Overview
Synopsis
When refined British soprano Victoria Grant finds herself down on her luck in Paris, she discovers to her dismay that producers and nightclub owners are looking for a sound that is much less “legitimate” than hers. On the brink of starvation, she is rescued by Toddy, a warm, generous, and flamboyant nightclub singer, who gets a brilliant idea: dress Victoria as a man, and pass her off as a female impersonator, where she will delight the whole of Gay Paree with her eerie gender-bending and astonishing vocal range. No sooner does Victoria find success in her new role, then she falls in love with King Marchan, a tough Chicago nightclub owner and possible gangster who oozes masculine appeal. King, in turn, is terrified to find himself falling for a man, and refuses to be believe that “Victor” is truly “Victor”. With hired detectives creeping through her hotel room, King’s showgirl lady friend Norma Cassidy out for some jealous revenge, and King’s sweet bodyguard, Squash Bernstein, revealing his homosexuality to smitten Toddy, Victoria’s life is a whirlwind of complications. Can she really go through life being Victor/Victoria? Victoria must decide which is more important: a thrilling new career, or a sweet and sudden love. With a jazzy, sophisticated score by Henry Mancini and Frank Wildhorn, and a clever book by Blake Edwards, Victor / Victoria is a wise, warm, and moving story about self-discovery, tolerance, and second chances, as well as a sparkling ode to the city of Paris, and giddy, flamboyant, creative nightlife of the 1930s.
Show Information
- Book
- Blake Edwards
- Music
- Henry Mancini , Frank Wildhorn
- Lyrics
- Leslie Bricusse , Frank Wildhorn
- Category
- Musical
- Age Guidance
- Thirteen Plus (PG-13)
- Number of Acts
- 2
- First Produced
- 1995
- Genres
- Comedy, Romance
- Settings
- Period, Multiple Settings
- Time & Place
- 1930s, paris, chicago
- Cast Size
- large
- Orchestra Size
- Large
- Dancing
- Some Dance
- Licensor
- Concord Theatricals
- Ideal For
- College/University, Community Theatre, Professional Theatre, Regional Theatre, Star Vehicle Female, Mostly Male Cast, Includes Adult, Mature Adult, Young Adult, Elderly, Late Teen Characters, Large Cast
Context
Plot
Characters
| Name | Part Size | Gender | Vocal Part |
|---|---|---|---|
|
Lead |
Male |
Baritone |
|
|
Lead |
Female |
Mezzo-Soprano, Alto |
|
|
Lead |
Male |
Baritone |
|
|
Supporting |
Female |
Mezzo-Soprano, Alto |
|
|
Supporting |
Male |
Tenor |
|
|
Supporting |
Male |
Bass |
|
|
Supporting |
Male |
Bass |
|
|
Supporting |
Male |
Tenor |
|
|
Featured |
Male |
Baritone |
|
|
Featured |
Female |
Spoken |
|
|
Featured |
Male |
Spoken |
|
|
Featured |
Male |
Spoken |
|
|
Featured |
Either Gender |
Spoken |
|
|
Featured |
Female |
Spoken |
|
|
Featured |
Male |
Spoken |
|
|
Featured |
Female |
Spoken |
|
|
Featured |
Male |
Spoken |
|
|
Featured |
Male |
Spoken |
|
|
Featured |
Male |
Spoken |
|
|
Featured |
Male |
Spoken |
|
|
Featured |
Male |
Tenor |
|
|
Featured |
Female |
Mezzo-Soprano |
|
|
Featured |
Female |
Silent |
|
|
Featured |
Female |
Silent |
|
|
Featured |
Male |
Silent |
|
|
Ensemble |
Either Gender |
Spoken |
|
|
Ensemble |
Either Gender |
Spoken |
|
|
Ensemble |
Either Gender |
Soprano, Alto, Tenor, Bass |
Songs
Act I
- Paris by Night – Toddy & Les Boys
- If I Were a Man – Victoria
- Trust Me (music by Frank Wildhorn) – Toddy & Victoria
- Le Jazz Hot! – Victor and Ensemble
- The Tango – Victor & Norma
- Paris Makes Me Horny – Norma
- Crazy World (replaced by "Who Can I Tell?" during Minnelli's run) – Victoria
Act II
- Louis Says (music by Wildhorn, cut early in the run) – Victor & Ensemble
- King's Dilemma – King
- Apache – Les Boys
- You & Me – Toddy and Victor
- Paris by Night (Reprise) – Street Singer
- Almost a Love Song – King and Victoria
- Chicago, Illinois – Norma & The Girls
- Living in the Shadows (music by Wildhorn) – Victoria
- Victor/Victoria – Victoria, Toddy & 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
Dislike of or prejudice against gay people.
The accepted generic term for the LGBTQ+ theatre movement.
Videos
Quizzes
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Themes, Symbols & Motifs
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