Nobody Panic! (Original Production Score)

*This article is about the soundtrack for the play. For the play itself, see Nobody Panic! (play).*

## Nobody Panic! (Original Production Score)

### Crew

Oliver Beckwith, Tyler Bruce, Nicholas Ma

### Watch Page

HyperFollow

***Nobody Panic! (Original Production Score)*** is a soundtrack album released by Oliver B. Productions and created as the soundtrack to the play *Nobody Panic!* The album was a joint venture between Oliver Beckwith and Nicholas Ma, with Tyler Bruce producing the tracks composed by Oliver. The soundtrack debuted on the opening night of the play on June 1st, 2022, with the album itself being released for independent listening on June 4th, 2022, one day after closing.

## Project Background

At the beginning of *Nobody Panic!*'s production, sound designer Jailen Modi chose obscure, often royalty-free music to use as scene transitions during the play as well as during the pre-show and intermission. One song that stood out to the team as representative of the play and the unofficial 'main theme' was the song "Hard Heart" by Elliot Holmes. However, eventually, Oliver Beckwith (the show's co-director) decided to enlist the help of his producer friend Tyler Bruce to create an original main theme for the show that he had composed in a similar vein to "Hard Heart". After producing the main theme, one of the other executives of the play, Linus Ma, decided to get his brother's help in creating additional themes based around specific characters. From this point forward, it was decided that the majority of the play would have an original score with some of Jailen's earlier song picks left in. Nicholas went on to create several character themes, with Oliver and Tyler creating other transition pieces, and eventually creating their own character theme. In total, 11 original pieces were created for the show.

While Nicholas Ma was developing the song "DirecTango (William's Theme)", he and Linus convinced the strings ensemble at Abbey Park High School to perform a live recording of the song, as it was a strings-based piece. With the help of the strings conductor Mr. Willms, a live recording was created and used in the show. A video of the recording was uploaded to Nicholas Ma's YouTube channel.

## Songs

**"Nobody Panic!" -** The main theme of the show. This song plays at the very end during the curtain call. This was the first original piece developed, taking inspiration from "Hard Heart". Composed by Oliver Beckwith and produced by Tyler Bruce.

**"In Comes Blake" -** The character theme for Blake Backster. This piece plays during Blake's first monologue as he walks onto the stage from the audience, as well as at the end of Act 1, Scene 5 "Interrogations". The song contains the leitmotif of the main theme and incorporates a mysterious, dramatic tone. Composed and produced by Nicholas Ma.

**"Ever Unruly (Gwen's Theme)" -** The character theme for Gwen Stayfer. This song was created in an early-2000s punk rock style to represent Gwen's character, however, a portion at the end incorporates a happy, uplifting tone which was used to represent the resolution to the conflict between Gwen and Cherry Kiss. A short portion also contains the melody from the main theme. The song plays after Act 1, Scene 6 "Gwen Stayfer", Act 1, Scene 9 "The Ever Unruly Case of Gwen Stayfer and Act 2, Scene 8 "Respecting Your Elders". Composed and produced by Tyler Bruce and Oliver Beckwith, with Tyler on guitar and Oliver providing backing vocals.

**"The Waiting Room" -** This calm, flute-based remix of the main theme was used as a transition piece after Act 1, Scene 7 "The Waiting Room". Composed by Oliver Beckwith and produced by Tyler Bruce.

**"Fruitbasket (Cherry's Theme)" -** The character theme for Cherry Kiss. This light, bubbly piece with a slightly ominous undertone is meant to represent Cherry's character, and plays after Act 1, Scene 11 "Cherry Bomb". Composed and produced by Nicholas Ma.

**"DirecTango (William's Theme)" -** The character theme for William Trench. This theme is strings based and extremely epic and melodramatic to represent William's character and his arc throughout the first act of the play. It plays after Act 1, Scene 8 "William S. Trench" and Act 1, Scene 13 "Direct Action" as well as during the show's intermission.

**"Time Out" -** This melancholic song plays after Act 2, Scene 2 "Time Out" and Act 2, Scene 7 "Short Circuit". The sad tone is used to emphasize the emotion of certain scenes. Composed and produced by Tyler Bruce.

**"A Scientific Solution" -** A chiptune, 'retro' remix of the main theme used as the themes of both Sebastian Niall and Arthur Oblong. Portions of this piece play after Act 1, Scene 10 "Sebastian Niall" and Act 2, Scene 1 "Arthur Oblong". Composed by Oliver Beckwith and produced by Tyler Bruce.

**"Heart-To-Heart" -** This soft piano piece uses the same melody as "DirecTango" and is used after Act 2, Scene 5 "Heart-to-Heart" when William makes up with Pamilla Monica. The song serves as somewhat of a theme for both characters. Composed and produced by Nicholas Ma.

**"Coldbrew" -** This piece is a jazzy, café-style remix of the main theme with a calmer/lighter tone. It plays after Act 2, Scene 6 "Umhuh Perry" and Act 2, Scene 9 "Pamilla Monica". Composed by Oliver Beckwith and produced by Tyler Bruce.

**"The End Is Nye" -** An epic, fast-paced piece that incorporates the motif of the main theme. It is used as the final scene transition, playing after Act 2, Scene 10 "Case Closed". Because the scene transition involves the characters rushing to the science lab, a motif from the theme song to *Bill Nye the Science Guy* is also incorporated.

**"DirecTango (Live Recording)" -** This piece serves as a 'bonus track' on the album. It is the song "DirecTango" performed live by the strings ensemble at Abbey Park High School. This version of the theme was used in the actual show, instead of the original version with synthesized strings. Composed and produced by Nicholas Ma, with Mr. David Willms conducting the ensemble. A full list of musicians used in the performance can be found in the song's credits.