It wraps up with a transcendent “O Holy Night” from “Beautiful Star,” with Rhiannon soloing and Laurelyn singing high harmony at the end — Laurelyn had joked at the rehearsal that's got to be the first time “O Holy Night” will be played at MerleFest. Then Laurelyn premiers an eerie song from the point of view of the legendary Marietta, 13th wife of Blackbeard. “I'll haunt you till you're dead. You said you loved me.” Those last words echo and echo, as the band keeps going and finally winds to a stop. Riley says, “The songs Laurelyn writes are so good, we don't want to stop.”

They finish with a hot, old-time tune — “because we like to,” Laurelyn says.

Bring it on home
“I love this time of the season.”

That's Preston's mantra, referring to Triad Stage's annual Theatre 232 summer collaboration with UNCG. It means big casts and youthful energy.

May 20 marks the first day of “Bloody Blackbeard” rehearsals with music. And yes, Laurelyn did wrap up those last two songs. She'd stolen away one day to a cabin family friends own in Summerfield — to get away from the laundry, dishes and lawn — and completed them. She and the “Bloody Blackbeard Band” began their recording session two days afterward.

Here at rehearsal, the actors stand ready. The stage set-up is outlined in tape. The characters' costume drawings are tacked to the walls. Equity Assistant Stage Manager Eric Tysinger '03 cues the music.

Three UNCG theatre students are taken captive by pirates, who belt out the broguish chanty “Beat to Quarters, Drummer Boy.”

“You can climb the rope,” Preston tells Blackbeard. “You'd look good up there.”

Laurelyn gathers the pirates in a semicircle to work out another chanty, “Haul on the Bowline.”

“Is that too low? Anyone have feelings on that? It could be in any key.”

As they start again, Laurelyn slows the meter down.

“You can break into harmony. It doesn't have to be pretty.”

She addresses the largest pirate. “I want you to start.” Another actor teases him, “You have the ‘pirate chutzpah.’”

After the dinner break, she gathers in a semi-circle with six actresses — all are UNCG students except theatre professor Christine Morris, actor and resident vocal coach.

They sing a sultry Caribbean lilt. The melody is seductive.

Laurelyn sways a bit and snaps her fingers in time as they sing.

We'll spill your tears to pour the wine
Make sweet sugar rum from salt sandy brine.
What's yours and yours and yours is mine.
I take what's mine …
What's mine.*

There are lots of smiles as she coaxes vocal glides from the singers. She sings the harmonies with them.

“It's ‘I've Never Sung the Melody: The Laurelyn Dossett Story,’” Preston jokes, wearing a toy pirate hat to help keep things loose.

She does love those harmony lines. Kari calls Laurelyn a “harmony miracle worker.”

Laurelyn gives way to the dance choreographer.

The pirates are fresh off the ship and looking for a little R&R and perhaps more. The women are looking to pocket some silver.

The actors of both sexes need varying levels of coaching, in this carnal Caribbean song and dance sequence. A few don't seem to need, well, any — they're quite adept at the sensual moves called for.

When these actors take on the roles of the refined townspeople of Bath, the scenes will be much, much different.

The common and the cultured, it's all part of the story.

Both Laurelyn and Preston say there are more stories to tell. They plan future collaborations. Preston says they have 10 ideas for what the next project may be.

A few seasons out, they may do one set in New Orleans. But he says they'll never venture far from the South and its “roots music,” particularly that of the Appalachians.

Laurelyn reflects on her composing for Triad Stage. Her biggest drama experience before being tapped for “Brother Wolf” was playing Ophelia in a high school rock opera version of Hamlet. She feels fortunate. Heck, writing music for films would be great, too, she says as the calypso rhythms float through the room.

“Why not?” she says. “I mean … wouldn't that be a kick in the head?”

*Laurelyn Dossett © Pleasant Garden Music, ASCAP