Reformation, a musical based on the life of 16th century religious reformer Martin Luther

Scenes

Act I

Scene 1 – Outside a German village, early 1500’s

Kyrie Eleison - Monks
When the Lightning Strikes – Luther
Why Do Ya Wanna be a Monk? – Luther, Peasants, Luther’s Parents
My Son, How Can You? – Luther’s Mother, Luther

Scene 2 – A monastery in Erfurt, Germany

Luther’s Confession – Luther, Father Staupitz
Have I Confessed Enough? - Luther

Scene 3 – A German tavern

Let's Go Back to the Middle Ages – Peasants

Scene 4 – The Sistine Chapel, Rome; Wittenberg, Germany

We Need a New Pope-a - Cardinals, Peasants

Scene 5 – The monastery chapel at Erfurt

Take and Eat/What Has Just Happened?/Agnus Dei
– Luther, Peasants, Father Staupitz
Thank you, Father – Luther, Luther’s Father

Scene 6 – The chambers of Pope Leo X, Rome

How We Gonna Pay for St. Peter's Cathedral? – Pope Leo, Cardinals
Hire John Tetzel – Pope Leo, Cardinals

Scene 7 – The streets of Wittenberg, Germany

When the Coin in the Coffer Rings - John Tetzel, Peasants
We Have Letters of Indulgence – Peasants, Luther
Ninety Five Propositions – Luther, Peasants

Scene 8 – The convent at Nibschen

Kate’s Confession – Kate von Bora, Mother Superior
What if He is Right? - Kate, Nuns, Cardinals

Scene 9 - Pope Leo’s Chambers in Rome

He Could Be Trouble – John Tetzel, Cardinals, Pope Leo, Peasants

Scene 10 – The palace of Emperor Charles V

Leo and Charles Make a Deal – Pope Leo, Emperor Charles

Scene 11 – The streets of Wittenberg

Our God Will Save Us – Peasants, Luther, Pope Leo
Peasants and Princes Anthem – Muntzer , Peasants, Princes, Luther, Philip

Scene 12 – The religious Diet in Worms, Germany

Diet of Worms - Cardinal Michael, Luther
Here I Stand – Luther
Judgment/Act I Finale – Emperor Charles, Cast

Intermission

Act II

Scene 1 – The streets of Wittenberg, Germany

Extra! Extra! Read All About It! - Printers, Peasants

Scene 2 – A small room at Wartburg Castle, Germany

Lord, Keep Us Steadfast – Luther

Scene 3 – The Sistine Chapel, Rome; Wittenberg, Germany

We Need a New Pope-a, part 2&3 – Cardinals, Peasants, Pope Adrian, Pope Clement

Scene 4 – The streets of Wittenberg

This is the Reformation – Peasants, Philip, Luther
The Soul of Reformation – Luther

Scene 5 – The convent at Nibschen, the monastery in Wittenberg

Would He Love Us Still? – Kate, Nuns, Luther

Scene 6 – The palace of Emperor Charles V

Clement and Charles Make A Deal – Pope Clement, Emperor Charles

Scene 7 – The convent at Nibschen

Will I See You Again? – Sister Marion, Kate

Scene 8 – The Monastery at Wittenberg

Luther’s Nightmare – Muntzer, Peasants, Luther, Princes
Should I Get Married – Luther, Philip, Kate, Marion

Scene 9 – Outside a German Village

Rainbow in the Sky – Muntzer, Peasants
I Will Love You Still – Philip, Luther, Kate (in a chapel)
Rainbow Ending – Muntzer, Princes, Peasants

Scene 10 – Luther’s room at the former Wittenberg monastery

Luther’s Remorse – Luther, Philip, Kate

Scene 11 – The religious Diet in Augsburg, Germany

Diet of Augsburg – Emperor Charles
A Mighty Fortress – Philip, Peasants, Princes
Here We Stand – Philip, Princes, Luther, Kate, Peasants, Cast

2008 Cast (in order of appearance)

Martin Luther - Rodney TeSlaa

Luther’s Mother - Becky Ebb-Speese

Father John Staupitz - Dennis Hess

Cardinals - Roger Nichols, Chris Nichols, Rick Nichols

Hans Luther - Mike Burgstahler

Pope Leo X - Jim Rohrer

John Tetzel – Gary Sironen

Kate von Bora – Kimberly Kay

Mother Superior – Pam Wells

Sister Marion – Camille Dexter

Nuns – Gail Mazurek, Pam Korzenowski

Philip Melanchthon – Jim Rohrer

Thomas Muntzer – Bertram Sluys

Emperor Charles V – Gary June

Princes – Mike Burgstahler, Dennis Hess, Becky Ebb-Speese, Nate Ohman

Pope Adrian - Forrest Bowling

Pope Clement - Rick Nichols

Peasant Kids – Abby Buchan, Annika Ohman, Parker Ohman, Daniel Wells, Rebekah Wells

Peasant Kids’ Mother – Denise Sironen

Peasants – Forrest Bowling, Letty Burgstahler, Ginger Christie, Linda Cousino, Pat Johnson, Jade Leer, Sharon Leder, Mona Leeder, Dona Nichols, Jodi Ohman, Karen Owens, Lisa Rainwater, Rachel Sironen, Toni Steele, Wyatt Smits, Zina Smits

Synopsis

Reformation is a historical musical pop opera about religion, politics, war and the media in medieval Germany. This full-length musical uses one static set and can be performed with a minimum cast of 16.

A bolt of lightning sends a law student on a quest to please an angry God in medieval Germany. Martin Luther becomes a monk, develops an obsession with confession, suffers a panic attack as he presides over his first mass, and becomes convinced that the Church has become spiritually bankrupt.

In the early throes of the Renaissance, Cardinals in Rome make a politically expedient decision in the selection of a new Pope whose extravagant lifestyle quickly causes the Church to become financially bankrupt. The Pope decides to rebuild Rome’s coffers by sending a Bible-slinging, gospel-singing salesman to Germany to sell letters personally signed by the pope to guarantee heavenly salvation. As German Peasants quickly purchase the letters, Luther becomes incensed and nails a list of charges against the Pope on the castle church door.

Some religious leaders, including a group of nuns, find Luther’s ideas spiritually liberating; the Peasants see in Luther a chance for social reform; German Princes find in Luther a chance for political and financial independence from Rome.

The Pope becomes alarmed: he can’t risk making Luther a martyr by burning him at the stake as a heretic, so he excommunicates Luther from the Church and urges the German Emperor to arrest Luther. The Emperor fears arresting Luther will upset the Princes who elect him, so he bans Luther and those who follow him from society.

Advances in mass communication (the printing press) help make Luther a popular folk hero and a new religious movement is formed. However, Luther’s refusal to compromise, which has made him a hero, has also become an inflexibility that makes it impossible for him to mediate divisions among his followers. He is blamed for the resulting bloodshed and steps down as leader of the Reformation. When the Pope and Emperor take this opportunity to force the Reformation to its knees, Luther has to choose between his convictions and the lives of those he loves.