The exciting album for Legend of Arahma, an original musical theatre album, has recently been released on digital platforms.
Set in the year 1845, we follow the journey of Copernicus Danbury, a lieutenant of the royal navy who seeks a new life by hijacking a ship. However, a fierce storm alters his destiny, leading him to the mystical world of Arahma. There, he encounters the Kalani tribe, who perceive him as the hero from an ancient prophecy destined to save their land.
The narrative unfolds with the introduction of Zoran, the mightiest warrior and former protector of Arahma, who, driven by the tragic loss of her daughter, has turned against her own. Through a sinister ambush crafted by Zoran, Copernicus finds himself thrust into a dangerous quest alongside three brave companions.
The essence of this story lies in Copernicus’s transformation. Guided by his newfound allies and facing formidable challenges, he must cultivate inner courage. The stakes are high; if the prophecy holds true, only Copernicus can confront Zoran and restore peace to a beautiful green world on the brink of destruction.
This album serves as a precursor to a larger theatrical journey, enriched by a cinematic score, compelling characters, and a landscape rich in myth and legend.
The musical has been written by Joseph Purdue (music and lyrics) and Dries Janssens (book and lyrics). We sat down with both to learn more.
What can you tell me in your own words about Legends of Arahma?
Dries: Legends of Arahma is an epic adventure musical with a cinematic score, centering on two fated adversaries bound by the arduous choices that will shape their lives. It follows the story of 19th century British explorer Copernicus Danbury, who ends up in the mystical realm of Arahma, where he meets new friends and foes, and where he must fight the evil warrior queen Zoran, to save this beautiful world from destruction.
It’s an original story and we believe it has the potential to push the boundaries of musical theatre, with its luscious score and immerse world building. We hope people will fall in love with these characters and the songs they sing.
How would you describe the style of the music on the album?
Joseph: The music isn’t based on any one style, but it’s certainly influenced by my love of film scores.
Growing up, I was blown away by soundtracks like The Lord of the Rings, Gladiator, Braveheart, and a lot of Alan Menken’s Disney scores. Pocahontas and The Hunchback of Notre Dame had a particular influence on me. Legends of Arahma is mostly an orchestral score, but it includes some beautiful ethnic instruments to give it a more otherworldly feel. I've always thought of the music as an epic film score — but with lyrics.
Where did the creative journey begin for this piece?
Dries: I came up with the story back in 2017, and reached out to Joseph with the first draft of the script. After Joseph had composed one or two melodies, we knew it was a perfect fit. Over the next four months, we started developing the musical elements of the show. Joseph was writing melodies while we both tackled lyrics. We went through the entire show, and by the end of those four months, we had our first draft with music.
How did you approach the writing and development of the story and the music?
Joseph: With any project, I like to start at the point of least resistance. As Dries already had a first draft of the story, we simply set up a video call to discuss potential song spotting. A few moments really jumped out at me — particularly the 'I want' song for Copernicus, which eventually became This I Vow. I also had ideas about the villain song, and the love duet between Zoran and Copernicus’s father, James.
How have you approached bringing your own identities to the piece and fitting into the world of the characters?
Joseph: I think we both share a love of fantasy and escapism. We grew up watching films and reading books in that genre. In terms of the characters, I was surprised by how often I felt like the lyric was coming straight from me. Of course, we aim to inhabit the characters' minds, but inevitably, you pour yourself into parts of the lyrics. The passion of Copernicus in that final chorus of This I Vow — that was me telling the world I’m not going to back down. That I’ll do whatever it takes to be a composer and storyteller. I find parts of myself in all the characters — I’m sure Dries does too. Even in Zoran, who is my favourite character and the one I’m most emotionally invested in.
Dries: As Joseph said, the escapism is a big thing for me as well. From a very young age I've been making up stories and inventing new worlds and characters. This show was perfect for me, because it had to be completely built from the ground up, so I could put a lot of my imagination into it. I also think I have some things in common with the character of Copernicus. Like him, I'm a dreamer who won't give up once he's set his mind to something.
How do you hope the album will shape a future life for the piece?
Dries: Our hope is for the album to build a core following of theatre and fantasy enthusiasts. The score is very evocative and it really immerses you in the world we’ve created.
From there, we hope producers will see the passion people have for the show and come on board to develop a fully staged version or perhaps a large concert. There’s still so much to explore, especially visually.
You recently completed the funding on a Kickstarter. What does that mean to you both?
Joseph: It means everything to have people who believe in your project and are willing to support it.
Joseph: It means everything to have people who believe in your project and are willing to support it.
For every person who doesn’t believe in you and your career path, there’s someone who does — and we’re incredibly grateful for that. Our backers are part of this journey now, and we hope to make them proud.
What are you most proud of with the album?
Joseph: I would say the combination of music and narrative. The story and score has been developed over and over and over again. When we find a better idea for the story, it inspires a better idea musically.
The ending of Warlords, where we meet the character of Zoran, is a good example. This was one of the last things we wrote and we wanted to give the antagonist Zoran the introduction she deserved - painting her character in a little mystery, but showing her strength and determination. It's like an epic movie scene unfolding through music and you learn that eventually Copernicus will have overcome this fearsome warrior. Then when they finally face each other in Battle of Fates, there's so much emotion and drama, because we've learned about these characters, their backstories, their misfortunes, and we feel for them. You don't want either character to lose.
Dries: For me, being the one who wrote the story, I'm thrilled that we managed to get the story across so well. It's not always easy to get the story from listening to an album, but we've had quite a few people tell us how invested they were in the story and the characters, just from listening to the music. That makes me very happy. On top of that, I'm very pleased with how we got all of these incredible people - performers, mastering engineers, designers and so on - to come together for this album and deliver incredibly high-quality work. I think everyone who has worked on this album should be very proud.
What was the first piece of theatre you saw that had a big impact on you?
Dries: I've been going to the theatre from a very young age, but the piece of theatre that changed everything for me was 'Wicked'. I first saw it on a trip to London with friends when I was 21. The show gripped me from the very first song, and by the intermission I had decided I wanted to write musicals. A friend and I started working on a story on the train ride home. That story ended up being the basis for my very first musical 'V For Victory', which premiered 3 years later. So I think it's safe to say seeing Wicked had a very big impact on me.
What keeps you inspired?
Joseph: Seeing brilliant pieces of art, whether it's a new show, or film or book. Sometimes when I need to feel inspired, I watch The Fellowship of the Ring, which for me is a masterpiece with a phenomenal script and sensational score. That level of work relights my fire and gives me a strong desire to create.
Dries: For me it's traveling. Seeing new places, hearing different languages, eating different foods than you're used to, it gets my creativity flowing. It forces you to look at things from a different perspective, which is always helpful for a writer. Aside from traveling, just going for walks or meeting new people can be very inspiring. Everyone has their own stories to tell.
What would you hope an audience member feels when listening to the album?
Joseph: I’d love them to feel transported — to experience everything our characters do. I hope Legends of Arahma becomes a place they can revisit when life gets hard. A place that inspires them to adapt, evolve, and keep moving forward.
Where can people listen to the album and find out more about the future for the show?
The album is currently streaming on all major platforms. Physical CDs should be available late May or early June.
The album is currently streaming on all major platforms. Physical CDs should be available late May or early June.
You can also find us on Instagram, @legendsofarahmamusical
You can find out more at https://www.josephpurdue.com/legends-of-arahma
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