The Glassblower’s Daughter, or Shattered! An American Fairy Tale
intro | media | creative team | why now | history | press | testimonials | contact
Learn About The Glassblower’s Daughter, or Shattered! An American Fairy Tale
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An uplifting new musical that is both relevant and timeless.
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A crowd-pleaser that leaves audience members wanting to dance in the aisles and humming infectious melodies long after the curtain has fallen.
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A show with inspirational heroes that give hope to today’s youth.
Thank you for your interest in The Glassblower’s Daughter, or Shattered! An American Fairy Tale, the first place winner of the Columbia Entertainment Company’s 33rd Annual Jackie White Memorial Playwriting Contest!
Is your theatre company or school looking for a bold, new musical that
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presents socially relevant themes?
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has fresh, new songs and lively musical numbers?
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includes a large but scalable cast of characters suitable for diverse performers of all ages?
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has strong roles for female performers?
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tells an original story that is inspirational, poignant, and fun?
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is sure to please both kids and adults?
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offers opportunities for theatre students and professionals to apply various stagecraft methods and “stage magic”?
Then have we got a show for you!
We understand that you need to put butts in seats, and usually the best way to do that is with tried and true shows that audiences know and love. But socially relevant, brand-new shows that are well-promoted and have large casts can also attract large audiences.
Facts
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Over 600 people tuned in to watch the streamed presentation of The Glassblower’s Daughter during the pandemic, an incredible feat for a brand new show!
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Our workshop production at the Regent Theatre sold over 500 tickets in one weekend – and this was in fall of 2021 before most children were returning to theaters!*
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The Glassblower’s Daughter has been polished through countless hours of workshopping, readings, and dramaturgical review to ensure it is ready to hit your stage.
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The Glassblower’s Daughter came in first place in the 33rd annual Jackie White Memorial Playwriting Contest, and will be performed at the Columbia Entertainment Company’s 2024 – 2025 season.
*One of our biggest regrets was that we took a chance on staging a workshop as we were coming out of the pandemic hopeful that school-age children would be able to see it. Unfortunately, a vaccine was not rolled out in time. I firmly believe these tickets sales could have doubled or more if parents had allowed children to attend the performances.
Logline
The Glassblower’s Daughter tells the story of Sandy, a teenager living in an early American colony who dreams about becoming more than just what the people around her say she’s capable of becoming, more than what her own father tells her she can be, more than what she starts to believe her limits are. Sandy must defy her community’s expectations of what it means to be a woman to learn her father’s secret glassblowing techniques and to rescue him from the prison of an evil colonial governor before her father is executed and the entire colony enslaved.
Sandy and Her Father, the Glassblower
Waiting Around For You
Media
Promotional Videos
Enjoy a few of the promotional videos we created for the workshop production. A recording of the workshop performance is available to preview or for reference if requested.
An aspirational - and inspirational - new role model. Meet Sandy.
Hear what this show means directly from cast members of the workshop.
Enjoy these clips from some of the show’s musical numbers.
Song Demos
Enjoy a few sample demos from the show. Recordings of all songs and sheet music with full orchestrations for a staged production are available.
Workshop Stills
We hope these stills from the workshop production give you a sense of the range and breadth of the emotions conveyed in The Glassblower’s Daughter – from the depths of grief to the hysterics of satire and beyond to reach the heights of persistent goodness triumphing over evil. Like Sandy, this is a journey you will want to be a part of!
Sandy, George, and Emma – a happy family until tragedy strikes.
George’s grief consumes him.
The Colonists try to convince themselves that it’s going to be a good day. But will it really?
Governor Littleworth rallies his workers to boost his ego as they endeavor to build him The Next Big Thing.
The Littleworths cannot pull one over on the king’s emissary, Captain Shrug.
Sandy meets Captain Shrug’s nephew, Percival, an idealistic young man whom she tries to convince of the importance of listening to people other than men.
The governor’s guards discover a contraband glass bell and arrest George.
Captain Shrug teaches Percival about the king’s justice – using the exiled troupe of women entertainers as an example of how to avoid The Chopping Block.
Sandy refuses to wait to find out if her father will be released.
Potter had tried to warn George about the Governor ...
... but he wouldn't listen.
The Mistress of Revels convinces the guards to let her Circus that Comes to Your Door into the glass palace, with the help of Lady Littleworth.
Once inside, Sandy, her friend Ratcliffe, and Percival try to rescue George, but are stopped by the governor’s guards.
Sandy’s mother, an echo of a voice once silenced, appears to inspire Sandy to create a new bell to rescue her father.
Reluctant at first, Sandy perseveres with the encouragement of her community and creates a new glass bell.
Sandy rings the bell and destroys the Littleworths’ glass monstrosity.
George and Ratcliffe are freed while Captain Shrug orders the Littleworths to be hauled away in irons.
The grand finale – Sandy ascends to protector of the colony and her father decides it is time to make glass sing again. The ensemble launches into a reprise of Let Freedom Ring, encouraging the audience to join in.
The Creative Team
Zareh Artinian (he/him; book) is a member of the Dramatists Guild and an award-winning playwright. He has written the books for two original musicals – The Glassblower’s Daughter: An American Fairy Tale and Beneath the Skin (with music and lyrics by Melissa Carubia). He’s also written an original translation and stage adaptation of The Canterbury Tales for The Revels and has published over a dozen short stories and a young adult novel. Zareh received his MFA from Emerson College and is the recipient of a Mass Cultural Council grant. Learn more about Zareh at zartinian.com.
Kelvyn Koning (he/they; music and lyrics) has written the music and lyrics to two award-winning musicals – The Glassblower’s Daughter and The Prince and the Painter. Kelvyn is a founding member of Nightingale Vocal Ensemble and West Michigan Choral Lab, for whom he sings and composes music. Kelvyn’s vision is to foster empathy, healing, and social justice for individuals and communities through music. His philosophy is that different types of music can work together harmoniously to create new and beautiful things, just as different types of people can. Kelvyn holds a Masters degree from the Boston Conservatory at Berklee. Learn more about Kelvyn at kelvynkoning.com.
Katherine Encarnação (she/her; original choreography) Katherine has choreographed over 60 musicals throughout the greater Boston area, including shows at South Shore School of Theatre, BC High, Milton High, The Rivers School, and The Stadium Theater in Woonsocket, Rhode Island. Katherine has a B.F.A. in Dance from Rutgers University. She was a dancer and aerialist with Ringling Brothers and Barnum & Bailey Circus and a dance captain on Princess Cruises, where she traveled the globe extensively. Katherine is also a dance teacher and certified Zumba instructor.
Why Now?
This is a show for children and adults. Children will enjoy the fairy tale elements, while its message of inspiration will not be lost on them. For the adults in the audience, the story works as a political allegory. This is truly a musical that works on two levels at once, successfully appealing to audience members of all ages.
The reality is that we face corrupt leaders who strip away the rights and protections of vulnerable citizens and assume positions of authority for their own personal gain. The threat to our society is far from over. This is an important story to remind us of what can be and to inspire everyone to take action to build the world we want to see.
Although started in earnest in 2015, conditions for women, members of the LGBTQ+ community, and BIPOC members of our society have not improved. In many ways, things have gotten even worse, and there is no guarantee that things will get better in the future.
Development History
2015 – 2018: Writer’s Workshops to develop the story, characters, plot, etc., with feedback from other writers.
2019 – 2020: Composer and playwright drafted the score and book.
Oct. 2020: Streamed Reading / Workshop production via YouTube and Facebook: Over 600 people tuned in; received and implemented feedback from audience.
2020 – 2021: Received and implemented feedback from Screencraft reviewer
Oct. 2021: Staged Workshop / Proof-of-Concept Production at Regent Theatre, Arlington, Mass. Overwhelmingly well-received by audience Received Massachusetts Cultural Council Grant
2022: Received and implemented Dramaturgical feedback from Musical Theatre Writers Resource Center
2023: First Place Winner of the 33rd annual Jackie White Memorial Playwriting Contest, will be performed at the Columbia Entertainment Company’s 2024 – 2025 season.
Press
Alum writes uplifting fairytale, commenting on sexism and corruption
The Berkeley Beacon, Oct. 28, 2021
The show must go online: It’s a virtual start for new Quincy theater company
The Patriot Ledger, Oct. 6, 2020
Lightning House Players Present World Premiere Of Original Musical THE GLASSBLOWER’S DAUGHTER
Broadwayworld.com, Oct. 3, 2021
Lightning House Players to Present Streamed Reading of Original Show THE GLASSBLOWER’S DAUGHTER
Broadwayworld.com, Aug. 31, 2020
Testimonials
We think The Glassblower’s Daughter is great, but don’t just take our word for it!
“You created something magical during unprecedented times in the history of live musical theatre! In my opinion it is time to take it to the next level. You need another Theatre Company to produce it next.” –Jodi Purdy, Casting Director
“The Glassblower’s Daughter has the elements of a classic fairy tale but is fresh and relevant for today.” –Meredith Moore, Children’s Librarian
“Wholesome, hopeful, and inspirational.” –Laura Auricchio, Historian, Dean Fordham at Lincoln Center Campus
“This show was fabulous and left me smiling for days.” –Laurie Wilczynski-Zollo
“The characters are wonderfully written and truly come alive through the music – it’s magical!” –Pamela Slate-Schleicher
“It made me want to dance like I used to when I was younger!” –anonymous 90-year old audience member
Copyright © Zareh Artinian, Jr. and Kelvyn Koning. All Rights Reserved.