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Overview

Synopsis

Nine centers around Guido Contini, a famous Italian film director and ladies man. His last couple of movies have been panned by the critics, and Guido is under pressure to make a return to form with his latest film. However, there is one major problem: he hasn’t written a line of the script and has lost all inspiration. Guido’s professional and personal lives becomes intertwined as he attempts to save both his career and his marriage. His wife, Luisa, threatens to divorce Guido unless he can pay more attention to the marriage, but the director is constantly pulled in another direction by his saucy mistress, Carla, who shows up at the most inconvenient times.

In an attempt to find peace and inspiration, Guido suggests that he and Luisa go to a luxury spa near Venice. However, he does not expect his whole film crew and production team to follow him also. As Guido struggles to find a story line for his film, his mind becomes increasingly preoccupied, and fantasy and reality become inextricably intertwined. Carla arrives from Rome and provides a naughty distraction, while his fierce producer Liliane La Fleur pressures Guido to produce the musical he agreed to. In Guido’s confused mind, the women from his past and present all appear to him, including his Mother, Sarraghina (a prostitute), and Claudia, his muse and movie star. As he tries to create a new masterpiece, Guido must face the ultimate decision of life and death.

Show Information

Music
Maury Yeston
Lyrics
Maury Yeston
Conceived By
Maury Yeston
Based on the Play/Book/Film
8 1/2 [film] by Federico Fellini
Category
Musical
Age Guidance
Thirteen Plus (PG-13)
Number of Acts
2
First Produced
1982
Genres
Drama
Settings
Simple/No Set
Time & Place
Italy, Early 1960s
Cast Size
large
Orchestra Size
Large
Dancing
Musical Staging
Ideal For
College/University, Large Cast, Mostly Female Cast, Professional Theatre, Regional Theatre, Includes Adult, Child, Mature Adult, Young Adult Characters

Lead Characters

Context


Plot


Characters

Name Part Size Gender Vocal Part

Guido Contini

Lead

Male

Tenor

Luisa Contini

Lead

Female

Alto

Young Guido

Supporting

Male

Treble/Boy Soprano

Claudia Nardi

Supporting

Female

Mezzo-Soprano

Guido's mother

Supporting

Female

Soprano

Liliane La Fleur

Supporting

Female

Alto

Stephanie Necrophorus

Supporting

Female

Alto

Sarraghina

Supporting

Female

Alto

Carla Albanese

Supporting

Female

Soprano

Lina Darling

Featured

Female

Soprano, Mezzo-Soprano, Alto

Our Lady of the Spa

Featured

Female

Soprano, Mezzo-Soprano, Alto

Mama Maddelena

Featured

Female

Alto

The Italians

Featured

Either Gender

Soprano, Mezzo-Soprano, Alto, Tenor, Baritone, Bass

The Germans

Featured

Either Gender

Soprano, Mezzo-Soprano, Alto, Tenor, Baritone, Bass

Ensemble

Ensemble

Either Gender

Soprano, Mezzo-Soprano, Alto, Tenor, Baritone, Bass

Songs

Act One

Overture Delle Donne - Company

Not Since Chaplin - Company

Guido's Song - Guido

The Germans at the Spa - Maddelena, Italians, Germans **

Not Since Chaplin (Reprise) - Company

My Husband Makes Movies - Luisa

*A Call from the Vatican - Carla

Only with You - Guido

The Script - Guido

*Folies Bergeres - Lilli, Stephanie, Company

Nine - Guido's Mother, Company

*Ti Voglio Bene/Be Italian - Saraghina, Boys, Company

The Bells of St. Sebastian - Guido, Company

Act Two

A Man Like You/Unusual Way/Duet - Claudia, Guido

The Grand Canal (Every Girl in Venice/Amor/Only You) - Guido, Company

Simple - Carla

Be On Your Own - Luisa

Not Since Chaplin (Reprise) - Company

I Can't Make This Movie - Guido

Getting Tall - Young Guido

Long Ago/Nine (Reprise) - Guido, Young Guido, Luisa

**The 2003 Broadway revival cut ‘The Germans at the Spa’ from the production.

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:

Alexandra Appleton

Alexandra Appleton

Writer, editor and theatre researcher