Music Player on Homepage

Click PLAY on the Music Player to listen to selections from "All's Fair in Love," recorded live on February 7, 2010.

New Page Added

A page has been added detailing the story and songs of "All's Fair in Love." View it at the About the Musical page.

More Sound Clips Added

The sound clips in the Multimedia page were down for a few days. The audio player is working again and additional songs from "All's Fair in Love" have been added for your listening pleasure. Check out the Sound Clips now.

Public Appearances

December 1, 2009 - Evening of the Music of "All's Fair in Love"
February 7, 2010 - Full Staged Production of "All's Fair in Love"
April 10, 2010 - Additional Staged Production of "All's Fair in Love"
May 12, 2010 - Television Appearance on "My Long Island TV" on FIOS1, interviews with the cast and video and audio clips from the final rehearsal

*All public presentations so far have been held at the C.W. Post Campus of Long Island University.
*Click on the dates for the respective flyer or video for the event.

Booking for Fall Season

Requests are being taken for performances of "All's Fair in Love" and a selection of songs for the Fall 2010 season. If you would like to bring "All's Fair in Love" to a stage or event near you and you are in the Long Island or New York area, submit a request here. The musical can be adapted for numerous venues and stages.

Behind the Scenes #10

The orchestrations of "All's Fair in Love" heard at the February and April performance at C.W. Post took from December 2, 2009 to January 14, 2010 to complete. Christopher Hopkins wrote the orchestrations specifically for the musicians who signed on to the full production performances. The selection of musicians and instruments at the university dictated the instrumentation used. Based on this, the instrumentation for "All's Fair in Love" is as follows:

Bb Trumpet 1 and 2
French Horn
Trombone
Violin
Cello (double on String Bass)
Flute (double on Clarinet)
Oboe
Eb Tenor Sax
Piano
Drum Kit

The musical is also available as a piano and voice score as was heard during December 2009's Preview Night.

Dinner at the Johnsons

Mr. and Mrs. George Johnson and their two children are not the only four who can follow classic family recipes. They and members of the Greenvale community prepared dishes for a potluck dinner in support of outreach programs to benefit the Long Island area. Below was the menu for the January 4th All's Fair in Love Cast bonding event, all cooked and conceived by the University Cast members:

Appetizer:
Split Pea Soup

Entree:
Bean, Vegetable, and Pasta Salad
Chicken
Penne a la Vodka
Bok Choy Salad with country noodles and Teriyaki sauce, served cold
Spanish Rice

Dessert:
Apple Crisp Pie

Behind the Scenes #9

Through collaboration and cast input, Christopher adapted the songs and dialogue to reflect the characters which the cast had perfected. From October 7, 2009 to October 9, 2009, the cast met individually and as duets with Christopher to experiment with voice ranges and keys. The following adjustments were made to better fit the performers at the time:

"Welcome to My Store" experienced a key change from the original key of A major to C major.
"I Love You" experienced a key change for Mr. Johnson's section from the original key of E major to F major.
"When I Look at You" experienced a key change for Anthony's section from the original key of Bb major to C major.

Trivia #2 Answer

What game is featured in the musical?

A. UNO
B. Monopoly
C. Poker
D. Checkers

Martin, Jenny, Anthony, and Katherine play UNO while Mr. and Mrs. Johnson are out at a party.

Trivia #2

What game is featured in the musical?

A. UNO
B. Monopoly
C. Poker
D. Checkers

Trivia #1 Answer

Question #1: Where and when does "All's Fair in Love" take place?
A. Las Vegas, NV in July 2005
B. Greenvale, NY in April 2010 - Answer
C. Anytown, USA in December 1999
D. None of the above

Although the musical songs had their first public performance in December 2009, the setting was placed in April 2010 because the springtime weather on Long Island is ideal for outdoor shopping. Greenvale was chosen in recognition of the C.W. Post Campus of Long Island University.

Trivia #1

Welcome to "All's Fair in Love" trivia! Each trivia post will have a question about the musical production and the answer will be revealed in an upcoming post. So let's begin!

Question #1: Where and when does "All's Fair in Love" take place?
A. Las Vegas, NV in July 2005
B. Greenvale, NY in April 2010
C. Anytown, USA in December 1999
D. None of the above

Extended Episode from My Long Island TV

Here is the full episode of My Long Island TV featuring Christopher Hopkins and "All's Fair in Love!" Watch this episode on FIOS1 (Channel 1 on Verizon Cable Boxes) Wednesday, May 12th at 11:30 pm!

My LITV Video Segment

Take a behind the scenes look at "All's Fair in Love" as recently featured on the FIOS1 original program, My Long Island TV!

Sound Clips Added

Some selections from "All's Fair in Love" are available for listening at the Multimedia page.

More New Pages

The website has undergone a major update. Under the title banner are links to pages with new information about "All's Fair in Love." View biographies of the cast, read the credits of the productions, explore the making of the musical, discover some multimedia, and contact the administrator.

Domain Name Change

The domain name for the official website of Christopher Hopkins' "All's Fair in Love" has changed. Please point your browsers to http://allsfairinlovemusical.blogspot.com to continue to follow the musical.

Matinee Performance a Success

The matinee performance of "All's Fair in Love" was very successful. Christopher and the C.W. Post Music Department offer their thanks for your continued support of collaborative productions such as this. The musical is one step closer to hitting Broadway!

There are no additional show dates scheduled as of this time. New venues will be announced as they come up. If you would like to bring "All's Fair in Love" to a stage near you and you are in the Long Island or New York area, leave a comment below.

Cast to Be Featured on MyLITV

The cast of "All's Fair in Love" will be giving a behind the scenes look at the making of the original Long Island musical on an upcoming episode of My Long Island TV on FIOS1 in New York!

Life on Long Island Promo

Read the promo found at Life on Long Island or at http://www.lifeonlongisland.com/index.cfm?fuseaction=events.eventdetail&EventID=7543

New Page Added

Check out the Cast and Crew Bios page which has current bios and pictures from the production team of "All's Fair in Love!"

Flyer for April 10th Production

Click on the image for a larger version to print.

March Cast Rehearsal

After a hiatus, the cast reunited with director Christopher Hopkins to prepare "All's Fair in Love" for its second run. The cast members worked out changes in the blocking and scenery in the new space of C.W. Post's Hillwood Cinema. The dialogue was delivered very well and works well in the intimate space. The cast will meet before the dress rehearsal to coordinate props and staging. The university observes Spring Break from March 29th to April 2nd, so the university cast will not have any rehearsals in the theater during that time.

The pit orchestra will be getting together to prepare for the April 10th performance. The location of the orchestra in the Hillwood Cinema is to be determined. The production welcomes Alessandra Holmes on violin for the upcoming performance!

Invitation to April Performance

You are invited to an encore event:

All's Fair in Love
An Original, New Musical
Book, Music, and Lyrics by Christopher Hopkins

on

Saturday, April 10th, 2010 at 1 pm, Hillwood Cinema
C.W. Post Campus of
Long Island University
Brookville, NY

Back by popular demand! Saturday's performance will include the original University cast and the "All's Fair in Love" pit orchestra.

There is a suggested donation of $5. A portion of the proceeds will go toward the Music Department at C.W. Post.

Minis with Music Website Up

Lisa Meyer, the artist whose music boxes were featured prominently in the full production of "All's Fair in Love," announces the official website for "Minis with Music!" She sells themed music boxes and also takes custom orders. Tell her you heard about the music boxes through "All's Fair in Love!"

Full Production Update

The full production of "All's Fair in Love" was met with a positive reception last night. Audience members commented on how much they enjoyed the music as well as the individual characters. The production team wishes to thank the Music Department of C.W. Post for their cooperation and support of this special event on Long Island. Negotiations are under way for upcoming events featuring the cast of "All's Fair in Love."

Rehearsal Before Full Production

On Friday, February 5th, the cast and pit had rehearsals to prepare for Sunday's production. The cast got together and rehearsed on multiple days during the week to improve their interaction and delivery of dialogue. They ran through the entire show, including the songs. The rehearsal went very well and the cast is ready for Sunday.

The pit rehearsal went very well as well. All the musicians were in attendance. Much like Cast Album Day last year, the pit recorded the musical's songs with the cast. The pit and cast performed the songs very well. The pit played through the entire show in succession with no problem. Christopher handed each player a list of the show's songs in order including scene change music and bow music. The pit is ready for Sunday.

All the cast and crew will meet next Sunday before the show. Hope to see you there.

Dress Rehearsal #2

The cast and pit of "All's Fair in Love" had the final dress rehearsal on Friday, January 29th. They ran through the entire production with music, dialogue, and sound. Some of the instrumentalists were not in attendance due to school obligations. The rehearsal was important in determining the balance of the singers with the orchestra as well as plotting the amount of vamp within the songs. The cast also moved around set pieces and made use of the show's props. More attention will be given before the showdate to scene changes and stage setup.

"All's Fair in Love" announces the addition of chorus members Britlin Losee and Nick Carbuto to the production. Mr. Hopkins directed them in the extent of their numerous roles.

One Week Until Full Production

There is one week until the full production of "All's Fair in Love" at the Hillwood Recital Hall of the C.W. Post Campus of Long Island University!

Life on Long Island Article

Check out the latest article promoting "All's Fair in Love" at Life on Long Island or at http://www.lifeonlongisland.com/index.cfm?fuseaction=events.eventdetail&EventID=6650

Invitation to Full Production

You are invited to a special event:

All's Fair in Love
An Original, New Musical
Book, Music, and Lyrics by Christopher Hopkins

on

Sunday, February 7th, 2010 at 6:00 p.m.
Hillwood Recital Hall
C.W. Post Campus of
Long Island University
Brookville, NY

The production features undergraduate and graduate music students in all aspects of the production including the cast, pit orchestra, and stage crew.

There is a suggested donation of $5. A portion of the proceeds will go toward the Music Department at C.W. Post.

January 24th Update

The full production of "All's Fair in Love" opens at the C.W. Post Campus of Long Island University in 14 days! Here is what has happened recently:

Christopher has held two rehearsals for the pit orchestra. The eleven member ensemble received their parts on Friday, January 15th at the first rehearsal. During the second rehearsal, held on Friday, January 22nd, cast members attended to run their solo, duet, and ensemble numbers with the orchestra and also to coordinate timing within the music and the dialogue. The pit orchestra will meet next at the upcoming dress rehearsal in the Hillwood Recital Hall on Friday, January 29th.

The cast used their latest group rehearsal to solidify the memorization of dialogue and to improve the timing and delivery of their lines. Cast members continued to provide props and set pieces for the show. Flyers have been distributed and will appear in many towns on Long Island. The cast is preparing for the second dress rehearsal where they and the pit orchestra will work together in the theater space to run the entire show straight through with lighting and sound.

The production team of "All's Fair in Love" thanks Ms. Lisa Meyer and Ms. Barbara Fusco for contributing items from their businesses for display in the production.

Flyer #2

We reveal to you ... the flyer for the full production of "All's Fair in Love!"

Dress Rehearsal #1

The cast had a dress rehearsal for "All's Fair in Love" last Tuesday. Christopher blocked the entirety of Act II with them, finishing the staging for the entire show. The sound and light technicians were present at this rehearsal. New additions to the production included microphones, stage lighting, props, and set pieces. The actors worked with these additions and will continue to get comfortable with the stage arrangement and acoustics. The rehearsal was held in the Hillwood Recital Hall where the production will take place.

The cast is working on solidifying the memorization of the script and will be attending the upcoming pit orchestra rehearsals to work with the instrumentalists on their songs.

The props have been stored on the premises. Christopher and the cast were successful in obtaining the necessary props for the production.

There are 16 days until "All's Fair in Love" premieres at the C.W. Post Campus of Long Island University!

Master's Thesis Completed

Today marks the official date that the thesis component of the original musical "All's Fair in Love" is finished and accepted by the C.W. Post Campus of Long Island University. With its approval by the university, Christopher Hopkins now holds a Master of Arts degree in Music Theory and Composition.

Group Project

On Monday, January 4, Christopher and the cast of "All's Fair in Love" met to enjoy a potluck dinner, play games, and make footage for an upcoming video promotion relating to the musical. Ms. Montalto hosted the event and all in attendance brought a specialty dish to create a family dinner. During the dinner, the cast assumed the roles of their characters, and the interactions that followed were filmed with the video equipment contributed by Ms. Nyman. Christopher and the cast watched the footage and commented on their favorite moments. The games that they played were Jenga and UNO. The event was a great way for everyone to bond and to experiment with their characters before the final dress rehearsals.

Visit back for the upcoming video promotion for "All's Fair in Love," found on this website.

Behind the Scenes #8

Christopher began writing the script for "All's Fair in Love" on November 11, 2009 and completed the first draft on November 23, 2009. The second draft of the script was available on December 4, 2009. The current version of the script was finalized at the last cast rehearsal on December 18, 2009.

Behind the Scenes #7

The first performance of the songs in succession took place on December 1, 2009. The book, score, script, audio, website, and the lyrics are under copyright by the United States government.