Overview
Synopsis
The story follows Zorba as he talks his way into traveling with Nikos, a young American who has inherited an abandoned mine on Crete. Eventually, Zorba falls in love with a French lady, Hortense. Meanwhile Nikos falls in love with The Widow. Tragedy ensues when Zorba loses all of his money to a belly dancer. Further, a mentally unstable man, Pavli, commits suicide after witnessing Nikos and the Widow together. Then, a member of Pavli's family murders The Widow.
Show Information
- Book
- Joseph Stein
- Music
- John Kander
- Lyrics
- Fred Ebb
- Category
- Musical
- Age Guidance
- Youth (Y)/General Audiences (G)
- Number of Acts
- 2
- First Produced
- 1968
- Genres
- Romance
- Cast Size
- large
- Ideal For
- Mostly Male Cast, Includes Young Adult, Adult, Mature Adult Characters, Large Cast
Context
Plot
Characters
| Name | Part Size | Gender | Vocal Part |
|---|---|---|---|
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Lead |
Male |
Tenor |
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Lead |
Male |
Baritone |
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Lead |
Female |
Mezzo-Soprano |
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Lead |
Female |
Mezzo-Soprano |
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Supporting |
Female |
Alto |
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Male |
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Female |
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Songs
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
A fee charged to students applying to college programs to process their application.
Fluency in or use of two languages.
A style of acting developed by Vsevolod Meyerhold which directly opposed method acting and instead centered on a series of set body movements and gestures.
Dated 1965-1975, a political and artistic movement dedicated to affirming pride and respect in Black history and culture.
A type of theatre that usually seats less than 100 people. A black box theatre is often a flexible space and can be set up in multiple configurations.
Text in verse that does not rhyme.
A type of performance license that grants a company or venue permission to play or perform music without applying for individual rights.
A description or declaration; a display on a coat-of-arms
Also called “deny,” a choice in a game that stops the creativity and flow of the process.
A work of entertainment that is highly popular and financially successful.
The movement and gestures used in staging.
Genre of American music developed in the Appalachian region in the 1940s. Bluegrass uses acoustic strings, often including a banjo, and has its roots in folk ballads, country music, and jazz.
Storm or tempest
An early form of trouser which usually cuts off just below the knee.
A contrasting section of music in a song that connects two more familiar sections, such as a verse and the chorus.
Lightweight walls made of wood with boards laid flat as a frame.
A genre of music that developed in African-American communities in the 1940s, inspired by jazz, and important in the foundations of rock and roll music.
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Themes, Symbols & Motifs
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Quote Analysis
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