Amazing Grace (musical)

Amazing Grace
Playbill from the Broadway production
Music	Christopher Smith
Lyrics	Christopher Smith
Book	Christopher Smith Arthur Giron
Productions	2012 Chester, CT 2014 Chicago 2015 Broadway

Amazing Grace is a musical with music and lyrics by Christopher Smith and a book by Smith and Arthur Giron. The musical is Smith's first foray as a professional writer or composer. It is based loosely on the life of John Newton, an English slave trader who later became an Anglican priest and eventually an abolitionist. He wrote many hymns, including "Amazing Grace".

The musical had a 2012 production by Goodspeed Musicals in Connecticut and a pre-Broadway run in Chicago in 2014. It opened on Broadway on July 16, 2015 and closed on October 25, 2015.

It is nearly Christmas, 1742, and young Englishman John Newton returns from the sea ("Prologue"). His childhood friend, Mary Catlett, an aspiring singer, is angry that John abandoned his musical education to seek adventure at sea. John’s father, Captain Newton, a wealthy slave-trader arrives; he is angry that his son has rejected his plans for him ("Truly Alive"). John and his friend Haweis begin the day's auction without the Captain. The cargo is African slaves ("The Auction"). A commotion ensues when the slave is freed by a group of hooded abolitionists; Mary gives up her cloak to conceal the young woman and aid her escape. John is humiliated and is tasked by Major Gray to find and retrieve the slave. John argues with Mary; he still suffers from the loss of his dear mother at age eight. Mary encourages John's better nature, singing a song he wrote for her years ago ("Someone Who Hears"). Mary is secretly invited to join an abolitionist group. She talks with her black maidservant, Nanna, about how Nanna became a slave and lost her daughter ("Yema's Song"). Mary's mother encourages her to pursue a relationship with the handsome and aristocratic Major Gray, who is interested in Mary. Mary, John and Gray all attend a Christmas ball where Mary performs a song that John wrote ("Voices of the Angels"). John drinks too much and offends everyone, including his father and Mary. Redcoat soldiers drag in two badly beaten abolitionists and the pregnant slave, also beaten. Major Gray scornfully points out that his soldiers, rather than John and his civil authorities, retrieved the slave. Gray leaves with Mary.

The next day, Mary meets with the abolitionists; they relate plans to undermine the slave trade ("We Are Determined"). She agrees to begin a relationship with Major Gray to act as their spy. Meanwhile, John is press-ganged into the Navy aboard the H.M.S. Harwich; When his father refuses to help him, and John breaks all ties with him ("Never"). Thomas, the Newton’s house slave, attempts to intercede on John's behalf, and Captain Newton sends him on the ship as well. Mary struggles with her feelings for John ("Shadows of Innocence"). At her home, Major Gray proposes to Mary. As a cousin of George II, he must introduce Mary to the King to obtain royal consent to the marriage ("Expectations"). John's carelessness allows a French warship to defeat the Harwich, whose crew is killed. John falls into the sea, and Thomas dives in to save his master ("Battle at Sea").