The Stingray Point Story

Jeanne McDougall and Virginia traditional music icon Bob Zentz have composed and scored new music for "The Stingray Point Story," an outdoor drama that tells of the story of John Smith's harrowing encounter with a stingray in July 1608, near what is now Deltaville, Virginia.

Zentz and McDougall began working on the project after being contacted by the playwright for help in putting music to her script.  McDougall, a graduate student in History at the University of Southern California, consulted with music and history faculty at USC and the Thornton School of Music to produce original music and instrumentation consistent with early 17th century musical practices familiar to both American Indians and English explorers.  Zentz and McDougall shared the writing of the six original songs, and McDougall scored the play.            Period instruments include hurdy-gurdy, cittern, drum and recorder for the European songs, and Indian flute, drum and gourd rattle for the American Indian music.  The European-inspired songs include one tune reminiscent of a morris dance and others similar to tunes composed for English broken consorts of the Elizabethan period.  The American Indian music relies on instrumentation documented by Smith in his “Generall Historie,” and oral traditions concerning performance.  Both Zentz and McDougall provide vocals for the original sea shanty "Roll, Rappahannock," which describes actions taken while sailing a shallop.