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Overview

Synopsis

Falsettos is the story of a large, eccentric, and dysfunctional -- but loving -- Jewish family in New York at the end of the 1970s. Initially, Marvin seems blessed with the perfect family. He has a caring wife, Trina and a young son, Jason. Nevertheless, the family is soon broken apart, when the homosexual Marvin leaves Trina for a man called Whizzer.

Trina, meanwhile, ends up romantically involved with the family psychiatrist, Mendel. All the while, their son, Jason, is stuck in the middle. Included in the mix are lesbian neighbors Dr. Charlotte and Cordelia. When Marvin's lover, Whizzer, is diagnosed with AIDS, the entire family -- non-traditional as it may be -- must put aside their issues and come together.

Notes: This two-act musical is in fact a synthesis of a trilogy of one acts: In Trousers, March of the Falsettos, and Falsettoland.

Show Information

Music
William Finn
Lyrics
William Finn
Category
Musical
Age Guidance
Thirteen Plus (PG-13)
Number of Acts
2
First Produced
1992
Genres
Comedy
Settings
Contemporary
Time & Place
new york, 1979, 1981
Cast Size
small
Orchestra Size
Medium
Dancing
Some Dance
Ideal For
College/University, Diverse Cast, Ensemble Cast, Professional Theatre, Regional Theatre, Mostly Male Cast, Includes Adult, Young Adult, Mature Adult, Child, Early Teen Characters, Small Cast

Context

Plot

Characters

Name Part Size Gender Vocal Part

Whizzer

Lead

Male

Tenor

Marvin

Lead

Male

Tenor, Baritone

Mendel

Lead

Male

Tenor, Baritone

Jason

Supporting

Male

Tenor

Dr. Charlotte

Supporting

Female

Mezzo-Soprano

Trina

Supporting

Female

Mezzo-Soprano

Cordelia

Supporting

Female

Soprano

Songs

Act One

  • "Four Jews in a Room Bitching" – Whizzer, Marvin, Jason, and Mendel
  • "A Tight-Knit Family" – Marvin and Mendel
  • "Love Is Blind" – Marvin, Jason, Whizzer, Mendel, and Trina
  • "Thrill of First Love" – Marvin and Whizzer
  • "Marvin at the Psychiatrist (A Three-Part Mini-Opera)" – Jason, Mendel, Whizzer, and Marvin
  • “My Father’s a Homo” / "Everyone Tells Jason to See a Psychiatrist" – Jason, Marvin, Trina, and Whizzer
  • "This Had Better Come to a Stop" – Marvin, Whizzer, Jason, Trina, and Mendel
  • "I'm Breaking Down" – Trina
  • “Please Come to Our House” - Trina, Jason, Mendel
  • "Jason's Therapy" – Mendel, Trina, Whizzer, Marvin, and Jason
  • "A Marriage Proposal" – Mendel, Trina, and Jason
  • "Trina's Song" – Trina
  • "March of the Falsettos" – Mendel, Marvin, Jason, and Whizzer
  • "Trina's Song" (Reprise) – Trina
  • "The Chess Game" – Marvin and Whizzer
  • "Making a Home" – Mendel, Jason, Trina, and Whizzer
  • "The Games I Play" – Whizzer
  • "Marvin Goes Crazy" or "Marvin Hits Trina" – Marvin, Mendel, Jason, Trina, and Whizzer
  • "I Never Wanted to Love You" – Marvin, Mendel, Jason, Trina, and Whizzer
  • "Father to Son" – Marvin and Jason

Act Two

  • "Welcome to Falsettoland" – The Company
  • "The Year of the Child" – The Company
  • "Miracle of Judaism" – The Company
  • "The Baseball Game" – The Company
  • "A Day in Falsettoland" – The Company
  • "The Fight" / "Everyone Hates His Parents" – Mendel, Jason, Marvin, and Trina
  • "What More Can I Say?" – Marvin and *Whizzer
  • "Something Bad Is Happening" – Charlotte and Cordelia
  • "Holding to the Ground" – Trina
  • "Days Like This" – The Company
  • "Cancelling the Bar Mitzvah" – Jason, Mendel, and Trina
  • "Unlikely Lovers" – Marvin, Whizzer, Charlotte, and Cordelia
  • "Another Miracle of Judaism" – Jason
  • "You Gotta Die Sometime" – Whizzer
  • "Jason's Bar Mitzvah" – The Company
  • "What Would I Do?" – Marvin and Whizzer

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.

Key Terms

    The name used to describe a number of potentially life-threatening infections and illnesses that happen when the body's immune system has been severely damaged by the HIV virus.

    The accepted generic term for the LGBTQ+ theatre movement.

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