About The Project
DIRECTOR'S STATEMENT
JOAN THE MUSICAL is an homage to the strength and purity of a young peasant girl who transformed the political, social, and cultural landscape of Europe. We portray Joan as a spiritual warrior who fought not for power, but for justice and divine purpose. She is a multi-layered figure, uniting strength and purity, action and faith, reason and vision — a rare synthesis of the sacred feminine and the heroic masculine in a single individual.
Mark Twain’s depiction of Joan as an entirely unselfish person — whose purity, courage, and faith remained untouched by vanity or ambition — has deeply inspired this production. We hope our audience will experience the same awe at her courage, purity, and divine character.
SYNOPSIS
Sieur Louis de Conte, a young boy from medieval Paris who loses his entire family during English raids, is adopted by a priest in the village of Domrémy. Growing up among other children from French patriot families, he meets Joan of Arc and becomes her devoted friend and personal secretary. Through his eyes, the story of Joan’s extraordinary life unfolds.
At the age of twelve, Joan lives a happy childhood with her family and friends—until she begins hearing voices she believes are of divine origin. These messages inspire her to take on a mission that will change the course of France’s history. Guided by the voice of Archangel Michael, she sets out to meet the Dauphin and fulfill her divine mission. Tricked by the court but able to recognize the true king, she earns his trust and gains command of the French army.
Facing hardship, mistrust, and the brutality of war, Joan lifts the siege of Orléans and fulfills her divine vision by crowning the Dauphin as King of France, igniting her nation’s liberation — even as she knows her own life will be the price of her country freedom.
ARTISTIC VISION
We tell Joan’s story in a way that is easy for audiences to understand while delivering a strong emotional impact. To achieve this, we employ elements of musical theatre — songs, musical scores, and choreography — to express the characters’ inner lives and heighten the drama of the story.
Young actors are purposefully cast for key roles, capturing the authenticity, energy, and perspective of their age, reflecting the world as Joan might have experienced it. Our cast is multicultural, emphasizing that Joan’s story is a human story — not bound to a single face, nationality, or ethnicity.
Focusing on naturalistic acting rather than theatrical exaggeration, and using words as the one of the main tools to create Joan’s world, we follow the principles of Shakespearean theatre with an almost bare stage, simple costumes, and minimalistic use of technology.
Film sequences are also integrated as a storytelling medium, expanding the narrative and providing a cinematic layer that complements the live stage performance.
PRODUCTION DETAILS
Production is performance-ready
Genre: Original Musical Theatre
Running Time: 1 hour 20 min
Language: Performed in English
Subtitles: Available in French
Target Audience: Ages 10+, general audiences
Features: 8 film sequences,
4 songs with orchestration,
original music score and SFX
Cast: up to 16 performers
Crew: 4-8 members
Additional performers
Choir: up to 10 members
Dancers: up to 8 members
Venue: black boxes/stages 10m×8m