at Daylesford this month when BMDS stages an original, Broadway-style musical written by Bermudian lawyer Warren Cabral, and composed by young English musician, James Burn.

`Joan of Arc', which has taken the collaborators two years to bring to production, was conceived by Mr. Cabral as a musical biography. Meticulously avoiding other literature on this fascinating heroine (including the play of George Bernard Shaw), he has relied on biographies and court transcripts to ensure authenticity. Much of the dialogue is sung, `recitative'-style, and there are about 20 songs, including several for the chorus.

Mr. Burn's music -- the scope of which is already causing a flutter of excitement in local music circles -- achieves a rich orchestral sound through the ingenious use of a computer. With much of the music pre-sequenced, there will be musicians at two keyboards for the actual performances, to match variations in the tempos of the singers. Musical director Gaynor Beaumont Gallant will conduct from the booth.

The famous, and true story of St. Joan of Arc tells of the young French girl who, inspired by heavenly `voices', led the army of medieval France towards victory in their Hundred Years War against England. Betrayed by the chief French courtier into English hands, she was placed on trial in the city of Rouen, where she was subsequently burned by them at the stake as a heretic.

Richard Fell, who most recently appeared in the Bermuda Festival production of `Richard III' and last October, gave a memorable performance in the title role of `The King and I', is the assistant director.

Explaining how he became involved in the production, Mr. Fell says, "Because Warren wrote the play and lyrics -- a massive undertaking that has involved two years of his life -- he felt he was too close to the whole thing to do it justice as director, and asked if I would be interested.

Unfortunately, I was already committed to other productions, but I said I would help him as much as I could, so I agreed to be his assistant director.'' Mr. Fell, who has many directorial kudos to his credit, as well as being one of Bermuda's most gifted actors, sees his role as "a second, or even a new pair of eyes'', to see what works (or doesn't work) in a particular scene. He has also been working extensively with the cast on characterisation and singing interpretation.

"This has nothing to do with the technical quality of the singing, but to help the cast understand that there is really no difference between this and a Shakespearean monologue, or a lengthy speech in a drama, in this case, it just happens to have been set to music. You don't necessarily have to be able to sing in order to show how a song should be put across! Some actors have a tendency to just sing, without bothering too much about the emotion that has to accompany it.'' He explains that the dramatic nature of the play precludes the big, lavish dance numbers that are traditionally, an inherent part of a musical.

"There are some set pieces, though, that should be very effective, visually and dramatically, so I've also been working with Debbie Mello, the choreographer, in staging some of those ensemble numbers.'' His favourite song in the show is `My Life Begins Today', sung by Stephanie Butler in the role of Joan.

"It is like a pop song. It has the potential to be taken out of the show and become a hit! I think the music is just brilliant, it's hard to believe it's been written by a 23-year old,'' he enthuses.

Gaynor Gallant agrees with Richard Fell's verdict on the music ("James is amazing'') that she will be conducting, although they differ over their favourite songs from the show.

Ms Gallant likes the ballad numbers best, "especially `Making History', a duet sung by Old Metz and young Metz. Alec Foster is so British, and Mark Hamilton so American, an old voice and a young voice. It's very moving, and they sound marvellous.'' The job of musical director is one of enormous responsibility, especially when working with a score never performed before.

"James and I got together, sorting out the different tempos, which vary a great deal,'' she explains."James is very easy to work with, luckily. Some composers are very `touchy' about their music, but he has, very generously, left final decisions on things like tempo to me.'' Asked how she became involved in the production, Ms Gallant says she was very impressed with the preview that was staged at Daylesford last October.

"They have worked so hard, the whole concept of writing an original work, especially on a topic like Joan of Arc is very, very difficult, so to see it work is a very great achievement. I was thrilled when they asked me to be musical director. Fortunately, disagreements with James have been very rare.

It's wonderful to see it now, coming together.'' She is impressed, too, with Stephanie Butler, who is taking on the central role of Joan.

"She's on stage the whole time, so it's a very big role for her. Luckily, James has been working with her (and some of the other principals) one-on-one and Richard on her interpretation, so that's taken some of the weight off me.'' She believes that the final, dramatic scene of the play will be exciting, both visually and musically: "It finishes with Joan tied to the stake, up high at the back of the stage with everyone looking up at her. Leyoni Junos sings this top solo line as the rest of the chorus joins in this marvellous `Kyrie eleison'. It really is a very powerful work and I'm proud to be a part of it.'' Stressing that the set is a simple one, suggestive of medieval France. "Its impact relies on the superb costumes that Elizabeth Wingate has designed, the dramatic lighting effects, and the way sound is used, such as bells and chanting monks, to capture the period and atmosphere of the piece.'' Gaynor Gallant, who teaches bassoon, flute and recorder at the Dunbarton School of Music, also plays the oboe and piano. She graduated from Trinity College of Music in London and came to Bermuda four years ago. In 1992, she was the soloist in Vaughan Williams' Oboe Concerto at the Bermuda Philharmonic Concert and she was the musical director of `Broadway Masters', staged at Daylesford last year.

In July, she married Steve Gallant, who plays the Dauphin in the production.

Rehearsals have been going on now since March and, says Ms Gallant, the cast gets more and more enthusiastic as opening night approaches.

"James has such an enormous talent and I think the whole cast is aware of that. He can sit down at the piano and play anything, in any key, and harmonise without any apparent effort at all. That's useful in auditions, if a singer found a song too high, he just altered it.

"The tunes are melodious and, I think, memorable. We've reached the stage now where the whole cast is singing them as they go to bed, and wake up singing them!'' `Joan of Arc' will be performed by the BMDS at Daylesford Theatre from May 26 to June 4 at 8 p.m. (There will be no performance on Sunday, May 29). Tickets at $10 are available from the Daylesford Box Office from Wednesday, May 18.

Open weekdays from 5.30 to 7.30 p.m., on Saturday, May 21 from 12.30 to 2.30 p.m., and on show nights from 7 to 8 p.m.

Under the sponsorship of ACE Limited, there will be a special gala performance of `Joan of Arc' on May 30, in aid of the Allan Vincent Smith Foundation.

Tickets for this event, which include a champagne reception commencing at 7 p.m., are $75, and are available from the directors of the Foundation , or from Mr. Rodney Birrell at 295-0519.

Appropriately, May 30 is the Feast Day of St. Joan, which celebrates the memory of the teenage French peasant girl who died in 1431, and was canonised by the Vatican in 1920.

INQUISITION TIME -- Rehearsing one of the most dramatic moments of the musical, Joan of Arc (Stephanie Butler), at left, is questioned by her inquisitors, from left, Anelgo Pimental, Albert Gilbertson and Andrew Dobson, during her heresy trial. At right, Butler tries out her suit of `armour', designed by the show's Elizabeth Wingate and made by some of the Westmeath Senior Citizens residents. Pictured knitting the costumes, from left, are Mrs.

Ethel Cave, Mrs. Catherine Wingate, attendant Mrs. Jacqueline Baker, Mrs.

Eileen Robinson and Mrs. Lillian Fountain.