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Cover to OBC

The Musical of Musicals

A new musical with music by ERIC ROCKWELL: Lyrics by JOANNE BOGART
Presented by NML Productions, Melanie Herman, The York Theatre Company and Martian Entertainment
lin association with Louise Bluver

York Theatre, Citicorp Center, NYC - July 2004 (256 perfs ), reopened Dodger Stages, Stage Five, closed November 2005. (318 perfs)
SOUND Theatre, London - 31 March - 22 April, 2006

Original London Cast

Synopsis

This is a show, not simply for fans of musicals, but those who chuckle at a quotation and shriek at a paraphrase. In five sketches, a simple plot ("I can't pay the rent"; "You must pay the rent"; "I'll pay the rent") is dramatised in a patchwork of snippets from the shows of Rodgers and Hammerstein, Jerry Herman, Kander and Ebb, Stephen Sondheim and Andrew Lloyd Webber, with mood and milieu suited to the songwriter.

Sondheim's landlord is a frustrated artist who makes throat-slashing gestures with a palette knife; Herman's an easy-going type who forgets about the rent when he discovers mascara. Then there is the story of two lovers in a through-sung Lloyd Webber show lamenting, "We never talk any more."

In the story someone called Bill, Big Willy or (think Cabaret) Villy, saves the heroine from a demanding landlord called Jutter, Jitter or (think Oklahoma!) Jidder. on slithers Phantom Jitter in his porcelain half-mask promising to forgive the girl's rent arrears if she will sing songs that "sound a weeny like something by Puccini". In stalks the same actor's Jitter, Sweeney Todd-style, to scowl, promise murder and tell us that "hemlock is easy but too Socratesy".

In between you will recognise references to Evita and Chicago, Aspects of Love and The Sound of Music, Starlight Express and the dream-sequence in Oklahoma! — or will you?

Musical Numbers

Act One

  1. Prologue
  2. Introduction / Melodrame - Company

Corn

In the style of Rodgers and Hammerstein

  1. Oh, What Beautiful Corn - Big Willy
  2. Scene - Mother Abby, Big Willy and June
  3. I Couldn't Keer Less About You - June
  4. I Don't Love You - Big Willy
  5. Scene - June, Jidder and Big Willy
  6. Follow Your Dream - Mother Abby
  7. Dream Ballet - Company
  8. Sowillyquey - Big Willy
  9. Clam Dip - Chorus
  10. Scene - Big Willy, June, Jidder and Mother Abby
  11. Daylight Savings Time - Chorus
  12. Corn Finale - Company

A Little Complex

In the style of Stephen Sondheim

  1. Welcome to the Woods - Chorus
  2. The Ballad of Jitter - Chorus
  3. Jitter's Oath - Jitter
  4. Scene - Jeune and Jitter
  5. Birds - Jeune
  6. Getting Away With Murder - Jitter
  7. Billy-Baby/A Melody? - Jeune, Billy
  8. Stay With Me - Jitter, Jeune, Billy
  9. Jeune's Patter - Jeune
  10. We're All Gonna Die - Abby
  11. Complex Finale - Chorus

Dear Abby

In the style of Jerry Herman

  1. Dear Abby - Chorus
  2. Take My Advice and Live - Aunt Abby, Chorus
  3. Scene - Junie Faye, Aunt Abby and William
  4. Show Tune - William, Junie Faye
  5. Scene - Aunt Abby, Mr.Jitters and Junie Faye
  6. Did I Put Out Enough? - Aunt Abby
  7. Dear Abby Finale - Chorus

Act 2 In the style of Andrew Lloyd Webber

  1. Aspects of Junita / Prologue - Bill, Chorus
  2. I've Heard That Song Before - Junita
  3. Opera Scena - Bill, Phantom Jitter and Junita
  4. Sing A Song - Phantom, Jitter
  5. Junita's Recitative - Junita
  6. Go Go Go Go Junita - Chorus
  7. We Never Talk Anymore - Bill, Junita
  8. A Sense of Entitlement / Second Opera Scena - Chorus, Junita
  9. Over the Top - Abigail Von Schtarr
  10. Chandelier Scena - Bill, Junita, Phantom Jitter
  11. Aspects Finale - Company

Speakeasy

In the style of Kander and Ebb

  1. Hola, Aloha, Hello - Jütter
  2. Juny With a "J" - Juny
  3. Color Me Gay - Villy
  4. Just Don't Pay - Chorus
  5. Easy Mark - Fraulein Abby
  6. Round and Round - Juny, Chorus

Epilogue

  1. DONE - Company