Light in the Piazza (Spoiler Alert)

[Gothampc]

Posted: 7/20/05 at 2:06pm

***Spoiler Alert*** You've been warned!!

I went to see Light in the Piazza for the first time last night. I was thinking about the money offered. The mother ends up offering the Italian family $15,000. That was in 1953. So how much do you think that would be worth today? Maybe a million or more?

Also, we find out that it is the mother's money offered. Did they ever tell where the mother got the money? I was under the assumption that it was seperate from what the husband made.

Updated On: 7/20/05 at 02:06 PM

[apdarcey]

Posted: 7/20/05 at 2:13pm

hadn't margaret saved that money seperate from her husband? if i remember correctly...

[Jera]

Posted: 7/20/05 at 2:15pm

I'd say that $15000 in the 1950's would be more like $30 000 today. I don't think that inflation was that much!

jera

[Barihunk]

Posted: 7/20/05 at 2:18pm

A million sounds excessive - probably closer to 100,000 (this is according to an on-line inflation calculator which puts the inflation at about 616%)

They do not say where Margaret's money comes from. She does mention that her husband is in tobacco. (Winston-Salem is home to RJ Reynolds). It's entirely possible Margaret's money was from a trust fund or inheritance. It seemed fairly obvious that the Johnson's were not hurting financially in any case...

Updated On: 7/20/05 at 02:18 PM

[Gothampc]

Posted: 7/20/05 at 2:22pm

Barihunk, you are right. It's closer to $100,000

http://www.westegg.com/inflation/

[nomdeplume]

Posted: 7/20/05 at 2:30pm

Updated On: 7/22/05 at 02:30 PM

[melissa errico fan]

Posted: 7/20/05 at 2:44pm

Now that we have the money situation out of the way, what did you think of the show?

[Gothampc]

Posted: 7/20/05 at 3:37pm

My biggest problem with the show is that I don't think the mother's character is developed enough. I think there is not enough development from Act 1 protector to the Act 2 release.

I also think they should redo Sarah Uriarte Berry. I kept waiting for her to break out singing "A boy like that, who'd kill your brother..."

[nomdeplume]

Posted: 7/20/05 at 4:28pm

Updated On: 7/22/05 at 04:28 PM

[flaemmchen]

Posted: 7/20/05 at 4:43pm

You need to see a Fellini movie, I think, to fully appreciate the brilliance of Sarah Uriarte Berry's characterization of Franca and why the designers chose that specific look for her. I love Berry in the show; she's fiery, yet vulnerable, and her voice is incredible. I agree, she stays.

Rent La Dolce Vita--the Franca in this production was modeled after a few of the women in that film.

I think the way it is in the novel is that Margaret received a large inheritance from her mother that has allowed her to maintain a rather nice nest egg.

[apdarcey]

Posted: 7/20/05 at 5:25pm

a) as was said earlier about the johnson's, it doesn't seem as if the nacarelli's are lacking for money either... and i think it's not about the money margaret offers to papa (mr. harelik)...
b) berry's portrayal i thought was brilliant and she sang the part amazingly... i could not imagine replacing her or rewriting the character.

[Gothampc]

Posted: 7/20/05 at 5:28pm

"i could not imagine replacing her or rewriting the character."

Oh, I don't think either of those is necessary. I just think they need to redo the hair and possibly the costume. It's just reminded me too much of Anita.

[Sluggy]

Posted: 7/20/05 at 6:34pm

from the book:

"Mrs. Johnson was busily working out in the back of her mind how she was going to get fifteen thousand dollars without her husband, for the moment, knowing anything about it. It would take most of a family legacy, invested in her own name; and the solemn confidence of a lawyer, an old family friend...."