THE FUNKENTINE RAPTURE
Book by Lee Summers and Ben Blake
Music and Lyrics by Lee Summers
show details
Cast Size: 13 (4w, 9m)
synopsis
Circa: 1977. A detective interrogates a woman who has been robbed of her soul-food groceries; apparently Harlem is under attack. We segue to the single room of George Preston, a youthful mop boy/musician who grooves on Real Good Funk as he travels from home to his “survival gig.” We arrive at Mr. and Mrs. Funk’s, “Funky Diner” -- Harlem’s busy premiere Catfish Surprise haven, where we meet owners, the Funk’s and their only daughter and waitress, Simone. A rumor that legendary “funk” musician, Freddie Nelson may return for the upcoming Funkfest at the Apollo Theatre causes a buzz and Mrs. Funk’s inner monologue, Nothin’ But The Funky Truth about her undisclosed affair with Nelson and the chance the he may be Simone’s true father. Restaurant regular Reverend Stankley arrives, promising to stay on the lookout for any perps that may try to attack the diner.
George meets a homeless old man in the alley (is he the same detective we saw earlier?) We get a glimpse of George’s heart as he give the old man his own lunch.
In George’s desire to become a star of “Funk” music, he sings, Let My True Funk Free. Also, he is secretly in love with the Funk’s daughter, “Simone.” Reverend Stankley, a street-corner preacher, gives George advice on how to make it – then resumes his sidewalk sermon of a future Sedentary Nation. Meanwhile, in a nearby dark lair, we meet four multicultural teens in rehearsal for an audition for Friday’s Apollo “Funkfest”. They sing - and are, Disco Rainbow and complain to their unseen boss, The Big Bad Man. George, Simone and her classmates, Angel, Dick and Abdul (a Barbra Streisand fanatic) lament unrequited romances in Still She. George’s discouraged band, “the Funksters” are still Stickin’ Wid It - while the Funk’s warn, Wrong Funks to Funk With to anyone who’d threaten their marriage. Back at the lair, The Big Bad Man reveals motives for revenge in the Ballad of Bubba Sonders. Later, in a dream, George receives a premonition of lyrics and love as he is told of the Funkentine Rapture. Inspired, he confesses to Simone, U Do It 4 Me. Harlem life intersects, the Funksters disband and don’t show up for the audition; the Disco Rainbows do, Simone’s in love with George too, the Big Bad Man’s evil plan is in action – and all uptown agree, (Funk’s) My True Desire.
Having missed the Apollo audition, George encounters the mystical, Old Charlie, who sings, Show Biz and Adversity, encouraging him to not give up. Soon after, Mr. Funk also meets with Charlie; they turn out to be old friends. The Big Bad Man knows that George could ruin his evil plan by winning the Funkfest; he sings, Uh Oh…The Hero to Disco Rainbow. Back at the Funky Diner, George arrives looking for Mr. Funk, to get the day off to focus on his band, leaving Simone sadly disappointed that he’s not focused on her. She sings, The Wrong Mr. Right. Mr. Funk arrives at the Diner, greeted by a domestic confrontation instigated by the rumors of a long lost rocker, Freddie Nelson’s return. Mrs. Funk sings, A Woman Has Her Reasons, accepting her fate that Mr. Funk will learn Freddie is Simone’s biological father. George learns it is Reverend Stankley who has convinced his band to break up. In the song, Funk Is All I Wanna Do, the Funksters and George are reunited. Old Charlie tells them to be at the Apollo stage door the night of the Funkfest. As “Catfish Surprise” is a key cog to The Big Bad Man’s diabolical plan, the Disco Rainbows corner Simone for the recipe in Next Best Funk. The next day, the Funk’s are in a panic that Simone is missing. Stankley enters the diner with instructions from her kidnappers.
It’s the Friday night Funkfest - the Apollo MC is introducing bands; George and his Funksters wait and wonder why Old Charlie has asked them there. We learn that Old Charlie is Freddie Nelson’s manager. Charlie sends the Funksters and George onstage to cover for Freddie. Stankley has brought Mr. and Mrs. Funk to the lair of The Big Bad Man, beneath the Apollo Theater. The Big Bad Man has access to all wiring and cables that connect to the Apollo stage. Stankley reveals he is The Big Bad Man and further reveals Simone, bound and gagged over a humongous deep fryer. He threatens to fry her unless Mrs. Funk makes Catfish Surprise. Meanwhile, George and the Funksters, on stage, hear Simone’s moans through the sound system, blasting it throughout the Apollo! George leaves the stage, telling the audience to Funk Amongst Yourselves, following Simone’s moans to the Apollo basement. In the “Apollowest,” The Big Bad Man discovers Mrs. Funk has made a faulty batch of Catfish. George arrives to the rescue. A chase ensues onto the Apollo stage. George and The Big Bad Man find themselves onstage before a brutal Apollo crowd. They have a Funk-Off. George reprises, The Funkentine Rapture, which escalates to Funk You In The Dozens. The Big Bad Man is defeated in funk and insults! The crowd goes wild. Backstage the Disco Rainbows have called the police on Stankley a.k.a. The Big Bad Man. Old Charlie clarifies loopholes in the Disco Rainbow’s contracts with The Big Bad Man. Charlie also reveals that Mr. Funk has been Freddie Nelson all along, having given up his career for Mrs. Funk when she got pregnant with their daughter, Simone. Charlie explains that Freddie’s songs have generated millions. Freddie Nelson a.k.a. Mr. Funk goes onstage in duet with George. They reprise, Real Good Funk. They kill. George and Simone end up together; The Big Bad Man and the Disco Rainbows go to jail. The Funky Diner and recipe are safe; Mrs. Funk opens a chain of Catfish Surprise Franchises. Old Charlie mystically moves on, and George and his Funksters become true Funk Masters and let their true funk free from that day forth.
quotes & reviews
coming soon
music clips
Real Good Funk [Opening]
(sung by Billy Porter)
High Hopes of a Dream Believer
(sung by Kenny Williams)
The Funkentine Rapture
(sung by Chester Gregory)