Falsettos

[EvelynNesbit1906]

Posted: 7/22/04 at 1:09am

Is there a CD available for this show? Apparently some Theater students from my college are participating in a production here in Evanston, Illinois that has been quite unsuccessful. The largest contingent of the audience -- elderly people -- are walking out. I've reassured one of the professors involved with the show that the same people walked out of Ragtime last year...

[Jon]

Posted: 7/22/04 at 1:57am

"Falsettos", which won Tony Awards for Best Book amnd Best Score in 1992, is actually the combination of two one-act Off-Broadway musicals: "March of the Falsettos", written in the early 1980's, and "Falsettoland", written ten years later. There were separate cast albums, which were later made available as a "combo" CD when the two shows were combined.

It's a magnificent show. It deals with homosexuality and AIDS - some folks just can't handle the subject matter.

[Gothampc]

Posted: 7/22/04 at 8:20am

It's more than just a gay AIDS show. It's a show about relationships and what defines a family. I can understand people walking out. It's not to everyone's tastes.

[FinnFanatic]

Posted: 7/22/04 at 8:26am

Yes, Falsettos is definitely not a show for everyone. It is centered around a married man who realizes/accepts the fact that he is a homosexual. He divorces his wife, leaves his son, and moves in with his lover. His wife then goes on to marry his psychiatrist, while his son spends his time worrying that he will turn out like his dad:

"My father's a homo
My mother's not thrilledd at.
Father: Homo. What about chromosomes?
Do they carry? Will they carry?"

The second act is quite different from the first (we are introduced to two new characters...."lesbians from next door"). The issue of AIDS is introduced ("Something Bad Is Happening") and all the characters must learn to cope with things they are not used to dealing with. By the end, Marvin is surrounded by those who truly love him, despite differences.

This is amazing show, but I wouldn't recommend it to an older/Republican audience. It is my dream to direct and/or perform in this show someday. I am very hesitant to attempt it with my theatre company, however, because I'm afraid of the audience response. We did "A New Brain" last summer, and that was semi-well accepted (That show, however, is not ABOUT the fact that a man is gay, the main character just HAPPENS to be gay...so it was easier for many people to take in). Someday I will do it.

[TEACHEROFTHEATER]

Posted: 7/22/04 at 2:36pm

Evelyn, you can purchase FALSETTOS(as I did) which is actually the cds of two shows which comprise FALSETTOS.

Warning, listening to these cds can be highly addictive. FALSETTOS richly deserved the honor when it was Tony awarded for best Music and Lyrics........

The only song "missing" from the CDs that are sold as FALSETTOS
is the song I'M BREAKING DOWN. This was sung by Trina in FALSETTOS, but had not previously been included in either March of the Falsettos or Falsettoland, the two shows comprising the majority of FALSETTOS. I'M BREAKING DOWN was in, what I believe was the first show introducing us to Marvin and his gang, IN TROUSERS.

The song I'M BREAKING DOWN which was part of the Broadway production of FALSETTOS, but not on the cd sold as FALSETTOS, is available on the cd of IN TROUSERS. (IN TROUSERS is a very enjoyable cd, but I would certainly have FALSETTOS further at the top of my cd stack.

If memory serves me correctly, Faith Prince performs the part of Trina on the IN TROUSERS cd.

[bronxboundexpress]

Posted: 7/22/04 at 2:37pm

This show sucks.

[FinnFanatic]

Posted: 7/22/04 at 2:39pm

Alison Fraser actually performs the part of Trina on the In Trousers recording, as well as on the March of the Falsettos recording (the first half of Falsettos). Faith Prince play Trina on the second half of the Falsettos recording (Falsettoland).

Chip Zien plays Marvin on the recording, but then plays Mendel on the doulbe-disc March of the Falsettos/Falsettoland recording.

"I'm Breaking Down" is a GREAT female solo. It can be found in the sheet music that was commercially released for "Falsettos". It is a "bonus track" on the "In Trousers" recording.

[FinnFanatic]

Posted: 7/22/04 at 2:40pm

What sucks about it? (Just curious....a statement as blatant as that should have something to back it up)

[bronxboundexpress]

Posted: 7/22/04 at 2:41pm

I don't know. It just sucks. lol

[FinnFanatic]

Posted: 7/22/04 at 2:44pm

Ok...

[bronxboundexpress]

Posted: 7/22/04 at 2:47pm

It's one of those shows with weird talking music.

[TEACHEROFTHEATER]

Posted: 7/22/04 at 2:47pm

Finnfanatic, thanks for the correction:).. of course you are right....

by the way, did you see A NEW BRAIN??? do you have the cd??? LOVED the show.......and love the cd.

[Zola Q. LaPlaya]

Posted: 7/22/04 at 2:49pm

No, actually, it doesn't suck. (Your back-up argument is nearly as illuminating as your original contention.)

It's a brilliant show.

[bronxboundexpress]

Posted: 7/22/04 at 2:52pm

Yes, it sucks for me. I wanted actual melodic music. Not talking with differnt pitches.

[FinnFanatic]

Posted: 7/22/04 at 2:53pm

TEACHEROFTHEATRE:

A NEW BRAIN is one of my favorite shows (next to Falsettos, of course). I played Gordon in a production last summer, and I have seen the show about 5 times! (I sadly missed the off-broadway production) It's an amazing show with amazing music. Our audience was laughing one minute balling their eyes out the next. It's a beautifully written and well constructed show.

[Plum]

Posted: 7/22/04 at 2:53pm

Oh yeah?

*rasberry*

Just as long as we're lowering the level of discussion. :)

And Falsettos does not suck- admittedly, it isn't perfect. Not even close. But how can you say a musical with "What More Can I Say?" isn't melodic? Updated On: 7/22/04 at 02:53 PM

[FinnFanatic]

Posted: 7/22/04 at 2:54pm

Bronxbound-

Listen to songs like "The Games I Play", "Holding to the Ground", "Father to Son", "What More Can I Say?" "You Gotta Die Sometime" and "What Would I Do?"

Those songs aren't just "talking with different pitches".

[bronxboundexpress]

Posted: 7/22/04 at 2:55pm

A NEW BRAIN does not suck. It has some good songs in it.

[robbiej]

Posted: 7/22/04 at 2:56pm

Oh why bother, Zola and Finn!

Remember, there's no such thing as a bad opinion!

But there IS such a thing as bad taste!

[FinnFanatic]

Posted: 7/22/04 at 2:56pm

I heard rumors that Hellen Hunt was pushing for a movie version of "Falsettos", in which she'd play Trina....is there ANY truth to this? It doesn't like the kind of show they'd opt to turn into a movie....doesn't seem like it'd have much "movie-going" audience appeal...

[bronxboundexpress]

Posted: 7/22/04 at 2:57pm

I can see the headline: "Helen Hunt end career with a bad movie musical."

[FinnFanatic]

Posted: 7/22/04 at 2:59pm

Well, I guess you can TECHNICALLY have a bad opinion, if your opinion is "It sucks" and then don't have any reasons. "It just does" does not backup up a "good" opinion.

But I see your point, Robbie. Like many things on this board, it's a losing battle and is not worth the argument.

[Plum]

Posted: 7/22/04 at 2:59pm

Why not? If they keep it to a small budget, there's a great story in there. One of the "indie" subsidiaries of the big studios could do it and release it on a small scale. Not every movie musical has to go the all-out Chicago route.

[FinnFanatic]

Posted: 7/22/04 at 3:00pm

That's a good point, Plum. I just figure that if Helen Hunt is involved they'll try to market it to a larger audience.

[Zola Q. LaPlaya]

Posted: 7/22/04 at 3:00pm

I can see the headline: "Someone who touts the Bronx talks a lot of stupid sh*t"