasian Chalk Circle have been performed numerous times in the US and Europe. As a sound designer and composer/producer, Mark recently completed Delaware, featuring "Seattle's favorite art band," "Awesome", Lauren Weedman's hit show Bust! at the Empty Space Theater in Seattle, and the award-winning Slotin Sonatas. Mark has worn the hat of orchestral arranger/conductor many times, and won a European Grammy for Midnight Choir's album Amsterdam Stranded. Mark has written for both the Seattle Symphony and the Warsaw Symphony Orchestra. Mark's movie soundtracks include scores for Farewell to Harry and A Relative Thing, both directed by Bainbridge Island native, Garrett Bennett who, with Mark, also created Flared Pants, starring the legendary Paul Giamatti, which has won awards and is actually pretty funny. Mark has arranged for and/or toured the US and Europe with bands such as Jeremy Enigk of Sunny Day Real Estate, The Fire Theft, Terry Lee Hale, The Squirrels, Trillian Green, Midnight Choir, and The Walkabouts and will be on the road with Sean Nelson & Robyn Hitchcock this spring. Very recently, Mark completed production/arrangement of the Nelson Sings Nilsson album, featuring singer Sean Nelson (Harvey Danger) performing the late Harry Nilsson. The CD features horns, strings, piano, xylophones, backup trio, drums, bass, and a children's choir, all recorded at Mark's house.

Mark writes an average of four original musical theater pieces per year, and is currently working on How To Survive The Apocalypse: A Burning Man Medicine Show, PolyAma: A Two-Person Show, and Ivanha: The Worst High School Musical In The World with long-time collaborator, Island Treasure (TM) Bob McAllister.

Some of these songs are here in their entirety, in part so that you might hear them and possibly use one of them for a creative thing that you're doing, i.e. listening. Please feel free to download them and share them within reason. This said, If you would like to use any of this stuff to make money or for any money-making venture or you have any other copywrite inquiry email man@thereallybig.com.

Don't hesitate to inquire no matter how small your project. All royalties are set on a scale appropriate to your situation. All songs are ©Mark Nichols, Really Big Production Co. Publishing. for whichever year the mp3 refers to.

We shall see.

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	M-Z
	Mr. Repo Man
	Mad Oscar
	Mammy
	Moon In My Teacup
	Moving Across the World On Horses
	No Light Shines
	Piano Sonata Excerpt
	Poor Young Lad (When I Was Just A)
	Poor Young William's Dead (Lyrics Ondaatje)
	Porch Song for Guitar & Wine Glass
	Rag For Piano
	Rag for Piano Sheet Music (Finale File)
	Rich Man
	Ride
	Ridiculous
	Rivers In The Mud
	Roll Over
	Shadow On Your Heart (lyrics by N. Schoonover)
	Soles for the Nunnery
	Speed Meddle
	You Are The Crunchiest
	Take It To The End
	The Stalker (Phone Song)
	The Sun Can't Keep A Secret (feat. Greta Matassa)
	Tell Me Who Did It! (featuring Edd Key)
	Terrible Child
	The Things You've Got
	Theme for An Animation Festival
	There's A Bone
	They Float Like Butterflies (w/Carla Torgerson)
	Thinly Over Me
	Transcendental Muddle (Featuring Rob Morgan)
	Truth
	Two Worms & Only One Of Us to Go Around
	We Shall See
	Where Were You? (lyrics by Bob McAllister)
	Why?
	Wind
	The Worms
	Your Deepest Fear (Featuring Susan McIntyre)

Quicktime Version

Windows Media Version

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Mark Nichols Video Demo Reel(2006)

A lot of people email me about videotaping weddings and other live events like theater and band performances. I really like doing it and have quite a few resources to make it happen well. One of my good friends is a person named Nick Vroman, who is also an excellent camerman, and happens to own two of the same brand of camera as I, a Panasonic DVX100.

Usually, I charge around $400 bucks for just me shooting and editing a DVD (turned over in a week or so.) For two cameras it's about $600. This is all dependent on the length of the shoot and how much editing people want. Keep in mind, band stuff usually demands at least two people because of sound, but it can be done with one. I've done it before.

One of the things I think we do well that's not done well very often is sound, especially sound for theater and bands.

Send an email if you'd like more information to Info@thereallybig.com

This demo reel features some shooting I did of a 50th wedding anniversary as well as the rock band "Awesome" visit them at www.awesometheband.com

Flared Pants, the movie. (12 minutes)

"Lookin' for a nice pair of trousers?"

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Flared Pants (1991)

Written by John Lawler & Garrett Bennett, Produced by Mark Nichols, Garrett Bennett, Music by Mark Nichols, Starring: Paul Giamatti, Brian Finney, Garrett Bennett, Gillian Armanante, Christina Mastin. 13 Minutes. Black & White. Super 8mm film. 1991, Seattle. This was the only film produced by the young film company known as Red Farm Films. Flared Pants is without a doubt the funniest short film ever made. It is the story of a young paranoid schizophrenic haunted by two insane brothers who conspire to convince him to buy a pair of pants. Giamatti and Finney also play the hero's psychiatrists who dissuade him from suicide and suggest he might feel better about himself in a nice a pair of pants. This film won best short film in the Strangers 1996 film contest. Flared Pants Written by John Lawler & Garrett Bennett, Produced by Mark Nichols, Music by Mark Nichols, Starring: Paul Giamatti, Brian Finney, Garrett Bennett, Gillian Armanante, Christina Mastin. 13 Minutes. Black & White. Super 8mm film. 1991, Seattle. This was the only film produced by the young film company known as Red Farm Films. Flared Pants is without a doubt the funniest short film ever made. It is the story of a young paranoid schizophrenic haunted by two insane brothers who conspire to convince him to buy a pair of pants. Giamatti and Finney also play the hero's psychiatrists who dissuade him from suicide and suggest he might feel better about himself in a nice a pair of pants. This film won best short film in the Strangers 1996 film contest.

	Jillian Armanante Left top. Garrett Bennett (left), Brian finney Right (Bottom pics.)
Garrett Bennett as our hero		Brian Finney as the pants guy

"My brother's gone totally crazy he's killing himself to bring you the best prices!"		Paul Giamatti "Those are absolutely fantastic!"

Brian Finney and Brent Fraizer in End of the Icon

Brent Frazier in Icon as Jonny Chance

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One, Roman Paris, & Swimming For Bottom, & End of the Icon

Brian Finney kisses "Claire" in ONE

4 student films, directed by Garrett Bennett at the American Film Institute in 1993; music supervision by Mark Nichols. One was Garrett's first film after Flared Pants, and was about his first weeks at film school. Roman Paris is a children's story about a Wonka-esque man who wants to pass on his amusement park. Swimming For Bottom is the story of the emergence of Seattle's first Gen-X (before we knew what that was) fringe theater, The Annex. End Of The Icon is simply a really excellent movie that everyone should see about a shoe repair-man/recovering alcoholic who goes to Hollywood to drink heavily with his manic actor friend.

Mark Nichols Film Demo Reel 1994, (includes out takes from Flared Pants, Roman Paris, and End of the Icon)

1)	The Sun Can't Keep a Secret (Feat. Greta Matassa)
2)	Tell Me Who Did It (Featuring . Edd Key)
3)	Stealing Stuff
4)	Lambs in Dreams (Featuring Skerik)
5)	Harry Main Theme
6)	Watching Auditions
7)	It's a Hoffstedder
8)	Ghosts (Featuring Skerik)
9)	Bleary Day
10)	Bone In The Head
11)	The Things You've Got (Featuring Tom Dew & Greta Matassa)
12)	Dry Bones (Featuring The Apostles)
13)	Coming Home
14)	Drowning In The Sea Of Tranquility (Featuring Skerik)
15)	If All The Seas (Feat. Tom Dew)
16)	Get Right With God (Featuring The Apostles)
17)	It's Gonna Rain (featuring the Apostles)
18)	Jivin' At the Dump
19)	Slide Guitar Sunrise (Featuring Billy Stapleton)

Skerik, as always... listening more than playing. Mark Nichols and Skerik began scheming and dreaming together in 1987 when the two lived next door on Capitol Hill, Seattle.

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Farewell to Harry (2000)

A promo shot from the movie

Garrett Bennett and Antonio Calavache, Director of photgraphy on set.

(100 Minutes.) Written and directed by Garrett Bennett; produced by Neil Weinberger; cinematography by Antonio Calevache; recorded & produced by Mark Cavener & Mark Nichols, music by Mark Nichols. A guy comes back to his hometown to write the great novel. He meets an alcoholic ghost who won't let go of his useless hat factory or his love of booze. The two of them try to do something great together but the whiskey ends up getting in the way. Mark created a New Orleans jazz feel by using superb Seattle swing musicians and recording almost everything back through a gramophone horn. Featured on the soundtrack are Skerik, The Apostles, and Northwest favorite Greta Matassa. The film won best new feature in the 2001 Seattle Film Festival. Songs include "Five Card Draw".

	The music on this movie is dedicated to Sam Brown who was killed on September 13, under the 12th Avenue Bridge in Seattle shortly after the making of this movie. Sam's spirituality, his voice, his energy and intensity are remembered by many who knew him and experienced him sing in the Market and around town.
Apostle, Sam Brown (above)

Greta Matassa

	The Title Sequence of A Relative Thing

	Music
1)	Title Sequence
2)	Pea-Brown Station Wagon
3)	A Reflecting Pool
4)	A Moment's Peace
5)	Kids
6)	Halloween

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A Relative Thing (2003)

Written by Steve Edmiston; directed by Garrett Bennett; Produced by Vic Kepler, Garrett Bennett and Steve Edmiston, music by Mark Nichols. Starring Marie Rubin, Ian Bell, Micha Rice, Merideth Blumenthal. Music recorded at Trillium Lane Studios, Bainbridge, WA, by Todd Hooper. A dysfunctional family hasn't been together since the parents died 15 years ago.

The film is about letting go of the old baggage left over from childhood and accepting family responsibility. The music plays on the idea of two voices: a young gir,l and a woman. These voices represent the hero of the film at different stages. The cyclical dysfunctional behavior of the family is represented by orchestral melodies played over the top of stuck children's records.

1)	Interviews, Interviews!
2)
3)
4)	Little Boy Goes to Hell Live @ Open Circle
6)	The Mummers (Documentary)
7)	Walkabouts in Europe (Documentary)
8)	Opportunity Somalia
9)	Open Circle Chidren's Project (Documentary)
10)	The Stickman (Flash file)
11)
12)
13)	Utilikilts Mock-U-mercial w/ Steven Villegas
14)	Peepolykus

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Interviews! Interviews! (Comedy 20 Min.)

Films by Mark Nichols

The Mummers. (Part 1 15 min.)

The Walkabouts: Setting the Road on Fire. Documentary (12 min.)

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Glenn & Chris from the Walkabouts Documentary