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Overview

Synopsis

Eliot Rosewater, the president of the Rosewater Foundation, the heir to the fourteenth largest family fortune in America, is insane. He wants to do more with his life than just writing checks to people looking for grants and donations, and sets off on a journey to find his purpose and meaning. This search takes him home to Rosewater County, Indianapolis, a derelict and impoverished town that has lost all hope and respect. The colorful and bizarre residents immediately sing Eliot’s praises, and he believes that he has finally found meaning in his life. However, Eliot’s wife Sylvia--as devoted as can be--can’t keep up with her husband’s philanthropy. His father--a United States Senator--disapproves of Eliot’s choices. And Norman Mushari--a greedy and unethical lawyer--hatches a plot to get his hands on the family fortune. If Mushari can make sure that Eliot is declared legally insane, then Eliot loses the fortune and inheritance, and all of his charitable works come to an end. Can Eliot--despite his neuroses and psychoses--confound Mushari’s scheme? Can he get his hero Kilgore Trout--a prolific and unsuccessful science fiction writer--to justify why he devotes so much time and money to the destitute and derelict? And how will Eliot’s legacy live on?

Based on Kurt Vonnegut’s 1965 novel, God Bless You, Mr. Rosewater pays homage to Vonnegut’s witty humor and energetic dialogue, interspersed with fun and poignant music. This musical is the first collaboration between Alan Menken and Howard Ashman, and helped catapult their careers as one of the most recognizable musical writing duos of the twentieth century.

Show Information

Music
Alan Menken
Based on the Play/Book/Film
Based on Kurt Vonnegut’s 1965 novel God Bless You, Mr. Rosewater
Category
Musical
Age Guidance
Youth (Y)/General Audiences (G)
Number of Acts
2
First Produced
1979
Genres
Dark Comedy
Settings
Contemporary, Multiple Settings
Time & Place
1960s, New York City, Rosewater, Indiana
Cast Size
large
Orchestra Size
Rock Combo
Dancing
Musical Staging
Ideal For
College/University, Community Theatre, Diverse Cast, High School, Professional Theatre, Regional Theatre, Star Vehicle Male, Mostly Male Cast, Includes Adult, Elderly, Mature Adult, Young Adult Characters, Large Cast

Context


Plot


Characters

Name Part Size Gender Vocal Part

Eliot Rosewater

Lead

Male

Tenor, Baritone

Sylvia Rosewater

Lead

Female

Mezzo-Soprano, Alto

Norman Mushari

Lead

Male

Tenor, Baritone

Senator Rosewater

Supporting

Male

Non-singer

Mr. Mcallister

Supporting

Male

Non-singer

Mary Moody

Supporting

Female

Mezzo-Soprano

Dawn Leonard

Supporting

Female

Mezzo-Soprano

Diana Moon Glampers

Supporting

Female

Mezzo-Soprano

Charley Warmergram

Supporting

Male

Baritone

Delbert Peach

Supporting

Male

Baritone

Noyes Finnerty

Supporting

Male

Tenor, Baritone

Jerome Hayes

Supporting

Male

Baritone

Psychiatrist

Supporting

Male

Non-singer

Kilgore Trout

Supporting

Male

Non-singer

Fred Rosewater

Supporting

Male

Tenor, Baritone

Caroline Rosewater

Supporting

Female

Mezzo-Soprano

Volunteer Fire Brigade (5)

Supporting

Male

Tenor, Baritone

Songs

Act I

  • “The Rosewater Foundation” - Company
  • “The Rosewater Foundation (Reprise)” - Eliot
  • “Dear Ophelia” - Eliot
  • “Thank God for the Volunteer Fire Brigade” - Eliot, Volunteer Firemen
  • “Mushari's Waltz (Magical Moment)” - Mushari
  • “Thirty Miles From the Banks of the Ohio/Look Who's Here” - Eliot, Company
  • “Cheese Nips” - Sylvia
  • “The Rosewater Foundation (Reprise II)” - Eliot, Charley, Mary
  • “Since You Came to This Town” - Diana, Mary, Dawn, Delbert, Jerome, Company

Act II

  • “A Poem by William Blake” - Choir
  • “The Rhode Island Tango” - Fred, Caroline, Mushari
  • “Eliot/Sylvia” - Eliot, Sylvia
  • “Plain Clean Average Americans” - Mushari, Fred, Caroline, Company
  • “A Firestorm Consuming Indianapolis” - Eliot
  • “Dear Ophelia (Reprise)” - Eliot
  • “I, Eliot Rosewater” - Eliot, Company

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

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Scenes

All scenes are the property and copyright of their owners. Scenes are presented on StageAgent for educational purposes only. If you would like to give a public performance of this scene, please obtain authorization from the appropriate licensor.

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Guide Written By:

Cindi Calhoun

Cindi Calhoun

Theatre teacher, director, writer, and seamstress