Breathe: Portraits from a Pandemic
Musical
Writers:Rob Rokicki Rebecca Murillo Douglas Lyons Jodi Picoult Timothy Allen McDonald Daniel J. Mertzlufft Doug Besterman Zina Goldrich Ethan Pakchar Kate Leonard Marcy Heisler
Explore this Show
Overview
Synopsis
The musical Breathe begins on March 13, 2020. The world has come to a halt as COVID-19 case numbers rise. New York City ER nurse Allison is stuck in Mexico with Jerry, an architecture student and her one-night stand. Max and Theo--locked down together in their New York City apartment--have to re-evaluate their relationship. Wall Street executive Kate and her lawyer husband Adam struggle to parent their three children after their nanny quits and the schools close down. NYC police officer Shawn--a Black man--and his teenage son Devon must reckon with their own biases in the wake of George Floyd’s death and the subsequent protests. Vivian says good-bye to her husband Charles, bitter at what she gave up in her own life to make him succeed--but then faces a gut-wrenching reality.
Composed of five intersecting chapters, Breathe not only chronicles the experiences of New Yorkers (and people around the world) during the COVID-19 pandemic, but also looks forward to a time when the pandemic has ended. With a story conceived by Jodi Picoult and Timothy Allen McDonald in 2020, and a collaboration of multiple song-writing teams, Breathe is an honest look at the struggles everyday people faced as case numbers rose, and the world wondered when life would get back to normal.
Show Information
- Lyrics
- Rob Rokicki , Rebecca Murillo , Kate Leonard , Douglas Lyons , Marcy Heisler
- Conceived By
- Jodi Picoult , Timothy Allen McDonald
- Category
- Musical
- Age Guidance
- Youth (Y)/General Audiences (G)
- Number of Acts
- 2
- First Produced
- 2021
- Genres
- Drama
- Settings
- Contemporary, Multiple Settings
- Time & Place
- Mexico City, New York City, March-June 2020
- Cast Size
- medium
- Orchestra Size
- Small
- Dancing
- None
- Licensor
- Music Theatre International
- Ideal For
- College/University, Community Theatre, Diverse Cast, Ensemble Cast, Professional Theatre, Regional Theatre, Mostly Male Cast, Includes Adult, Late Teen, Mature Adult Characters, Medium Cast
Context
Plot
Characters
| Name | Part Size | Gender | Vocal Part |
|---|---|---|---|
|
Lead |
Female |
Mezzo-Soprano |
|
|
Lead |
Male |
Tenor, Baritone |
|
|
Lead |
Male |
Tenor, Baritone |
|
|
Lead |
Male |
Tenor, Baritone |
|
|
Lead |
Female |
Soprano, Mezzo-Soprano |
|
|
Lead |
Male |
Tenor, Baritone |
|
|
Lead |
Male |
Tenor, Baritone |
|
|
Lead |
Male |
Baritone |
|
|
Lead |
Female |
Soprano, Mezzo-Soprano |
|
|
Supporting |
Male |
Baritone |
|
|
Supporting |
Male |
Non-singer |
Songs
Chapter 1: Fever
- “What’d You Do This Time?” - Allison
- “What’d You Do This Time? (Reprise)” - Jerry
- “Part Of the Plan” - Jerry, Allison
- “Bad Things” - Jerry
- “You Chose Me” - Allison, Jerry
Chapter 2: Aches
- “Writing the Letter” - Theo
- “Not Finished Yet” - Max
- “Clear As Day” - Theo, Max
- “Anticipation” - Max, Theo
- “The Proposal” - Max. Theo
- “Reading the Letter” - Max, Theo
Chapter 3: Swelling Irritation
- “Opening (Haruki and Yoshi)” - TV Voices, Kate
- “Supermom” - Kate
- “It’s Brutal” - Adam
- “Supermom/Brutal” - TV Voices, Kate, Adam
- “The Lucky Ones” - Kate
- “What Would I Do” - Adam, Kate
- “The Lucky Ones (Reprise)” - Adam, Kate
Chapter 4: Fatigue
- “My Crown” - Devon
- “My Truth” - Devon, Shawn
- “Together We Can” - Devon, Ensemble
Chapter 5: Shortness of Breath
- “Goodbye” - Vivian
- “What Have We Got To Lose?” - Vivian, Charles
- “A Thousand Stars” - Vivian
- “Goodbye (Reprise)” - Vivian, Charles
“Epilogue” - 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
Scenes
Key Terms
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Videos
Quizzes
Themes, Symbols & Motifs
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Quote Analysis
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Guide Written By:
Cindi Calhoun
Theatre teacher, director, writer, and seamstress