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Plot Summary
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Act I
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Sid Lexic is the composer/director of several of Broadway's biggest flops. His latest show, I Need a Trash Can: A Rap Opera, i sno exception. His casts often complain of his violent temper and stream of one-night stand girlfriends (Sid Lexic, You're So Great). During an interview, Mosni Niac - the only reporter Sid will allow to interview him - asks when he plans to settle down and get married. Sid tells her that he prefers the life of the bachelor (Alone). After reading the crushing reviews for I Need a Trash Can, Sid Decides that he needs to find an original idea for a blockbuster musical (Something New). An idea dawns on him: Poe: The Musical. He sets out to write a musical based on the life and poems of Edgar Allen Poe. Casting for Poe: The Musical begins. Rona Exic performs a rather risque song and dance (British Desserts), winning her the role of Poe's imaginary mistress, Lenore. Rehearsals begin for Poe. The cast wonders what could be the source of Sid's unusual good temper. Rob Ing - the Chinese man cast as Poe - suggests that possibly Sid is in love (The Tyrant of Broadway). As if to prove Rob right, Sid asks Rona out on a date. The date goes well and leads back to Sid's apartment, but he is having second thoughts (I've Got it All Planned Out). The next morning, Sid and Rona wake in each other's arms (Connection).
More than a month has passed; Sid and Rona are now engaged and Poe: The Musical is well into rehearsals - but is lacking the backing needed to bring it to the Broadway stage. Sab Tard, a prospective backer, attends a rehearsal for Poe, but is clearly uninterested. Sid tells the cast that unless they can find a backer for the show, it won't be able to go on. Rona tries to come up with some way to help Sid (Poor Sid). Sid and Mosni are having a private interview when Rona interrupts to tell Sid that she convinced Sab Tard to back the show. Overjoyed, Sid asks her how she managed to convince Sab to change his mind, and she reluctantly confesses that she slept with him. Heat-broken, Sid throws her out and calls of the engagement (I Would Rather Be Alone).
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Act II
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It is the dress rehearsal for Poe: The Musical, and Sid has returned to his regular, foul-tempered self (The Bells). The cast of Poe gossips about how Rona screwed up (What Was She Thinking?). Rona, grieved by the pain she has cuased Sid, begins to reevaluate her outlook on life ( Have I Had it All Wrong?). Opening night comes and goes, and Sid receives the usual negative reviews. Crushed by this failure, he begins to question the goals he has set for himself. As his mind collapses, he has flashbacks of his past - childhood abuse from his mother; a rich uncle, appointed by the court as Sid's legal guardian, who had too many girlfriends to bother taking care of Sid; an unfaithful first love. All these voices of his past (plus the voices of his current critics), gang up on Sid as his mind breaks down.
A month later, Sid is having interview with Mosni. He tells her that he has decided to found a theater company in a town called Absidy on land he inherited from his rich uncle. He has realized that Broadway just isn't open to his kind of musical style and that he should be more open-minded to other non-Broadway opportunities. As they end the interview, Sid asks Mosni if she'd like to have dinner with him, and they leave together.
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Performance History
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Alone was first performed on Thursday, August 21st by the Aloha Performing Arts Company at the Hualalai Academy Bridge Room in Kailua-Kona, Hawaii. The production was directed by Josh Hupp. Musical direction was by Mike Daniel and vocal direction was by Malia Lugo. Lighting/tech was by Marvin Keith. The cast was as follows:
Sid Lexic - Josh Hupp
Rona Exic - Shanna Westreich
Mosni Niac - Sasha Freivalds
Sophie - Rise Lugo
Allison - Christi Halvorsen
Terrence - Roxanne Fox
Barry - Gunnar Freivalds
Rob Ing - Arlene Araki
Sab Tard - Tom Daniel
Reppar - Roxanne Fox
Ekatsim - Chelsea Cundiff
Tuls - Geppina Scrigna
Sarrah Sment - Christi Halvorsen
Deen Sex - Mortimer Duckman
Ton Alent - Gunnar Freivalds
Pianist - Bernaldo Evangelista
Maid - Jennifer York
Piano Teacher - Bernaldo Evangelista
Young Sid - Roxanne Fox
Sid's Mother - Robin Hurlbutt
Godi Ess - Chelsea Cundiff
Chorus - Karli Lawson, Jim Bristow, Roseane Bristow
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Cast of Characters
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Number Ones:
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Sid Lexic: An eccentric musical theater composer always looking for new, innovative theatrical concepts. For reasons unkown, Sid is unable to move the fingers in his right hand.
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Mosni Niac: The only reporter that Sid trusts enough to interview him.
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Rona Exic: Sid's lover and the female lead of Poe: The Musical.
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Number Twos:
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The Quartet (Sophie, Allison, Terrence, Barry): A group of people on the street who read the various articles about Sid's shows and life, providing musical interludes for some scene changes.
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Rob Ing: A Chinese man cast as Edgar Allen Poe in Poe: The Musical.
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Number Threes:
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Reppar: The star of Sid's musical, I Need a Trash Can.
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Ekatsim: The female lead of I Need a Trash Can.
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Lounge Pianist: The pianist at the bar where Sid and Mosni meet.
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Sarrah Sment, Deen Sex, Ton Alent: Auditioners for Poe: The Musical
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Sab Tard: A backer for Poe: The Musical.
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Pianist, Maid: A pair of Irish hunchbacks. The pianist plays for Sid's auditions and rehearsals, the Maid cleans his house, against his wishes.
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Characters of Sid's Past: Sid's piano teacher, Young Sid, Sid's mother, Teenage Sid, Godi Ess
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Settings
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The Stage: Sid's shows are performed with little or no scenery.
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Sid's Apartment: A sofa, a bed, TV, a drink bar. Nothing complex.
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The Lounge: Two lounge chairs, a coffee table, other tables and stools in background.
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A stand-up piano is blocked at stage right in all scenes. The stage piano parts can be played by the piano player in the pit band with the actors miming playing the piano, if necessary. On the stage, it's used as an audition/rehearsal piano. In Sid's apartment, it is Sid's personal piano. In the lounge, a piano bar player plays background music under the scenes. It is also the piano used in Sid's flashback scenes.
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Musical Numbers
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Act I
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I Need a Trash Can - Reppar, Ekatsim, Vagrants
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Sid Lexic, You're So Great - Ensemble
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Alone - Sid
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Critical Critique A - Quartet
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Interlude - Sid
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Something New - Sid
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Audition Songs - Sarrah Sment, Deen Sex
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British Desserts - Rona
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Rehearsal A - Rona
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The Tyrant of Broadway - Rob, Ensemble
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Critical Critique B - Quartet
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I've Got it All Planned Out - Sid
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Connection - Sid, Rona
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Goggily Gossip - Sophie, Terrence
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Rehearsal B - Ensemble
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Poor Sid - Rona
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I Would Rather Be Alone - Sid
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Act I Finale - Ensemble
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Act II
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Rehearsal C - Ensemble
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What Was She Thinking? - Ensemble
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Have I Had It All Wrong? - Rona
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Maybe This One Will Be Good - Quartet
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Mr. E.A. Poe - Rob, Ensemble
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Critical Critique C - Quartet
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Interlude - Sid
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Breakdown - Critics
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Instrumentation
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Woodwinds
Reed 1: Piccolo, Flute, A Clarinet
Reed 2: Flute, A Clarinet, Bb Clarinet, Eb Alto Saxophone, Bb Tenor Saxophone
Reed 3: A Clarinet, Bb Clarinet, Eb Baritone Saxophone
Reed 4: A Clarinet, Bb Bass Clarinet, Eb Baritone Saxophone
Brass
1 French Horn
3 Bb Trumpets
3 Trombones (2 Tenor, 1 Bass)
Rhythm
Mallets: Timpani (3), Bells, Xylophone, Vibraphone, Chimes
Drumset/Misc.: Bass Drum, Snare Drum, 3 Toms, Cymbals, Hi-Hat, Tambourine, Triangle, Bell Tree, Sleigh Bells, Anvil
1 Guitar (Acoustic and Electric)
1 Harp
1 Piano/Celesta
1 Syntheszer/Celesta: Harpsichord, Organ, Sound FX (General MIDI patch numbers are suggested within the score for reference)
Strings
6 Violins
2 Violas
2 Violoncelli
1 Bass (Acoustic and Electric)
Minimal Instrumentation: Mallets, Drum Set, Guitar, Piano/Celeste, Synthesizer, Bass
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