"Edward W. Hardy, who composed the Omnipresent Music, Plays the Violin Superbly " - New York Times

 

The strains of a violin are a Perfect Backdrop to the eerie atmosphere that envelops Munchkinland, thanks to Edward W. Hardy, the Composer/Music Director and Violinist  - Huffington Post

 

Evocative Bunraku puppets, Haunting Vocal Sound Effects and a lone violinist (Composer Edward W. Hardy) to tell the backstory of Dorothy’s cherished Tin Man - Time Out New York (Critic's Pick****)

 

"The show is also beautifully accompanied, almost continuously, by the violinist Edward W. Hardy, whose score suggests the Dusty Sound of Methodist Hymns and Modest Social Dance." - New York Magazine (Vulture)

 

"The subsequent narrative is told primarily through movement and wordless interactions set to a violin underscore (Beautifully Textured Folk Music composed and performed By Edward W. Hardy)." - TheaterMania

 

"While the puppetry and the theater wizardry are in full effect throughout the performance, it is Edward W. Hardy who shines brighter than any pair of silver shoes. The composer-violinist manifested a minimalist score all-pervading within the totality of the show; Each Note Adds Subtext or Tension to Every Moment." - Edge Media Network

 

"@edwardwhardy it was AMAZING!!!" - Laura Benanti

 

"@edwardwhardy - u r Talented and Beautiful edward" - Rosie O'Donnell

 

"Congratulations to you sir. Incredibly Well Done."  - Steven Pasquale

 

"A fantastic, beautiful production. You did a great job. Loved It!" Lori Tan Chinn

 

"@edwardwhardy Fantastic Work!" - Ciara Renée

 

"One of my favorite shows EVER! Get the album!!! - Telly Leung

 

“Evocative and Haunting”, THE WOODSMAN is based on the beloved writings of L. Frank Baum. This virtually wordless piece is sustained throughout with the beautifully textured original music score composed and performed by Edward W. Hardy.

 

Welcome to the marvelous land of Oz-- We are in munchkin country, a majestic countryside in the land of the east. It is a rich, beautiful, fertile land, inhabited by warm and friendly people. We live, we toil and are always mindful, fearful of the wicked witch of the east.  She is our master, she sees all, she hears all, so we are in silence. No words are spoken. With heavy hearts we work.  A lone violin tells our story.

 

“The Woodsman” focuses on the story of Nick Chopper.  Each morning as the sun rises over a cerulean sky in munchkinland, he sets off into the forest to earn his living.  He is a sensitive and lonely man.  He meets and falls in love with, the slave-girl of the wicked witch of the east. The witch puts a powerful spell on his axe, every time he uses it he pays with a limb. Tinkers replace them with tin ones until he is entirely made of tin. Believing that love can no longer exist without a heart, he leaves her, goes into the forest and rusts in the rain.

 

"L. Frank Baum’s Oz is an American folk tale. I composed original music to reflect the period in history and to pay homage to L. Frank Baum’s touching story. The exploration of different genres of music (i.e. romantic, classical, modern, and folk) was used to express a purer sense of the emotions and the intentions of Baum’s characters. There is a freedom in composing original music in a period piece. This story takes place in the mid-1800’s, it is a fantasy that parallels the realities of that time in history. Oz is a dark and mysterious place, where evils abound, and there is an unknown about the future. Oddly, there are many similarities in the world today." – Edward W. Hardy