How to Write A Country-Western Song
A Concert with a Plot
Paperback
eBook (EPUB)
eBook (PDF)
Kindle
Christa Hillhouse
Score by Christa Hillhouse (formerly of 4 Non Blondes) and Kitty Rose
Sample of Songs
This is a five-women musical featuring gospel, rock, country, hip-hop, and folk music. The play ends with a mini-concert.
This is a play about love, recovery, and music in the women’s music community. The plot revolves around two couples, an older one and a younger one, who have histories as bandmates.
Country-western singer Trish attempts to lead the audience in a workshop about writing country-western songs. She is repeatedly interrupted by her former partner/bandmate/ rock star Carson. Trish, remembering Carson’s years of active addiction, rejects her attempts to reconcile.
Meanwhile, a band on Trish’s label is scheduled to record their second CD at Carson’s studio. The two very young musicians, Nikita and Jay, have broken up as lovers, but are attempting to continue on as a band. Nikki is an active addict and Jay is struggling with early recovery. Their collaboration breaks down as Nikki uses sex to derail Jay’s recovery.
Sonya, a veteran activist from the Black Freedom Movement and member of an all-women, African American, a cappella group, shows up in time to remind the women of their history. Jay, drunk, insults Sonya’s gospel music, recounting an angry episode where she was expelled from her church when she came out as lesbian.
Back in the studio, Nikki has stolen money from Jay and attempts to seduce Carson, who has busted her. Trish overhears their encounter, stunned to see Carson not only turn Nikki down, but evict her from the studio. Trish sings a song, “The Prison of My Mind,” in which she shifts the focus from judging her former partner to noticing how her resentments have impeded her own growth over the years.
Carson, Sonya, Trish, and Jay come together for a final concert. Jay resolves her conflict over a “higher power” and shares it with the audience in “Believe in the Women Who Believe.” Trish makes amends to Carson for her self-righteousness and finally gets to sing her country-western song. The concert ends with a celebration of diversity, recovery and women’s music.
2 African American women, 3 women of any race
Single set (a concert stage)
90 minutes.
Sample of Songs
This is a five-women musical featuring gospel, rock, country, hip-hop, and folk music. The play ends with a mini-concert.
This is a play about love, recovery, and music in the women’s music community. The plot revolves around two couples, an older one and a younger one, who have histories as bandmates.
Country-western singer Trish attempts to lead the audience in a workshop about writing country-western songs. She is repeatedly interrupted by her former partner/bandmate/ rock star Carson. Trish, remembering Carson’s years of active addiction, rejects her attempts to reconcile.
Meanwhile, a band on Trish’s label is scheduled to record their second CD at Carson’s studio. The two very young musicians, Nikita and Jay, have broken up as lovers, but are attempting to continue on as a band. Nikki is an active addict and Jay is struggling with early recovery. Their collaboration breaks down as Nikki uses sex to derail Jay’s recovery.
Sonya, a veteran activist from the Black Freedom Movement and member of an all-women, African American, a cappella group, shows up in time to remind the women of their history. Jay, drunk, insults Sonya’s gospel music, recounting an angry episode where she was expelled from her church when she came out as lesbian.
Back in the studio, Nikki has stolen money from Jay and attempts to seduce Carson, who has busted her. Trish overhears their encounter, stunned to see Carson not only turn Nikki down, but evict her from the studio. Trish sings a song, “The Prison of My Mind,” in which she shifts the focus from judging her former partner to noticing how her resentments have impeded her own growth over the years.
Carson, Sonya, Trish, and Jay come together for a final concert. Jay resolves her conflict over a “higher power” and shares it with the audience in “Believe in the Women Who Believe.” Trish makes amends to Carson for her self-righteousness and finally gets to sing her country-western song. The concert ends with a celebration of diversity, recovery and women’s music.
2 African American women, 3 women of any race
Single set (a concert stage)
90 minutes.
