Writer - Musician
David Chadwick
Musicals
The River
A musical with an environmental message - in The River, a group of children set off to find out why the river that runs past their school has suddenly dried up. They are accompanied on their journey by a varied bunch of birds and animals, domestic and wild. They discover that the Taniwha has stopped the river in an effort to teach humans a lesson about caring for the environment.
Written for Te Horo Primary School, the original performances included all the school's students (including some playing the parts of trees, rocks, fences, and the river itself.
The River has also been performed by
Solway Primary School and Turakina School.
The finale song"Just One Earth" was featured
on the Ministry of Education's Kiwi Kidsongs 14,
which was distributed free
to all New Zealand Primary schools.
Running Time: Approx. 40 minutes
Download the script
JOE (Just One Earth), the finale
of The River, from Kiwi Kidsongs 14
Free for schools
I'm happy for any of the shows to be used
free-of-charge by any New Zealand school.
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The scripts can be adapted to suit size of cast, to showcase particular abilities of students, to add
topical interest, etc., etc.
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If you would like to put on one of the shows,
feel free to get in touch with me. I can provide chord charts and recordings of the songs. I also have videos
of the performances, which could give you helpful ideas about staging.
Stars in Their Feet
Set in outer space at the Intergalactic Dance Championships, the show features two glamorous co-hosts, various groups of dancers and singers, the microscopic Intergalactic Pirates with their kit-set robot thug and a jealous, jilted ex-dance partner with homicidal tendencies.
Download the script
Return to the Stars
The sequel to Stars in their Feet, this musical is set in a time when the Universe is ruled by the fun-hating Cranialpods. Dancing is outlawed, although it still takes place in shady underworld nightspots and in the uncivilzed farthest reaches of the Universe. The Intergalatic pirates return, full-size this time having genetically fused themselves with robot parts.
Download the script​
Students from the Otaki College cast performing some of the songs from Return to the Stars >>>>
A Universe Away
Space Bop
Coming at You from the Heavy End
Dance Like You Mean It