Overview
Synopsis
Mack & Mabel depicts the days of the silent film era "when movies were movies". Based on the real life story of the director, Mack Sennett, and his star and lover, Mabel Normand. Narrated in flashback by Mack himself, he begins the show a broken man. His beloved silent two-reel comedies are no longer hit with the audiences in the late 1930s. The silent film industry has been made obsolete by talkies and Mack is forced to sell his Hollywood studio. Alone on the stage, he reminisces about the past, recalling his early days in New York, his rising success in Hollywood, and his turbulent love affair with Mabel. Mack discovered Mabel when she was just a sandwich delivery girl and made her a star. Although he loves her deeply, he cannot bring himself to fully commit to her. Frustrated and humiliated, Mabel is driven into the arms of William Desmond Taylor, an unsympathetic director who leads her into a life of drugs and partying.
Show Information
Context
The idea for Mack & Mabel was first mooted by the director of the Los Angeles Civic Light Opera to composer, Jerry Herman. Herman roped in Michael Stewart to write the book and the production opened for pre-Broadway try-outs in San Diego and Los Angeles in 1974. Gower Champion directed the production, and Robert Preston and Bernadette Peters starred in the lead roles. Reviews for the show were mixed, focusing on the poor libretto and dark ending. However, the show moved to engagements in St.
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Act One
It is 2am in 1938 and the lights come up on a darkened motion picture sound stage. Someone is pounding on the door and the watchman opens it to reveal Mack Sennett. He is in his late fifties and a little bit drunk. Mack is in a bad mood and demands Eddie turns the lights on. He may be bankrupt, but the studio is his until noon the next day and he is determined that it will be left the way he created it. Pulling out his battered director’s chair, he rants about the way ‘talkies’
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Character Portrayals
See StageAgent members who have performed roles in Mack & Mabel.
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Songs
Act One
Look What Happened to Mabel - Mabel, Fatty, Frank & Ensemble
Big Time - Lottie, Ensemble
I Won’t Send Roses [Reprise] - Mabel
*I Wanna Make the World Laugh - Mack, Ensemble
I Wanna Make the World Laugh [Reprise] - Mack, Ensemble
Hundreds of Girls - Mack, Ensemble
Act Two
*When Mabel Comes in the Room - Ensemble
Hit ‘Em On The Head - Mack, Baumann, Kessel, Ensemble
Time Heals Everything - Mabel
*Tap Your Troubles Away - Lottie, Ensemble
I Promise You a Happy Ending - Mack
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.
Key Terms
An actor is a performer who portrays a character in theatre, film, or television through voice, movement, and emotional expression. Actors interpret scripts, collaborate with directors, and bring stories to life for audiences. The term applies to performers of any gender.
In theatre, addiction may refer both to a character’s struggle with compulsive behavior as a theme and to the real-life issue affecting performers or audiences. Plays about addiction often explore psychological, social, and moral dimensions. It is a recurring motif in modern drama due to its human intensity.
A ballad is a song style that tells a story through simple, lyrical verses and a steady rhythm. In theatre, ballads are often slow and emotional, allowing characters to reveal deep feelings or reflect on personal journeys. They can be used to highlight romance, longing, or moments of dramatic intensity.
A genre of drama based on real people’s lives, exploring their challenges, accomplishments, and inner conflicts.
The creative leader of a theatrical production, responsible for interpreting the script and guiding the cast and crew.
A production created to showcase the talents of a specific star performer, often tailored to their strengths.
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Guide Written By:
Alexandra Appleton
Writer, editor and theatre researcher