About Falsettos*


Falsettos is actually a combination of two one-act musicals, March of the Falsettos, and Falsettoland.
*Layout & Synopses thanks to J. Ragan


March of the Falsettos, originally produced in 1981 by Playrights Horizons under the artistic direction of Andre Bishop, was subsequently produced in New York by Warner Theatre Productions, Inc., Coth Enterprises, Ltd., and the Whole Picture Co., Ltd. It was directed by James Lapine. The set was designed by Douglas Stein, the costumes by Maureen Connor and the lighting by Frances Aronson. Vocal arrangements were by William Finn, Alison Fraser, and Michael Starobin. Mr. Starobin was also the orchestrator and musical director. The production stage manager was Johnna Murray. The cast was as follows:
 
 
MARVIN Michael Rupert
TRINA, his ex-wife Alison Fraser
JASON, his son James Kushner
WHIZZER BROWN, his lover Stephen Bogardus
MENDEL, his psychiatrist Chip Zien
 

At the opening of March of the Falsettos, Marvin has divorced his wife, Trina, and is now living with his male lover, Whizzer Brown. Marvin and Whizzer fight a lot (both playfully and not), and it is obvious that Marvin still feels attached to Trina. Trina begins seeing Marvin's psychiatrist, Dr. Mendel. Trina and Marvin's prodigious son Jason is rather antisocial and wants only to play chess against himself. He is having trouble dealing with the recent revelation of his father's homosexuality, and he fears the possibility that he may have inherited the genetic "defect." This concern, coupled with her respect for (and interest in) Mendel, leads her to convince Jason to see a psychiatrist. Meanwhile, Marvin and Whizzer's arguments get out of hand, and Marvin tells Whizzer to leave him. Mendel visits Trina's house more and more frequently to counsel Jason (much to Marvin's jealousy), and in the meantime he and Trina fall in love. When Trina and Mendel announce their engagement, Marvin grows irate and irrational. In his furious frustration at having lost the two main loves of his life, he slaps Trina. Trina, Mendel, and Whizzer exit in somber reflection of their peculiar situation and the passionate confusion of love. Left alone, Marvin and Jason come to realize that they share an unconditional love that transcends the disagreements between them. Jason has resolved his main fears: he feels confident that he is heterosexual, and he regains his respect and love for his father.

March of the Falsettos is dedicated to Andre Bishop and Michael Starobin. A cast recording of the show was made on DRG Records Incorporated.
March of the Falsettos (original version, disregarding revisions/additions for Falsettos) 

FourJews in a Room Bitching 
A Tight-Knit Family 
Love is Blind 
The Thrill of First Love 
Marvin at the Psychiatrist (a 3-Part Mini-Opera) 
My Father's a Homo 
Everyone Tells Jason to See a Psychiatrist 
This Had Better Come to a Stop 
Please Come to My House 
Jason's Therapy 
A Marriage Proposal 
Trina's Song 
March of the Falsettos 
The Chess Game 
Making a Home 
The Games I Play 
Marvin Hits Trina 
I Never Wanted to Love You 
Father to Son 

Falsettoland opened at Playrights Horizons, under the artistic direction of Andre Bishop, on June 28, 1990. The cast was as follows:


MARVIN Michael Rupert
TRINA Faith Prince
JASON Danny Gerard
WHIZZER Stephen Bogardus
MENDEL Chip Zien
DR. CHARLOTTE Heather McRae
CORDELIA Janet Metz


It subsequently moved to the elegant, newly restored Lucille Lortel Theatre on September 16, 1990. It was produced by Maurice Rosenfield and Lois F. Rosenfield, Inc., with Steven Suskin in associated with Playrights Horizons and by special arrangement with Lucille Lortel. It was directed by James Lapine. The set was designed by Douglas Stein; the costumes were by Franne Lee, the lighting by Nancy Schertler, and the sound by Scott Lehrer. The music direction and arrangements were by Michael Starobin. The stage manager was Kate Riddle.

In Falsettoland, we are reunited with our characters in 1981. In the two years since the end of plot line of March of the Falsettos Marvin has learned to coexists harmoniously with Trina, Mendel, and Jason, and he has two new close friends: Dr. Charlotte and Cordelia, the "lesbians from next door." Marvin and Whizzer have not seen each other in some time. Marvin and Trina are involved in a new and endless argument surrounding the planning of Jason's bar mitzvah. Despite the fights, everyone is very excited about the upcoming event. Cordelia has been practicing her catering skills on samples of nouvelle bar mitzvah cuisine. Jason is preoccupied with thoughts of all the girls he could invite to the party and the gifts he will receive. Marvin, Trina, Dr. Charlotte, and Cordelia attend Jason's Jewish Center baseball game. They are surprised to find that Jason has invited Whizzer as well. Marvin feels a resurgence of romance, and he longs for the relationship he remembers. Mendel find his work increasingly frustrating, and comes home to Trina, with whom his marriage of two years is already becoming stale. Cordelia voices her feelings of inferiority in dating a doctor of internal medicine. Whizzer and Marvin play a game of racquetball, and find it all too easy to slide back into the playful arguments to which they once grew accustomed. As would be expected, Whizzer, the more athletic of the two, triumphs. Tension increases between Trina and Marvin as they plan for the bar mitzvah, and under the pressure Jason finally exclaims that he doesn't want a bar mitzvah. When his parents get even more heated by this suggestion, Jason is comforted by his stepfather, with whom he has formed a very close relationship. Marvin and Whizzer are back together, more content than ever. Dr. Charlotte feels concerned about a new unnamed epidemic (AIDS) that's sweeping the world. Marvin and Whizzer play another game of racquetball, but this time the physical strain is too much for Whizzer, who collapses, obviously very ill. As Trina laments the bizarre turns of her life, Whizzer is transported to the hospital, where he is diagnosed with the same new illness Dr. Charlotte commented on. Everyone comes to visit and cheer up Whizzer, whose future looks bleak. Dr. Charlotte, who is acting as Whizzer's doctor, informs Marvin that this virus is contagious, so Marvin will probably fall ill shortly. Jason prays for the first time in his life in hopes that God will save his friend. Whizzer is overwhelmed by his impending death, but he is determined to go out with flair. Then Jason develops a first-rate idea: why not have the bar mitzvah at the hospital so that he can have a quiet, intimate celebration with his family and friends? During the festivities, Whizzer becomes so weak that he must leave the room. He passes away, and Marvin is left alone to reflect on the impact this wonderful friend has had on his life. Whizzer returns in spirit to reciprocate these feelings. When he is gone, Marvin, Trina, Jason, Dr. Charlotte, and Cordelia are left together in mourning.

Falsettoland is dedicated to Arthur Salvadore. A cast recording was made on DRG Records Incorporated.
Falsettoland (original version, disregarding revisions/additions for Falsettos)

Falsettoland
About Time
Year of the Child
Miracle of Judaism
The Baseball Game
A Day in Falsettoland
Racquetball
Round Tables, Square Tables
Everyone Hates His Parents
What More Can I Say?
Something Bad is Happening
More Racquetball
Holding to the Ground
Days Like This
Canceling the Bar Mitzvah
Unlikely Lovers
Another Miracle of Judaism
Something Bad is Happening (Reprise)
You Gotta Die Sometime
Jason's Bar Mitzvah
What Would I Do?

In 1992, with a few revisions and several added pieces of music, March of the Falsettos and Falsettoland were combined to create Acts One and Two, respectively, of Falsettos. The Broadway Production of Falsettos opened at the John Golden Theatre on April 29, 1992. That year, it won two Tony Awards for best music & lyrics, and best book. It was directed by James Lapine, and produced by Barry and Fran Weissler; Alecia Parker was the associate producer. The set was designed by Douglas Stein, the costumes by Ann Hould-Ward, and the lighting by Frances Aronson. Musical arrangement was by Michael Starobin, musical direction by Scott Frankel, and sound design by Peter Fitzgerald. The Stage Manager was Karen Armstrong, and the Production Supervisor was Craig Jacobs. The cast was as follows:


MARVIN Michael Rupert
WHIZZER Stephen Bogardus
MENDEL Chip Zien
JASON Johnathan Kaplan
JASON (Wed. & Sat. matinees) Andrew Harrison Leeds
TRINA Barbara Walsh
CHARLOTTE Heather McRae
CORDELIA Carolee Carmello


A tribute Falsettos 2-CD set was released by DRG Records Incorporated. It is, in actuality, merely a package of the previously released individual soundtracks to March of the Falsettos and Falsettoland, therefore the revisions which were made for Falsettos do not exist on this recording. The LP of the 1992 production is under license to Great Entertainment Merchandise, Inc., but there has been no release. Trina's act one solo "I'm Breaking Down" is a bonus track on the Original Cast Records soundtrack of In Trousers, sung by Alison Fraser.
March of the Falsettos (act I)  FourJews in a Room Bitching
A Tight-Knit Family 
Love is Blind 
The Thrill of First Love 
Marvin at the Psychiatrist (a 3-Part Mini-Opera) 
My Father's a Homo 
Everyone Tells Jason to See a Psychiatrist 
This Had Better Come to a Stop 
I'm Breaking Down
Please Come to My House 
Jason's Therapy 
A Marriage Proposal 
A Tight-Knit Family (Reprise) 
Trina's Song 
March of the Falsettos 
Trina's Song (Reprise) 
The Chess Game 
Making a Home 
The Games I Play 
Marvin Goes Crazy 
I Never Wanted to Love You 
Father to Son 		 Falsettoland (act II)  Welcome to Falsettoland 
About Time 
Year of the Child 
Miracle of Judaism 
Sitting Watching Jason (Play Baseball) 
A Day in Falsettoland 
Racquetball 
The Fight 
Everyone Hates His Parents 
WhatMore Can I Say? 
Something Bad is Happening 
More Racquetball 
Holding to the Ground 
Days Like This 
Canceling the Bar Mitzvah 
Unlikely Lovers 
Another miracle of Judaism 
Something Bad is Happening (Reprise) 
You Gotta Die Sometime 
Jason's Bar Mitzvah 
What Would I Do? 

In Trousers, is actually the "prequel" to Falsettos, or rather, the first part of the "Marvin Trilogy," March of the Falsettos and Falsettoland being the second and third parts, respectively.

William Finn wrote the book, lyrics, and music for In Trousers. The first production opened at Playwrights Horizons in 1979. It was directed by William Finn and the orchestration and musical direction were by Michael Starobin. The cast was as follows:
 
 
MARVIN Chip Zien
TRINA, his wife Alison Fraser
HIS HIGH SCHOOL SWEETHEART Joanna Green
His teacher, MISS GOLDBURG  
(who always wore sunglasses)		 Mary Testa
 

A more recent, revised version of In Trousers was produced off-Broadway at the Promenade Theatre, run by Ben Sprecher, on March 26, 1985. It was produced by Roger Berlind, Franklin R. Levy, setting was designed by Santo Loquasto, lighting by Marylin Rennagel, costumes by Madeline Ann Graneto, and sound by Tom Morse. The musical direction was by Roy Leake, Jr., and the orchestrations by Michael Starobin. The cast was as follows:
 
 
MARVIN Stephen Bogardus
TRINA, his wife Catherine Cox
HIS HIGH SCHOOL SWEETHEART Sherry Hursey
His teacher, MISS GOLDBURG  
(who always wore sunglasses)		 Kathy Garrick
 

Finn writes the following about the show (from the liner notes of the Original Cast Records album):
The form of the show is simple: whenever things get too hot for the older Marvin, he reverts back to himself at fourteen. After 14, he has a high school sweetheart, isn't big with the intimacies, gets married, isn't big with the intimacies, and leaves his wife for a man.

So Marvin grows up (after a fashion), says goodbye to the ladies (more to the point), and learns to live with always getting what he wants—which is the story of In Trousers.

  In Trousers is dedicated to Barbara Finn, Jason Finn, Nancy Finn Davis, and Michael Finn. An recording of the unrevised 1979 version was released on CD by Original Cast Records in 1996, with a bonus track of Alison Fraser singing, "I'm Breaking Down," a song which was added to the first act of Falsettos.
In Trousers (1979) 

Marvin's Giddy Seizures 
How the Body Falls Apart 
Your Lips and Me 
My High School Sweetheart 
Set Those Sails 
My Chance to Survive the Night 
I Am Wearing a Hat 
How Marvin Eats His Breakfast 
A Breakfast Over Sugar 
Whizzer Going Down  
High School Ladies at 5 o'clock 
The Rape of Miss Goldberg 
The Nausea Before the Game 
Love Me For What I Am 
How America Got Its Name 
Your Lips and Me (Reprise) 
Marvin Takes a Victory Shower 
Another Sleepless Night 
In Trousers (The Dream) 
 

 In Trousers (1985) 

In Trousers 
I Can't Sleep 
A Helluva Day 
I Have a Family 
How Marvin Eats His Breakfast 
Marvin's Giddy Seizures 
My High School Sweetheart 
Set Those Sails 
I Swear I Won't Ever Again (Part 1) 
High School Ladies at 5 o'clock 
I Swear I Won't Ever Again (Part 2) 
The Rape of Miss Goldberg 
I Swear I Won't Ever Again (Part 3) 
Love Me For What I Am 
I Am Wearing a Hat 
Wedding Song 
3 Seconds 
Wedding Song (Part 2) 
How the Body Falls Apart 
I Feel Him Slipping Away 
Whizzer Going Down 
Marvin's Giddy Seizures - Part II 
I'm Breaking Down 
Packing Up 
Breakfast Over Sugar 
How America Got Its Name 
Been a Helluva Day (Reprise) 
Another Sleepless Night 
Goodnight (No Hard Feelings) or In Trousers - Reprise (The Dream) 

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