DESTINY the musical

The Story of Destiny

3000-01-01T11:19:00.000-08:00

The year 1860. Italy.

Pagliacci is a twelve-year-old boy living with his abusive father, Giovanni, who owns a traveling carnival. After Pagliacci's father dies, he travels to America and starts his own traveling carnival.

The year 1900. Saint Clair, Pennsylvania.

Destiny is an eight-year-old girl who lives with her father, Jake. Her mother left when Destiny was just a baby; Destiny always wears a red ribbon in her hair, made from one of her mother's old dresses. Jake is an alcoholic with a gambling problem. Most of the town-children exclude Destiny, except Jamie who always looks out for her.

When the people of Saint Clair hear that a carnival is coming the adults are wary; however, the children are excited, including Destiny and Jamie (Horses and Monkeys). The carnival brings fun for the children and gambling for the men with "bricks in their hats". Jake is immediately drawn to the card table, breaking Destiny's heart. Jamie comforts her by giving her a little wooden seagull, and by singing her a special song (The Girl and the Seagull). Destiny and Jamie's sweet exchange is witnessed by Nettie, Eleanor, and Martha who are the town gossips. The three convince Jamie's mother, Bonnie, that her son should not associate with girls like Destiny. Bonnie immediately takes Jamie home. Destiny is left alone to handle her drunken father at the card table. He has run out of money angering the carnival owner, Pagliacci. Jake continues to gamble using Destiny as collateral. He loses the game and Destiny is dragged away.

Destiny is taken to the carnival camp and placed into a cage by three gypsies, Rupa, Irena, and Nedda. The gypsies taunt Destiny despite her cries for help (Your New Home). Rupa explains to Destiny that the carnival is now her home, and she must accept this for her own good (Mist). Destiny begins to see that she has no one (All Alone).

Bonnie hears of Destiny's unfortunate fate and asks Nettie, Eleanor, and Martha for help. The three women convince Bonnie that it is too late, and that involving herself could put her family in danger.

The year 1910. Danville, Pennsylvania.

Destiny, now eighteen-years-old, has been living with the carnival for ten years. She continues trying to escape as Pagliacci's unwanted advances become more frequent; Pagliacci is obsessed with Destiny. As the carnival is running out of "fool's towns" to scam, they decide to return to Saint Clair. Pagliacci sees this as his chance to show Destiny that she belongs with him. Destiny sees the return to Saint Clair as her chance at a normal life (Reflections).

When the carnival returns to Saint Clair, Pagliacci instructs Rupa to watch Destiny closely. Making her way through town with the gypsies, Destiny sees someone she once knew. Just as Destiny is about to reintroduce herself, Rupa sets her up as a thief; the townspeople chase Destiny out of the town-center. Jamie arrives shortly after and overhears Nettie speculating about whether or not the girl is Destiny; a red bow in the girl's hair is mentioned. Jamie knows that it is Destiny, and hurries to find her.

Jamie finds Destiny sitting alone, singing their childhood song. She is holding the little seagull he gave her ten years ago. He approaches her in a state of awe and the two embrace (Is It Really You?). Destiny discovers that her father has died, she has no family left. Jamie comforts her (Jamie's Song [music]). Jamie asks Destiny to run away with him. She is afraid, but takes the chance and leaves with him.

Meanwhile, Pagliacci discovers that Destiny has again escaped and goes into a tirade (Enough). He attacks Rupa and sends her off to find Destiny.

Jamie and Destiny arrive at Jamie's house to gather supplies. When Jamie needs to borrow money from a friend, Destiny worries that he will not return. Jamie lets Destiny know that he never forgot her, and that he loves her (I'll Be Your Friend). After Destiny tells Jamie that she loves him as well, Jamie leaves. Destiny is enthralled, her dream is coming true (Ordinary Someone [music]). While entranced, Destiny responds to a knock at the door. She is horrified to see Rupa, who forces her way inside. Rupa tells her that Pagliacci will find them and kill Jamie. Feeling confident and strong, Destiny agrees to return to the camp to convince Pagliacci to let her go.

Destiny returns to the camp and sees that any attempt to reason with Pagliacci will be useless. Pagliacci throws Destiny back into the cage; Destiny is not discouraged now that she knows Jamie will never give up on her (Someday). Pagliacci doesn't understand why Destiny will never love him; Rupa laments that she will never feel Pagliacci's love. Destiny grows more determined to escape Pagliacci's grasp for good (Why?).

As Rupa contemplates her own fate (Destiny [music]); Jamie wastes no time and heads for the carnival camp to look for Destiny. He runs into Rupa, who is now willing to help, and the two head for town. Jamie and Rupa find Pagliacci playing cards with a group of townsmen. Jamie challenges Pagliacci to a card game, to win Destiny. Pagliacci agrees, not knowing that Jamie has been prepared by Rupa. After the cards are dealt, Jamie exposes Pagliacci as a cheater. The townspeople are infuriated and corner Pagliacci who pulls out a gun and points it at Jamie. Destiny, freed by Rupa, steps into the line of fire with Jamie. As Pagliacci wields his gun, Jamie and Rupa both lunge at him. A shot is fired and Rupa falls to the ground. Pagliacci is chased out of town as Rupa dies in Destiny's arms. Destiny and Jamie are free (Starlight).

Press: Destiny the Musical Brings Broadway to Cyberspace

2009-09-20T11:26:00.000-07:00

Destiny, a new musical based on the original story by John C. Kline and Christine Malone Kline, is changing the way musicals are introduced to the world. In this economy staging a musical, especially a new musical, is not easy. Backers are tough to find, and many people no longer have extra money to spend on theater tickets. This presents a problem; how do you convince the public to take a chance on your show when no one knows who you are, or what your show is about? Destiny's writers may have a solution, introduce the show in a way that poses no risk to the consumer, use the internet.

At first, the Klines followed the conventional route. They work-shopped Destiny and submitted the script to theaters and agents. Although they had a very positive response no one was willing to take a chance on a relatively unknown duo. One agent stated that she loved the musical but that the Klines were "just too green". Christine states, "Destiny becoming a hit musical is our dream. We had two choices, sit around and wait, or use the knowledge that we have to promote our project".

The Klines knew that other great musicals, such as Jesus Christ Superstar, were promoted musically before they were staged. This idea lit a spark in the Klines that has not diminished. John and Christine (both teachers, art and music respectively) spent all of their time and resources on recording and CD production, and turned their living room into a black box theater for video-taping. They recruited musician friends, and had the music professionally recorded at Forge Recording Studios in Fort Washington, Pa. Then, they video-taped the same musicians performing their pieces. After all of the preliminary work they arranged music distribution through CD Baby, and John developed the web site, destinythemusical.com.

On the web site viewers are able to read the story, hear music clips and watch videos of the recording artists performing songs from the musical. The site also includes a section (Your Story) where anyone can submit a story about how fate has affected their life. The Klines are using todays technology to promote Destiny. "With the popularity of social networking and video content sites we decided to spread the word from YouTube to FaceBook, and everything in between" says John. "We hope that people will love Destiny, tell us their own stories and pass it all along to their friends", says Christine. "Viewers can sample the musical without leaving their home. If a person loves it they can purchase the music through cdbaby.com, and spread the word". The Klines want to build a fan-base that will come to see Destiny when it hits the theater.

The Klines began writing Destiny eight years ago and quickly realized that their story would make a great musical. They turned to long-time family friend and actress Carolyn Curran Slota, and the three wrote the script. As the script developed Christine Kline and Cecilia Beatty, Kline's mother, wrote the music. Now, after numerous re-writes and song additions, Destiny is a strikingly dramatic musical in two acts Although the story is dark, there is an encouraging love-conquers-all meaning enhanced by the lyrical songs. The Klines believe in the creative work they have produced together, and are using cyberspace to bring it to the world audience. Do you believe in Destiny?

Videos from Destiny

2009-09-19T12:01:00.000-07:00

Mist
Rupa is a gypsy working in a traveling carnival. The carnival owner, Pagliacci, is her lover. She tries to explain to Destiny, who was taken away from her home by Pagliacci, that life's path is different than what it seems to be.

All Alone
Eight-year-old Destiny's father lost her in a card game to Pagliacci, and his traveling carnival. She has been thrown into a cage, and told that she will never see her hometown or her father again.

Jamie's Song
Jamie has just found his long-lost-love, Destiny. She discovers that her father has died, she has no family left. Jamie comforts her.

Enough
Pagliacci is the owner of a traveling carnival. He is obsessed with Destiny, an eighteen-year-old girl that he won in a card game ten years ago. Pagliacci has kept Destiny as a prisoner. He just discovered that Destiny has escaped and blames Rupa, a gypsy who was once his lover.

Someday
Destiny has been recaptured by an evil carnival owner who held her prisoner for ten years. During her escape she found her childhood sweetheart, who never stopped looking for her. Although she is again a prisoner, she knows that all hope is not lost.

Starlight
Destiny and Jamie have finally been reunited after a ten-year separation. The childhood sweethearts are now ready to begin their lives together.