Overview
Synopsis
Summer 1953: Margaret Johnson, an elegant and strong-willed Southern woman, has taken her daughter, Clara, on a vacation to Italy. When a gust of wind blows Clara’s hat right into the hands of a young Italian gentleman, neither age nor language nor familial disapproval can stop their whirlwind love affair. As Clara and Fabrizio fall into each others’ arms, Margaret must grapple with the question of whether to disclose Clara’s devastating secret to Fabrizio’s warm, passionate Italian family. With soaring operatic melodies that set it apart from most contemporary musical theatre, The Light in the Piazza is a story about mothers and daughters, fathers and sons, and the deeply intertwined emotions of love and loss.
Show Information
- Book
- Craig Lucas
- Music
- Adam Guettel
- Lyrics
- Adam Guettel
- Category
- Musical
- Age Guidance
- Youth (Y)/General Audiences (G)
- Number of Acts
- 2
- First Produced
- 2003
- Genres
- Drama
- Settings
- Multiple Settings
- Time & Place
- florence, italy, 1953
- Cast Size
- medium
- Orchestra Size
- Large
- Dancing
- Optional
- Licensor
- Concord Theatricals
- Ideal For
- Mostly Male Cast, Includes Adult, Mature Adult, Young Adult Characters, Medium Cast
Context
Plot
Characters
| Name | Part Size | Gender | Vocal Part |
|---|---|---|---|
|
Lead |
Female |
Soprano |
|
|
Lead |
Male |
Tenor |
|
|
Lead |
Female |
Soprano |
|
|
Supporting |
Male |
Tenor |
|
|
Supporting |
Female |
Soprano |
|
|
Supporting |
Male |
Baritone |
|
|
Supporting |
Female |
Soprano |
|
|
Featured |
Male |
Spoken |
|
|
Featured |
Male |
Baritone |
|
|
Featured |
Either Gender |
Spoken |
Songs
Act One
- Overture
- Statues and Stories – Margaret Johnson and Clara Johnson
- The Beauty Is – Clara
- Il Mondo Era Vuoto – Fabrizio Naccarelli
- American Dancing
- Passeggiata – Fabrizio and Clara
- The Joy You Feel – Franca Naccarelli
- Dividing Day – Margaret
- Hysteria – Clara and Margaret
- Say It Somehow – Clara and Fabrizio
Act Two
- Entr'acte
- Aiutami – The Naccarelli Family
- The Light in the Piazza – Clara
- Octet / Clara's Tirade – Company
- The Beauty Is (Reprise) – Margaret
- Let's Walk – Signor Naccarelli and Margaret
- Love to Me – Fabrizio
- Fable – Margaret
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
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Themes, Symbols & Motifs
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Quote Analysis
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