I’m excited to be able to share a demo of another song from my musical with composer Norman L. Berman – “Paul Jennings and The Burning of the White House.”

As I’ve previously mentioned, this musical is based on the early life of Paul Jennings, 15-year-old house slave to President and Dolley Madison, who witnessed and survived the 1814 British invasion and burning of Washington, DC during the War of 1812. The musical traces Paul’s journey of growth and self-discovery from boy to man and his growing awareness of his status as a slave in American society. It also charts his perilous navigation of the dramas surrounding the British conquest of the capital.

This song – “The House We Build Here” – is a choral number sung towards the end of the play after the British army has burned Washington and Paul, President Madison, Dolley Madison, and some other slaves have returned to the burnt-out shell of the White House. Together, the assembled crowd dreams of what the new White House will look like. The young Paul – watched by his older self, who narrates the musical – envisions something different, more practical the others.

Ensemble:  Alvin Chea, Shabnam Kalbasi, Olly Sholotan, Lisa Vroman

You can listen to the song below.