How does a basketball help create an amazing musical?
It depends who is holding the basketball.
When Amanda Fagan was in 8th grade, her father asked her to play in a co-ed basketball league. He thought it would toughen up Amanda’s game to play against boys. Amanda was reluctant to do so, but agreed once her mom offered her a bribe to play: a ukulele.
Amanda did fairly well in the basketball league, but it was the ukulele that really launched Amanda.
When the league was done, Amanda taught herself to play ukulele by watching YouTube videos. Her parents were startled when she started writing and performing her music. It was very good. So good, that almost 28 million people have listened to her music on streaming platforms over the last several years.
When Amanda was 16-years-old, she found herself with too much time on her hands in a restless stretch during COVID. She decided that her interests would best be served by watching a sleuth of movies from the Marvel Cinematic Universe.
Why not? Time was not a commodity in short supply.
She grabbed her Roku remote control, pulled up Disney Plus, and started watching the movies. Amanda has an insatiable appetite for all things Marvel, in particular for the snarkiest hero of them all, Tony Stark. This was a labor of love.
She had previously watched the movies when they were originally released in the theater, but there was something unique about watching again. What caught her attention was the depth of emotion that Tony Stark encountered on his journey. Yes, he was arrogant, but he was also surprisingly human. He tried to do the right thing, but didn’t always succeed. He battled anxiety and panic attacks, and slowly relinquished his selfish image, becoming an admirable mentor to Spider-Man. When it mattered most, he laid down his life for his friends.
When Amanda finished watching the movies, she was struck with an idea. Why not write a musical dedicated to Tony Stark and the Avengers? Amanda is a self-proclaimed musical theater nerd – Hamilton being her favorite – so she decided to write a musical based upon Tony Stark and the Marvel Cinematic Universe.
Stark! The Musical. A Tribute to the MCU was born.
Over a period of two weeks in 2020, Amanda proceeded to write 23 songs for her musical. The songs were catchy, interesting, and surprisingly deep. The musical caught the eye of the local CBS News affiliate, which has run several stories on the musical. Stark takes you on an epic journey as the leader of the Avengers guides his crew through countless battles, through a horrible separation, redemption, and ultimately leading them to victory at an unimaginable cost.
The opening tune of the musical is entitled, Iron Man. It captures Stark in all of his arrogant, boastful glory, as he belts out:
Now I know I can be a little cocky
But can you blame me? I’m a billionaire. Inventor. Should I go on?
Some call me the new kid
Some say I’m a genius
I’m also known as the futurist, the philanthropist, and I’m also rich
Some say I’m the Da Vinci of our time
While others think I’ve got murder on my mind
Trust me, I have plenty of fans
You can call me ‘the man with the plan’
But I’m better known as . . . Iron Man
With the contagious opening number, the audience straps in to accompany Tony Stark on his journey. Along the way, Stark becomes part of a team, slowly gains a conscience, and takes great pride in mentoring young Spider-Man. When Thanos snaps Spider-Man and half of all living creatures out of existence, Stark is left to deal with the aftermath of the sorrow of losing his friend. During one vulnerable number, Stark stands at Spider-Man’s grave and sings a gut wrenching song called, I Thought Superheroes Saved the Day:
What’s left of the team
I find them all looking to me
I am not the heartless monster that they make me out to be
I’ve got cars and money but ain’t it funny
That now is all worthless to me
Cause I tried so hard to protect what I found
But now that you’re gone
The world doesn’t go round
I thought superheroes saved the day
But all I did was lead you to your grave
Stark delves into the grief and ultimately renewed hope of Tony Stark and the Avengers, as they eventually find their way back to each other and to victory. Stark is a classic example of second chances and redemption, accompanied by an astounding musical score from a young woman who is just getting started. Amanda’s musical prowess is unique, creative, and so completely enjoyable. At the closing scene of the musical, the Avengers gather at Tony Stark’s funeral, singing goodbye to him, pulling a tear from the eye of everyone in the audience.
Stark! The Musical has been in production for several years. The producer of this musical has been Tegan Summer, former president of Amas Musical Theater of New York. Mr. Summer subsequently moved to London, to produce several musicals on London’s famous West End, including being personally hired by Andrew Lloyd Weber to revive Lloyd’s 2023, Aspects of Love.
Summer has guided Stark! The Musical to its recent staged reading. To this end, Amanda recently directed a staged reading of the entire musical at her university in May 2024, a reading which included a complete 14-member cast. Amanda is now ready for the final step. Amanda is ready to present Stark to Disney with the hope that Disney will give approval for the release of Stark!
Please contact us if you have any helpful insights, or might be able to participate in the process.
