Summer 2008.
This play opens in the doctor's office. It seems that there's an
epidemic: everybody's expecting! Must be Something in the Water!
Some of the story threads:
- An enterprising medical receptionist. As in free enterprise.
- Love in Bloom. Sometimes romance is right next door.
- CLOSE your eyes! The Spirits are about to talk!!
- Furman is unfaithful! Or is he?
- This Tupperware saleslady can get your attention! Wanna see her two-quart cups?
- Just how many kids can one woman have?
- Sometimes, just one is too many. A young woman struggles with her options.
This one was fun. I actually got a leading man role, if you can believe
that, and got to sing a romantic duet with the lovely female lead. And
get the girl! There's not much to say about the part of Luther except
that the duet, "Roses", was wonderful. Some women can sing. Gwen Beavans ("Adele") can sing.
I've personally known only two women who could sing as well: my mother and Deston
Lee. If I could, I'd have this woman to come to my home and charm the little forest
animals into doing my housework.
I suspect that "CLOSE your eyes!"
will be a catchphrase in Union County for a long time to come. The line
doesn't even appear in the script, but it appears about four million times in the play itself. Sarah Garnett
("Miss Sarah" to the cast) added it to a scene in which she plays a
"psychic" telling the fortunes of bored housewives. Each new
pronouncement was heralded by a vigorous and authoritative, "CLOSE your eyes!" followed
by melodramatic moaning and stroking of the crystal ball. The audience
was laughing so hard you could bathe in their tears.
If you read the entry on , you know that there are no small parts. Glenn Sparks proved it in this play. He took what was exactly a one-line mention in the script and turned it into something special.
All he needed to do was enter and say "Bernice? Where are you,
Bernice!" His sex-crazed search for his loving wife was so
incredibly outstanding that it became a running gag through the play!
"Come on, Bernice! My parlor needs dusting!" And when he finally caught her! Aye carumba!
Sometimes it's all in how you say it.
Interesting thing about the music. Our pianist, Dell,
had another engagement for one of our performances. So on not terribly
long notice I was asked if I could fill in. I did, and the earth didn't
screech to a halt, and neither did the performance. I got one of the
nicest compliments ever when a pianist I greatly respect, Tommy Bishop,
came to the performance knowing in advance I'd be jumping back and
forth between the orchestra pit and the stage. He told me with a
straight face that I did a great job. Of course I believe him, 'cause
Tommy's just that kind of guy. He couldn't lie if you showed him how.
I think he was being a liiitle bit kind, though. I did an adequate job.
I will say this: having played it quite a bit since the play, I'm of
the opinion that "For You" is a mighty fine song. I'd put it up against
anything Andrew Lloyd Weber has written. Ralph thinks I'm being kind when I say that. I'm not. It's just a really, really good show tune when played properly.
|
Music &
Lyrics by:
|
Ralph
Lawson |
| Arrangement
by: |
Buddy Wilkes
& Dell Morgan |
| Soloists:
|
|
|
Music &
Lyrics by:
|
Ralph
Lawson |
| Arrangement
by: |
Buddy Wilkes
& Dell Morgan |
| Soloists: |
|
|
| Music &
Lyrics by: |
Ralph
Lawson |
| Arrangement
by: |
Buddy Wilkes
& Dell Morgan |
| Soloists: |
Dave Leigh
Gwen Beavans
|
|
| Music &
Lyrics by: |
Ralph
Lawson |
| Arrangement
by: |
Buddy Wilkes
& Dell Morgan |
| Soloists: |
Kayla Rochester
|
|
| Music &
Lyrics by: |
Ralph
Lawson |
| Arrangement
by: |
Buddy Wilkes
& Dell Morgan |
| Soloists: |
|
|
| Music &
Lyrics by: |
Ralph
Lawson |
| Arrangement
by: |
Buddy Wilkes
& Dell Morgan |
| Soloists |
|
|
| Music &
Lyrics by: |
Ralph
Lawson |
| Arrangement
by: |
Buddy Wilkes
& Dell Morgan |
| Soloists: |
Dave Leigh
Gwen Beavans
|
Cast and Crew to be added