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THEATRE MUSIC ®
The Music Center’s Study Guide to the Performing Arts ENDURING VALUES
TRANSFORMATION
ARTISTIC PROCESSES
TRADITIONAL CLASSICAL
1. CREATING (Cr)
CONTEMPORARY
2. PERFORMING, PRESENTING, PRODUCING (Pr)
EXPERIMENTAL
3. RESPONDING (Re)
MULTI-MEDIA
4. CONNECTING (Cn)
THE HUMAN FAMILY
THE POWER OF NATURE
FREEDOM & OPPRESSION
Title of Work:
classmate and fellow Harvard Lampoon editor, William
Casey at the Bat, an excerpt from Prather’s Poetry Jam
Randolph Hearst, had hired Thayer to write a humor
Creator:
column for the S.F. paper. Although the poem is still enjoyed more than a century later and has been recited by
David Prather, actor
Background Information: Actor David Prather began performing at an early age as a choirboy at the National Cathedral in Washington, D.C. His first experience in the theater was singing the world premiere of an opera, Bomarzo by Alberto Ginestera. He was instantly “stage struck!” After receiving a B.A. in Theater and Literature from Princeton University, Mr. Prather pursued professional training at American Conservatory Theatre in San Francisco.
everyone from Garrison Keiller to Bob Costas (there is even a 1946 Disney cartoon version), it owes its original popularity to an obscure 19th century actor/ comedian named De Wolf Hopper, who by his own estimate, gave over 10,000 performances of “Casey,” including the initial one attended by members of the baseball clubs the Chicago White Stockings and New York Giants. Mr. Prather has a way to go to catch Hopper, but plans to give it his Cal Ripkin, Jr. best shot!
A love of Shakespeare first brought Mr. Prather to the Mark Taper Forum at the Music Center of Los Angeles County,
Creative Process of the Artist or Culture:
which in turn led to a relationship with the Education
While David Prather has performed a musical version of
Division and the L. A. Philharmonic. For the latter, he has
Casey at the Bat with the L.A. Philharmonic, he doesn’t
hosted numerous concerts for young audiences including
feel
Toyota Symphonies for Youth and Summer Sounds at the
necessary to “sing” this self-styled Ballad of the Republic;
Hollywood Bowl. In nearly two decades with the Education
the heroic language and vivid characters of the poem itself
Division, Mr. Prather has conducted numerous workshops
are sufficient to bring the drama to life. It practically begs to
and residencies, and created several solo shows including
be performed, or at least read aloud. Try it at home or in the
Prather’s Poetry Jam.
that
any
musical
He recently completed a new work
accompaniment
classroom. There will be joy in
commissioned by the Alley Theatre in Texas entitled When
Mudville!
Harlem Was in Vogue. In all of these endeavors, Mr. Prather has sought to share his love of language and performance so evident in his interpretation of Casey at the Bat.
About the Artwork: “Casey at the Bat, a Ballad of the Republic,” Sung in the year 1888” first appeared in the San Francisco Examiner under the pseudonym “Phin,” the nickname of Ernest L. Thayer at Harvard. His
is
Photo: Kelly Ziolkoski
“Life is full of poetry, and poetry is full of life!” David Prather
Los Angeles, California