Staying and Getting Together: A Musical Revue

Staying and Getting Together was my fifth musical and was my first attempt at the revue form. Staying and Getting Together has yet to be performed or recorded.

Plot Summary

Act I

At rise the Butler enters (Staying and Getting Together).  Mary and Eddie are preparing for the party and reflecting on the last 25 years (Remember).  The party guests enter (The Best of New Year’s). Mary adores being the center of attention at the party (Queen of the Night).  However, her glory is cut short as Sally joins the party, and steals the spotlight from Mary (I Gotta Have My Men).  The men are all smitten with Sally, including--much to the frustration of Mary--Eddie.  

The action freezes as the Butler steps forward (Temptation). Eddie and Sally share a waltz (A Dance Under the New Moon).  They exit together, not aware that they have been seen by Mary and the Butler (Betrayal).  Billy enters, late to the party (Silly Billy).  Mary seduces him (Let’s Get Internal). As they exit together, the Butler steps forward (Revenge).

Eddie and Mary enter from their respective “nests” and have a confrontation (Where Have You Been?)  Each suspects the actions of the other, but neither will voice that suspicion.  Frustrated, they part.  Billy and Sally enter from their respective “nests” and, meeting each other for the first time, realize that they are each involved in adultery, but neither is willing to admit their guilt, only willing to place guilt on the other (What Have You Done?) They part.  Mary and Eddie enter, Eddie is trying to apologize, but Mary will not listen (Don’t Look at Me).  The Butler enters and announces that it is four minutes to midnight (Countdown).  They waltz, trading partners, drinking more and more as they get closer to midnight.  Act I ends at the strike of midnight and they yell “Happy Fucking New Year” at each other as Mary and Sally embrace and Billy and Eddie embrace.

Act II

The next morning. The Butler comments on the state of the guests and masters of the house (Throbbing Heads and Aching Groins). Each character takes turns explaining their thoughts and feelings on their situation (Eddie: Abandoned Ambitions; Mary: Down the Drain; Billy: Love at Last; Sally: Am I Ready For Love?; The Butler: Somewhere That's Cleaned [By Someone Other Than Me] ). Mary and Eddie reflect, again, on the last 25 years (Remember: Reprise). 

During the following sequence, as Eddie and Mary reflect on their past, Billy and Sally act out their flashbacks as Young Eddie and Youg Mary. And as Billy and Sally fantasize about their future together, Eddie and Mary act out their fantasies as Old Billy and Old Sally. Eddie and Mary look back on the day that Eddie proposed. (Marry Me, Marry Me, Mary). The scene becomes Billy proposing to Sally. Sally is not sure if she is ready for this. Billy tells her of the glorious wedding they could have together (Forever, I Do). Eddie and Mary reflect on the purchase of their first house together (A New Home, A New Life). Billy continues to try convincing Sally by telling her of the child they could have together (Our Little Angel).

The Butler enters (Sacrifice and Forgiving). The Lights come up on Billy and Sally; Sally has accepted Billy's proposal (Getting Together). The lights now come up on Eddie and Mary, who have come to a greater understanding of their relationship and each other (Staying Together). All come together for the finale (Staying and Getting Together: Reprise).

Cast of Characters

The Butler
Eddie, the Older Man
Billy, the Younger Man
Mary, the Older Woman
Sally, the Younger Woman
S, A, T & B, the Guests

Instrumentation

Reed 1: Flute, B-flat Clarinet, E-flat Alto Sax

Reed 2: Flute, B-flat Clarinet, E-flat Alto Sax

Reed 3: B-flat Clarinet, B-flat Bass Clarinet, B-flat Tenor Sax

Reed 4: B-flat Clarinet, B-flat Tenor Sax, E-flat Alto Sax

2 B-flat Trumpets

2 Trumbones (1 Tenor, 1 Bass)

Piano

Guitar

Drums

2 Violins

1 Viola

1 Cello

1 Electric Bass

Minimum Recommended Instrumentation:Piano, Guitar, Drums, Bass

Then add Strings, Woodwinds, and Brass (in that order)

*Note: This is the ideal instrumentation, however I would be more than happy to arrange a simplified orchestration on request to accommodate smaller productions.