Overview
Synopsis
An American in Paris is a story of finding love, happiness, and a new lease on life. The musical is set in the City of Lights, Paris, as it emerges from the shadows of World War II. As the weight of the Nazi Occupation begins to lift, the city’s inhabitants come alive and rediscover life’s grandest possibilities. An American veteran and aspiring painter, Jerry, is still reeling from the war when he discovers the girl of his dreams: Lise, a captivating young dancer at the ballet. Jerry falls in love with the mystery girl as soon as he spots her in a crowd on the street. By chance or fate, Jerry and Lise are brought together at a ballet rehearsal, where Jerry has come to visit his friend Adam, the company’s composer. While there, Jerry catches the eye of Milo, an American heiress and Adam’s patron. To add more confusion to this love triangle, Lise is already engaged to marry Henri, a rich young business man, who dreams of being a performer, himself. But does Lise truly love Henri? Or is Jerry, the American stranger, the man she is meant to love? And even if she loves Jerry, can Lise find a way to move on from the fact that Henri’s family saved her life during the war? Set to some of the George and Ira Gershwin’s most timeless music, An American in Paris brings both complexity and joy to the journey of Lise, Jerry, and their friends, as they fall in love, follow their dreams, and celebrate the most wonderful joys of being alive.
Note: this stage musical’s plot differs greatly from the 1951 film of the same name starring Gene Kelly and Leslie Caron.
Show Information
- Book
- Craig Lucas
- Music
- George Gershwin
- Lyrics
- Ira Gershwin
- Based on the Play/Book/Film
- An American in Paris (1951 film)
- Category
- Musical
- Age Guidance
- Youth (Y)/General Audiences (G)
- Number of Acts
- 2
- First Produced
- 2014
- Genres
- Romance
- Settings
- Multiple Settings, Spectacle
- Time & Place
- paris france, 1945, the end of wwii
- Cast Size
- small
- Orchestra Size
- Large
- Dancing
- Heavy
- Licensor
- Concord Theatricals
- Ideal For
- College/University, Community Theatre, Diverse Cast, Large Cast, Professional Theatre, Regional Theatre, Star Vehicle Female, Star Vehicle Male, Includes Young Adult, Adult, Mature Adult, Child, Early Teen, Late Teen, Elderly Characters, Small Cast
Context
Plot
Characters
| Name | Part Size | Gender | Vocal Part |
|---|---|---|---|
|
Lead |
Male |
Tenor |
|
|
Lead |
Male |
Tenor |
|
|
Lead |
Female |
Soprano, Mezzo-Soprano |
|
|
Lead |
Female |
Mezzo-Soprano |
|
|
Lead |
Male |
Tenor |
|
|
Supporting |
Female |
Mezzo-Soprano |
|
|
Ensemble |
Either Gender |
Soprano, Mezzo-Soprano, Alto, Tenor, Baritone, Bass |
Songs
Act One
- * “Concerto in F” — Orchestra, *Company
- * “I Got Rhythm” — Henri, Adam, Jerry, Company
- * “Second Prelude” — Orchestra, *Lise, *Female Ensemble
- * “I’ve Got Beginner’s Luck” — Jerry
- * “The Man I Love” — Lise
- * “Liza” — Jerry
- * “ ’S Wonderful” — Adam, Henri, Jerry, Company
- * “Shall We Dance?” — Milo
- * “Second Rhapsody/Cuban Overture” — Orchestra, *Company
Act Two
- * “Fidgety Feet” — Jerry
- * “Who Cares?” — Milo, Adam, Henri
- * “For You, For Me, For Evermore” — Lise, Henri, Jerry, Milo
- * “But Not For Me” — Adam, Milo
- * “I’ll Build a Stairway to Paradise” — Henri, Adam, Company
- * “An American in Paris” — Orchestra, *Company
- * “They Can’t Take That Away From Me” — Adam, Jerry, Henri
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
The sequence of steps and movements in dance, also the orchestrated and rehearsed movements for actors, based on the script.
The systematic genocide of six-million Jewish people during World War II.
A genre of music developed especially from ragtime and blues and characterized by syncopated rhythms, complex chords, elements of improvisation, and distortions of pitch and timbre.
The war between the Axis and the Allies, beginning on September 1, 1939, with the German invasion of Poland and ending with the surrender of Germany on May 8, 1945, and of Japan on August 14, 1945.
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