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Overview
Synopsis
Noah was writing the chapters of Genesis when suddenly God spoke to him: There will be a world-destroying flood, and Noah must build an ark to house two of every kind of animal. So begins the story of Two by Two, a retelling of the biblical story of the Great Flood. Naturally, Noah’s family is skeptical of this message; after all, Noah is over 600 years old and couldn’t possibly accomplish this task! His sons Shem and Ham, along with Shem’s wife Leah, argue that Noah should be put away in an asylum. But when God sends a gitka, an ancient species of rodent that sings, the family realizes that Noah is telling the truth. Yet there is still a holdout--Noah’s youngest and favorite son, Japheth, who can’t believe that God would actually destroy the world, and pleads with God to find something, somewhere that he likes. The family banters and battles over marriage, money, and whether or not the ark should have a rudder. Ultimately, God keeps His promises and floods the Earth--but in the end gives Noah a covenant in the form of a rainbow that He’ll never harm the world again.
A story of family and faith, the original Broadway production of Two by Two starred Danny Kaye as a witty and wisecracking Noah. In 2013, the York Theatre famously revived the musical starring Jason Alexander. Two by Two continues to be a popular community production, appealing to audiences of all ages and backgrounds.
Show Information
- Book
- Peter Stone
- Music
- Richard Rodgers
- Lyrics
- Martin Charnin
- Based on the Play/Book/Film
- Based on the play The Flowering Peach by Clifford Odets.
- Category
- Musical
- Age Guidance
- Youth (Y)/General Audiences (G)
- Number of Acts
- 2
- First Produced
- 1970
- Genres
- Comedy
- Settings
- Period, Spectacle, Multiple Settings
- Time & Place
- Biblical times, Noah's ark
- Cast Size
- medium
- Orchestra Size
- Medium
- Dancing
- Musical Staging
- Ideal For
- College/University, Community Theatre, Ensemble Cast, High School, Professional Theatre, Regional Theatre, Star Vehicle Male, Includes Adult, Mature Adult, Elderly, Young Adult Characters, Medium Cast
Context
Plot
Characters
| Name | Part Size | Gender | Vocal Part |
|---|---|---|---|
|
Lead |
Male |
Tenor |
|
|
Lead |
Female |
Mezzo-Soprano |
|
|
Lead |
Male |
Tenor |
|
|
Supporting |
Female |
Alto, Mezzo-Soprano |
|
|
Supporting |
Male |
Baritone |
|
|
Supporting |
Female |
Soprano |
|
|
Supporting |
Male |
Baritone, Tenor |
|
|
Supporting |
Female |
Mezzo-Soprano |
Songs
Act I
- Why Me? - Noah
- Put Him Away - Ham, Shem, Leah, Noah
- Something, Somewhere - Japheth and the Family
- You Have Got to Have a Rudder on the Ark - Noah, Ham, Shem, Japheth
- Something Doesn't Happen - Rachel
- An Old Man - Esther
- Ninety Again! - Noah
- Two by Two - Noah and Family
- I Do Not Know a Day I Did Not Love You - Japheth
- Something, Somewhere (Reprise) - Noah
Act II
- “When It Dries” - Noah and the Family
- “Two by Two (Reprise)”
- “You” - Noah
- “The Golden Ram” - Goldie
- “Poppa Knows Best” - Noah, Shem, Ham, Japheth
- “I Do Not Know a Day I Did Not Love You (Reprise)” - Japheth and Rachel
- “As Far as I'm Concerned” - Shem and Leah
- “Hey, Girlie” - Noah
- “The Covenant” - Noah
A song with an asterisk (*) before the title indicates a dance number; a character listed in a song with an asterisk (*) by the character's name indicates that the character exclusively serves as a dancer in this song, which is sung by other characters.
Monologues
Scenes
Key Terms
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Videos
Quizzes
Themes, Symbols & Motifs
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Quote Analysis
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Guide Written By:
Cindi Calhoun
Theatre teacher, director, writer, and seamstress