MAGIC HOUR The Musical
FALL 1973
We open on BOBBY STACCATO singing a song in a blues bar in New York City. The spotlight shines on him as he tunes his guitar. He dedicates the first number to a girl named Emily.
1971
Wide-eyed and beautiful 22-year-old Emily Francis runs away from her suffocating, conservative southern home in Georgia. (“THE SUNSET”).
She runs through her quiet town, past her neighbors, her ballet studio and past the familiarity of her childhood. She heads North, first to Washington DC where she meets a group of NYC hippies during the May Peace March. After the chaos of the protest, Ash, Jules and Dolly invite Emily back home to their 42nd street loft in the Big Apple. Emily hesitates but her desire to find some kind of freedom pushes her to join her new friends.
They arrive at Grand Central Station. As Emily experiences the dirt of the city, Dolly shares a story of her own first night in town and meeting Johnny, the love her life who had died of a heroin overdose (“JOHNNY”).
That night at the loft, the group celebrate the birthday of Caleb, a starry-eyed Marilyn Monroe-inspired looker, the youngest of the group and the most adored. To everyone's surprise, Bobby Staccato, a charming singer/ song-writer, returns home from the war. The attraction between Emily and Bobby is undeniable (“BEFORE I MET YOU”).
The group decide to head out and take the subway to Max’s Kansas City, where they dance amongst the New York City commuters (“ONE TRAIN LINE”). It’s the first night Emily witnesses the many faces of what this city has to offer.
At Max’s Kansas City
...Emily meets Andy Warhol and his entourage of eccentric Super Stars including Andrea Feldman, Paul Morrissey and Candy Darling. To the soundtrack of Lou Reed and the Velvet Underground, Andy invites her for a screen test at the Factory the next afternoon. She accepts and enjoys the company of her socialite crowd. She drinks the night away but brutally wakes up to an excruciating hangover the next morning. (“THAT’S WHEN YOU KNOW YOU’VE HAD TOO MUCH TO DRINK”)
She endures her headache and meets up with Andy at The Factory. Her screen test with Andy establishes a connection between the two curious individuals. They are fascinated with one another’s humble backgrounds and Andy expresses a desire to work with her more. He invites her back to the Factory for a photo shoot the next day. Later that evening, Emily shares her mesmerizing day with Bobby, who doesn’t quite understand the appeal of Andy Warhol and his entourage. Even then, Bobby couldn’t be more intrigued by Emily. They share their first kiss together at Washington Square Park.
November 1971
Edie Sedgwick dies as shown in a montage of archival news footage. Little is mentioned at The Factory. It's as if nothing has happened at all. (“GREAT EXPECTATIONS”).
Emily is now fully immersed in Andy Warhol’s chaotic world and has transformed into DIERDRE SUNSHINE, a sexy and confident model that catches the attention of the gallery owners around the city. But her new found identity isn’t without some scandal, as Dierdre’s photos are semi-erotic and to the liking of Warhol’s obscured vision (“FLAKES OF GOLD”).
She is covered with body paint and little clothing, but marked with a signature feather in her hair.
Later that night
...Andy hosts’ one of The Factory’s famous parties. Emily attends in full Dierdre attire and mingles with the prestigious cultural figures of the city: David Mann, Bob Colacello and the newest art director of Interview Magazine: Davis Grant. Davis spots Dierdre, drinking alone at the bar and begins charming her, with only one perverse intention in mind.
Emily, with her new-found confidence and sex appeal, feels a lustful attraction towards Davis even though she has strong feelings for Bobby. At the end of the night, she goes home to their small apartment in the Village, and back to the comfort of his arms.
The next day, Bobby and Emily returns to the 42nd street loft to celebrate Jules’ birthday. Jules introduces everyone to her new California-born boyfriend, Rick. The two are in the honeymoon phase and it shows by their never-ending affection for one another. Dolly is disgusted by the amount of couples surrounding her, asking Bobby “Why bother with heartache when you can be free?” With no shame, Bobby professes that if it’s for the right reason, there’s no way to avoid loving someone. (“REAL LOVE”)
Everyone is present at the party, except Caleb, who begins to scream in agony from the other room. Caleb has stopped using heroine and is going through deep withdrawals. For the group, this situation is all too familiar (“MIDNIGHT RUNNER”)
Caleb’s hardships strike a chord with Emily, who doesn’t want to change her identity to please others. She goes to the Factory the next day in her “normal” attire and puts on her make-up in the dressing room. She’s caught by Andy, who expresses that Dierdre is who Emily really is.
Andrea Feldman drunkenly stumbles into the studio with her friend, Geraldine Smith. Andrea argues with Andy about not getting paid and not getting enough camera time. Andy ignores her and walks away from the argument, explaining that he’s too busy to deal with her. When Emily tries to comfort Andrea who coldly scoffs her, warning Emily that Andy will treat her the same, eventually. Andrea reminds her that at one point, she was the center of Andy’s world. (“STRONG AS STONE”)
While walking home, Emily is shocked to find her fiancé, CONNOR WASHINGTON, wandering the streets of Greenwich Village. Connor’s endearing plea to bring Emily back home to Charleston reminds Emily of the safe and comfortable life that she could have (“TAKE YOU HOME”). At a loss and conflicted, she tells Connor to meet her the next day at Central Park to catch-up. She runs off to Bleecker Street where she meets up with the gang. Dolly is playing a gig at The Other End and everyone is there, even Caleb, who seems to be recovering. They partake in a wild ride, not expecting that this was the last of the good times. (“LIGHTNING LOVE”).
In a daze from her trip the night before, Emily meets with Andy, David Mann and Bob Colacello for breakfast the next morning. The gentlemen talk about how maybe Dierdre Sunshine is not ready to be introduced into the art world.
Emily works up the courage to oppose their thinking. She straightens up her back, leans into the table and announces that she’s she’s never been so ready her entire life. And with that confidence, the powerful men agree to open up a show, entirely devoted to her work: the introduction of Dierdre Sunshine.
Emily is ecstatic with the news, but that feeling quickly fades away as she meets up with Connor at the park. That feeling of guilt continues to sink when she sees Bobby that night (“THE HURT”). When Bobby and Emily return home, a pack of cigarettes fall out of Emily’s purse, the first hint that Emily has been keeping secrets from him for quite some time.
1972
Andrea Feldman stands next to an open loft window, holding a bible and a rosary. On the phone, Emily’s voice is trying to console her, telling her not to jump. This is the scene of Andrea’s real death, as she falls forward from the fifth floor story of the loft studio. (“Reprise: MIDNIGHT RUNNER”)
The 42nd street gang attend the funeral of Caleb Monroe while Emily is doing an erotic tribal photo shoot at The Factory. Bobby, Ash, Jules, and Dolly all gather at the reception, but Emily runs in late. When she arrives, Emily is eager to share details of her most recent photo shoot, however Bobby and Dolly are not thrilled that she had missed the funeral. Dolly doesn’t want just an apology, but an acknowledgement that Emily has not been the person that she used to be (“LOST”).
Emily’s absence at Caleb’s funeral also causes a strain with Emily and Bobby, who had never acknowledged Emily’s secret smoking habit. Emily attempts to be close with Bobby that night, but Bobby turns away and sleeps on his side of the bed. He reveals to Emily that he has his first solo gig at Café Wha, on the night of Emily’s gallery show.
The next day, Connor meets with Emily on her way to the factory. Connor takes out her mother’s pearl necklace, and reminisces on her family who miss her. Connor continues to ask when Emily is coming home, but Emily doesn’t have a response. She simply invites him to her gallery show.
At the Factory, Emily attempts to convince Andy to be a part of the photos being selected for the gallery premiere. Andy doesn’t budge, pushing the shock factor as a ways of magnifying her talent. He convinces Emily that this is the only way to take her to the next level of stardom that is beyond the audience of New York City but to the entire world. Emily cannot argue and heads to the changing room.
Later that night at Max’s, Emily takes a smoke break outside. Davis Grant from Interview Magazine follows and aggressively pushes himself onto her. Bobby stops him, realizing that Davis Grant used to be Johnny’s drug dealer. The entire gang watches as Bobby steps in and defends Emily. He tells Davis never to hurt anyone he loves again. Emily apologizes and they return to join the group, making amends to their once deterred friendship.
On the day of the gallery opening, Andy and David Mann look at the details of each frame and photo. To David, Dierdre Sunshine is one of a kind and absolutely stunning. However, to Andy, she has proven nothing to him. That evening, dressed to the nines and looking gorgeous, Emily enters her own showcase, feeling as lonely as ever. (“DON’T STOP FOR A MINUTE”)
She walks down the row of her own photos displayed on the walls in disgust, as she realizes the revealing photos are not who she is at all. Bobby isn’t at the show, but instead singing at Café Wha. Just when the 42nd street gang walks into the gallery, Andy taps a champagne glass and toasts to the occasion.
Dierdre Sunshine becomes the center of attention. She scans the crowd and sees Davis and Connor, both eagerly anticipating the reveal of the gallery’s center-piece. Andy claims that the photo is one of “the most extravagant pieces that I’ve ever had the privilege to work with.” He pulls down the fabric, and Emily suddenly gasps in shock as the piece is a mix-media photo of Emily in the most unflattering way.
Davis smirks. Connor leaves the gallery immediately. Although Emily is near to tears, the audience applauds and congratulates her. Emily bursts, outraged and not able to hold her voice any longer. She accuses Andy Warhol of using his power and disposing of his muses, but also reveals Warhol’s usage of some subscription drug. She storms off. Andy brushes off the silence of the crowd, claiming “Isn’t she just a fabulous, actress?”
Emily finds Connor outside of the Gallery, but he is turned off by her grotesque photo and rejects her completely. As Emily tries to reconcile with Connor, Bobby appears alongside Jules, Ash and Dolly. They do not know who she is anymore. She is left alone with choices to make and a confused identity. She returns to the one place she still feels some kind of comfort: The Factory.
In the morning, she finds Andy painting “The Sunset”. She confronts Andy about Andrea’s suicide, and Andy’s careless response about Andrea’s choice to disappear solidifies her decision leave the city and start over (“CARRY ME HOME”).
That same morning, Bobby shows up at the 42nd Street loft worried since Emily hadn’t come home. The gang doesn’t know where she is either. They all show up at The Factory just as Andy requests all of Dierdre’s photos to be burned. Andy has nearly destroyed all evidence that Dierdre Sunshine ever existed. Leaving the Factory on a cold winter’s day, the gang slowly begins to realize that the Emily has made her choice to leave the harsh city that had destroy her. (“THE SUNSET’ REPRISE)
The holidays approach and life seems back to “normal” with the gang. Bobby begins to play more gigs, Rick and Jules are happily together, Caleb’s photo hangs in the loft respectfully. Dolly packs a bag and jets off to San Francisco but tells her family that’s she’s simply headed Upstate. Bobby receives a special ornament from Emily: a street trolley. He smiles, knowing that she’s okay.
At The Factory, Andy hosts a Christmas party with the old Superstars and a set of new socialites. He makes a toast to the company:
“To everyone here, for making 1972 the absolute best year that we’ve had. Cheers to us and our beautiful souls.” The crowd cheers and drink their beverages, without a care.
RUTH DU
is a writer, director and producer, originally from Portland, Oregon. Ruth attended NYU’s Tisch School of the Arts with a Film/TV Production degree and a Metropolitan Studies minor. In 2008, Ruth directed a music video for popular Irish band The Coronas and continued to direct music videos for indie music labels and has worked with artists from Universal Music Group, Island Def Jam and Capitol Records. Ruth’s short narrative films “Six ‘55” and “Floria’s Sunday” were both in film festival in Los Angeles and New York City. In 2016, Ruth produced the independent feature film “The Archer” starring Bailey Noble, Jeanine Mason, Michael Grant Terry and Bill Sage that World Premiere at SXSW 2017. She most recently produced a series of short films for Indigenous Media’s ProjectHER incubator including “Good Eggs” directed by Maria Burton and starring Bethany Joy Lenz (One Tree Hill, Dexter), Neil Jackson (Sleepy Hollow) and Erik Palladino (ER, Suits). She is currently a 2020 Project Involve Directing Fellow. She currently resides in Los Angeles, CA and enjoys Rocket yoga, spin and dreaming about duet routines with Patrick Swayze.
NICK DRAGISIC
is a songwriter and composer from Chicago with a knack for beautiful melodies and blended beverages. Armed with the ability to write in a vast array of styles, it is no surprise that Nick's experience comes from a diverse musical background. Nick started his musical training at the age of four with the classical violin. As a youth, he toured across the United States and internationally to countries such as England, France, Italy, and China. After moving to New York City, Nick began to expand his musical horizons performing with a variety of different bands including a hip-hop orchestra, and began to work as a songwriter, composer, and producer. He has worked with a prestigious list of artists and clients including NBC, Mercury Records, Duotone Audio, Vice, Theophilus London, Niia, and Devo Springsteen. In his spare time, Nick enjoys spending time in any body of water he can swim in and performing the final scene from 'Dirty Dancing'.