West Hempstead composer to feature play at Davenport Theater

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Longtime composer Marylyn Varriale is excited to feature one of her latest projects at the Davenport Theater in New York City. A musical adaptation of Peter Pantina’s book, “Evangeline, A Curious Journey,” which is based on Henry Wadsworth Longfellow’s epic 1874 poem, “Evangeline, A Tale of Acadia,” was recently picked up by Broadway Producer Ken Davenport.

“I’ve been working on it for about four years,” Varriale said. “He said that it’s a very promising work, he was very pleased with it, and he said that the best bet for good Broadway success is something based on a story. What it is different about this is that it’s a modern-era love story. It’s an interesting approach bringing it into the 21st century.”

Varriale, a resident of West Hempstead for over 30 years, said that her musical had its first staged reading at Adelphi University in 2014. In 2016, the musical underwent a full production, which lasted for three days. Having a musical featured in New York City, she said, is a moment of truth for any composer.

“Davenport Theatricals invites producers and investors and they also hire a casting director who knows agents and find people who are actually Broadway singers, and actors who are always looking to do readings,” Varriale said. “It’s a constant approach, but it’s a long road and this is just the first step in that direction. We’ll see what happens.”

Varriale added that it takes a collaborative and continuous effort to develop a successful musical play. She had originally trained to be a concert pianist but changed her mind when she was asked to write an original musical at Adelphi in the 1950s.

“Here I was putting my thoughts and feelings into music, and I was working with people and rehearsing with them,” she said. “That’s when I realized that this is what I want to do.”

Adjusting to the digital era, she said, has created new opportunities for her to develop her music. “It’s very interesting and it’s very satisfying, too, for you to be in the studio and hear the strings as you come to the bridge of the music,” she said.

A composer for over 60 years, Varriale said she hopes that her passion will resonate to her three grandchildren. “I hope that they know what I have lived and that you should do what you love, and don’t ever give up,” she said. “If I have given them that message, then I have lived a good life. I’m hoping that the people who attend will see the promise that Ken Davenport expressed, and I hope that they can back it to move forward.”

“Evangeline, A Curious Journey” is scheduled for March 23, at 2 p.m. For more information about the musical, visit: http://evangelinejourney.vpweb.com.