TARNISH
A musical by Scott Mebus

Tarnish began as a commissioned work for the RPI Youth Guild. RPI gave Scott an Artist in Residency for the summer of 1998 to perform it. A few years later, Scott entered Tarnish in the 2001 International Fringe Festival in New York, where it played to some of the largest audiences of the festival. Tarnish is currently being revamped and will soon be coming back to the stage.

Tarnish is the story of Mary, a young girl who, though outwardly normal, is born with a disability whose cause the doctors can’t figure out. Forced to grow up under the shadow of her problem, she finally runs away at sixteen and tries to find some place where she can escape from everyone’s pity and fear. Finally she discovers a place where she believes she’ll be able to live like a normal girl. But the secret inside her won’t stay hidden forever…


THE SONGS OF TARNISH

Act One 1) Little One 2) No One Has To Know 3) Damaged One 4) Summer Rain 5) The City 6) I Know All The Ways 7) Hope 8) Second Sight 9) Girl of Mystery 10) Comfort 11) Good Enough 12) No One Has To Know (Reprise) 13) Damaged One (Reprise) 14) Summer Rain (Reprise)

Act Two 15) Lord’s Prayer 16) Twine 17) Just Like Me 18) Don’t Leave Me Alone 19) Mary 20) Make Up Your Mind 21) After The Rain

PRAISE FOR TARNISH

“ Whether it's pop, rock, hip hop or a traditional Broadway-style ballad, Scott Mebus has a flair for songwriting. His ''Summer Rain,'' in FringeNYC's Tarnish: The Musical for Here and Now, is on par with most songs written for the contemporary stage. Actually, it's better than anything in the off-Broadway production Bat Boy or recently shuttered I Sing!. The young composer also has a muse: Jonathan Larson. Many of Mebus' compositions seem plucked from either tick, tick...BOOM! or the Pulitzer Prize-winning Rent. At one point in Tarnish, Mebus sends his cast on an audition for Eviction, a ''hot new rock opera'' in which the good looks of the actors supposedly outshine the music. As directed by Mebus, it is not clear if this moment is meant to be an homage or an insult. Tarnish tells the story of Mary (the captivating Melanie Penn), a young woman who runs away from home to avoid placement in a school for troubled teens. Unsure of itself, the meandering book (also by Mebus) is part Fame, Footloose, Rent and Girl, Interrupted: The Musical. Plagued with technical difficulties, bad microphones and weak choreography, the overly ambitious production has numerous rough spots. Nevertheless, the enthusiastic ensemble -- lead by Penn and the equally impressive Aaron Beck as Mary's love interest -- offers a glimpse at Mebus' infinite talent. ”

– DigitalCity.com

“ The closest thing to a real, full-fledged musical of the batch reviewed here, Tarnish has a book, music, and lyrics by Scott Mebus. It is the story of Mary, a girl who was born under bad circumstances and, unhappy with her home life, runs away to the city at the age of 16. She meets a nice guy named Hollow-and plenty of strange characters, too-as she tries to find out who she is. Tarnish starts out with the rather tight premise that something is wrong with Mary and that she is therefore not accepted by her parents or the town as a whole. Unfortunately, the show has to ride this premise through to its unilluminating, slightly irritating conclusion. But the bulk of the piece, concerning Mary's exploits in the city, is enjoyable. Though not much happens, the show works largely thanks to its appealing music and some magnetic performers. All the same, this show is worth catching for the promising talent on display. It's a heartfelt effort by Mebus, and the cast members put a lot of energy into their performances. Like its heroine, Tarnish is a musical that has not yet come into its own-but, with some more work, it just might do that.”

– Theatremaina.com