The Woodsman (Original Off-Broadway Solo Recording)

Edward W. Hardy

Welcome to the marvelous land of Oz-- We are in munchkin country, a majestic countryside in the land of the east. It is a rich, beautiful, fertile land, inhabited by warm and friendly people. We live, we toil and are always mindful, fearful of the wicked witch of the east. She is our master, she sees all, she hears all, so we are in silence. No words are spoken. With heavy hearts we work. A lone violin tells our story. “The Woodsman” focuses on the story of Nick Chopper. Each morning as the sun rises over a cerulean sky in munchkinland, he sets off into the forest to earn his living. He is a sensitive and lonely man. He meets and falls in love with, the slave-girl of the wicked witch of the east. The witch puts a powerful spell on his axe, every time he uses it he pays with a limb. Tinkers replace them with tin ones until he is entirely made of tin. Believing that love can no longer exist without a heart, he leaves her, goes into the forest and rusts in the rain. "L. Frank Baum’s Oz is an American folk tale. I composed original music to reflect the period in history and to pay homage to L. Frank Baum’s touching story. The exploration of different genres of music (i.e. romantic, classical, modern, and folk) was used to express a purer sense of the emotions and the intentions of Baum’s characters. There is a freedom in composing original music in a period piece. This story takes place in the mid-1800’s, it is a fantasy that parallels the realities of that time in history. Oz is a dark and mysterious place, where evils abound, and there is an unknown about the future. Oddly, there are many similarities in the world today." – Edward W. Hardy