Fear of Filing
A Musical in 2 Acts 17 scenes. Book and lyrics by Jane Ellen Murray. Music by Roger Pauly and Vince Ippolito.
Previewed at the Red Barn Theatre, Saugatuck, Michigan August 1984.
Opened at the Ivanhoe Theatre, Chicago February 1987
Synopsis
A musical spoof that pokes fun at the Internal Revenue Service and that taxing business of Taxing. Fear of Filing is a love story between a wealthy, philanthropist playboy, John Livingston, and Doris Pennyworth, the IRS agent who is auditing his return. Doris' boss, the District Director, advises her to 'Throw the Book at Him." While John pleads for mercy as he and his curvy secretary sing and dance "Give Me a Shelter for a Rainy Day," his lawyers, do a Gilbert and Sullivan bit about "Loopholes." Love finally triumphs and the cast celebrates with a rousing finale, "Many Happy Returns." Sixteen show-stopping songs, including three love ballads and the toe-tapping "H&R Block Rock," will have your audiences cheering.
Cast
- Randolph P. Higgins - district director
- Doris Pennyworth - Agent
- Greeley - Agent
- Groty - Agent
- Grundy - Agent
- John D. Livingston III
- D.D. - his Secretary
- Sister Frances Savior
- Smith - Lawyer
- White - Lawyer
- Badowsky - Lawyer
- Voice of Orbit - the I.R.S. Computer
Note: The agents double for the lawyers, waitress, cook, waiter, cleaning ladies, nuns (other than Sister Frances) priest and rumba band.
Some of the parts can be played by separate actors, but doubling of Agents and Lawyers seems to add to the fun. The Priest can be portrayed by a dummy.
Scenes and Settings
Act 1.
- Scene 1: Inside the IRS Computer
- Scene 2: The Offices of the IRS
- Scene 3: The Orphanage
- Scene 4: A Restaurant on Clark Street
- Scene 5: John's Study in his Luxurious Condo
- Scene 6: The Orphanage
- Scene 7: The Offices of the IRS
- Scene 8: The Orphanage
- Scene 9: A Street Near the Orphanage
Act 2
- Scene 1: April 15th - Sister Frances' Fund Raiser
- Scene 2: The Offices of Loophole, Loophole, Loophole and Legit
- Scene 3: Telephone Scene
- Scene 4: "Martini's" On Rush Street
- Scene 5: The Offices of the IRS
- Scene 6: An Apratment on Clark Street
- Scene 7: A Party at John's Condo
- Scene 8: Later That Evening.
The set is a backdrop of giant IRS forms. Various scenes are established by the use of platforms, props and spots.
Musical Numbers
- D.A.T.A. - The Computer Song - Company
- We Know Who You Are - Agents
- We Know Who YOu Are (Reprise) - Agents
- Filthy Lucre - John, D.D., Agents, Higgins
- Money Is the Root Of All Evil - St. Frances, Agents (as Nuns)
- Throw the Book At Him - Higgins, Doris, Agents as Cook, Waitress, Waiter
- Throw the Book At Him (play-off)
- Loopholes - Lawyers
- Give Me Shelter For a Rainy Day - John, D.D., Lawyers
- Give Me Shelter For a Rainy Day (play off)
- A Penny's Worth of Love - Sr Frances, Doris
- A Penny's Worth of Love (Playoff)
- The Cleaning Ladies' Song - Agents, Doris
- A Penny's Worth of Love (Reprise) - John Doris
- Entr'acte
- H & R Block Rock - Company
- H & R Block Rock (Playoff)
- Loopholes (Reprise) - Lawyers
- Martini's - Agents
- My First and Last Love - Doris, Sr. Frances
- My First and Last Love (Playoff)
- Blessed State - Agents, D.D.
- In the Chips - Doris, Company
- In the Chips - Scene change
- Say You Love Me Tonight - Doris, John
- Many Happy Returns - Company