Songs

The majority of the Laboratory music was composed by Gary Guttman, who was the senior staff composer at Landmark Entertainment Group for nearly two decades.

“Regarding inspiration,” Gary recalls, “I believe I was told to create something in the style of the Sorcerer’s Apprentice.”

For a sample of Gary’s Laboratory theme, check out “The Alchemist” track on his portfolio site here.

Ted King wrote the music and lyrics to the flying song, and Gary Goddard wrote the lyrics for the rest of the songs.

“The entire show, other than the live stage performer, was on a track in order to ensure that all effects and animatronic figures remain in sync,” Goddard explains. “So more than half the battle, much like an animated feature length movie, is getting the soundtrack right. The right voices, effects, music, scoring, and overall pacing and timing – it’s all on the track.”

“Our rehearsals were rigorously timed,” remembers actor Tom Witherspoon. “We all had to be able to count off thirty seconds in our heads!”

“Then the director must get the staging to work,” Goddard continues, “and to make everything feel as if it’s all happening naturally – as if the score and animatronic characters are reacting to the actor, and not vice versa.”

“We recorded the score with a fifty five piece orchestra at Rumbo Recorders in LA,” King says. “One of my favorite cues in the show is when we did the [miniature Northrup] Pepper’s Ghost gag. That cue was composed by John Debney, who at the time was an up and coming young composer. He contributed probably 3-4 minutes to the overall show, but Gary [Guttman] composed the majority.”

“Toward the end of the show there’s a Gregorian chant repeated over and over again in the background,” writer and director Rich Hoag recalls. “It was supposed to have been some ancient druid incantation but we managed to have some fun with it. If you listen very closely the gutteral chant is, ‘Peczi hire us againus, Peczi hire us againus, Peczi hire us againus.’ It was so subtle it even got past Joe Peczi [then VP of Entertainment at Busch Gardens] until we pointed it out. He thought it was very funny, and of course, nobody else knew about it.”

Opening

Music by Gary Guttman, lyrics by Gary Goddard

Northrup (spoken):
Fair ladies, kind sirs, and children of the shire: I welcome you all to the enchanted laboratory of Nostramos, the royal magician and soothsayer.

But first, before we say the sooth, the laboratory you see before you will enchant and amaze you beyond your wildest dreams, dutifully orchestrated by me: Northrup the magnificent! (Rimshot plays a sad trombone sound) Northrup the apprentice!

Oh, this is my favorite part! This is where he lets me do some of the magic.

(Singing) Siempre quorum day dominu. Quo vache deum leviti katuum.

(Speaking) Here in this mighty laboratory
Nostramos will unfold the story
Of ages past and ages hence
To you, his noble audience!
But first, a burden I must share,
As his apprentice extraordinaire:
With great pride and utmost care
This hallowed room I now prepare!

(Singing) With magic illusions and spectral intrusions,
Potions and lotions and potent solutions,
Mystic creations and mythic sensations
And feats of prestidigitation!

Nostramos’ mystical, magical show, a feast for ears and eyes.
A world of wonder and illusion, enchantment, and surprise!
Come journey back to days of yore,
There’s no telling what’s in store!
In Nostramos’ mystical, very artistical, magical, mythical show.

(Spoken) Torches burning, darkest night. Witness now as candles light!
Before the moonlight greets the dawn, dust and rust must all be gone.
(Rug sneezes) Gesundheit!
From the rafters to the floors, sparks will fly and dragons roar.
To these creatures voices bring, they shall speak and they shall sing!

Pellinore and Elixir (singing): Ah ha haaa haaa!

Northrup (spoken): Forget what ‘ere thou see or heareth, soon Nostramos will appeareth.

Northrup, Pellinore, and Elixir (singing):
Nostramos’ mystical, magical show, a feast for ears and eyes.
A world of wonder and illusion!

Pellinore: Enchantment and surprise!

Northrup: Come journey back to days of yore.

Skully (singing): There’s no telling what’s in store. (laughs)

Northrup: In Nostramos’ mystical …

Elixir: Very artistical …

Northrup: Magical, mythical …

Pellinore: Partially whimsical (laughs)

Northrup, Pellinore, and Elixir: Illusion and magic show!

Flying

Music by Ted King and Gary Guttman, lyrics by Ted King and Gary Goddard

Northrup (speaking):
To soar like an eagle, incredibly high,
Is learned by belief, and your courage to try.
But if faint of heart, attempt not this spell,
For wavering faith will not serve you well.

Sounds easy enough to me!

Elixir (speaking): Forget it! You’ll never be a wizard, Northrup.

Northrup (speaking): Oh yeah?
(Singing) What would you say to a boy who knew how to fly?

Elixir (speaking): You’re out of your medieval mind!

Northrup: What would you say if I knew how to soar through the sky?

Pellinore (speaking): Please, let’s not get carried away!

Northrup: Doesn’t it sound inviting, to do what birds can do?
I’d really love to try it; wouldn’t you?

Siempre travoche leviticus katuum.
Quo vache deum leviticus katuum.

Northrup (speaking): Oh well. Once an apprentice, always an apprentice.

Pellinore (speaking): (laughs) You are getting warm, my boy! But you must believe in what you are doing. Remember what is written in the great book: wavering faith will not serve you well.

Northrup (speaking): Oh Pelly, I could kiss you!
Siempre quorum leviticus deum.
Quo vache deum leviticus ka … I don’t believe it!
Oh … I believe it. I believe it!

(Singing) I said the magic words and cast my spell.
Flying, way up into the air.
We’ll sail beyond the horizon, and see what’s waiting there.
Flying is easy, don’t you see? All you have to do is believe.

Flying, way up into the air.
We’ll sail beyond the horizon, and see what’s waiting there.
Flying is easy, don’t you see? All you have to do is believe.
Yes all you have to do is believe.

Closing

Music by Gary Guttman, lyrics by Gary Goddard

Northrup, Pellinore, and Elixir:
Nostramos mystical, magical show, a feast for ears and eyes.

Pellinore: A world of wonder and illusion!

Elixir: Enchantment and surprise!