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Adding Machine: A Musical logo

Adding Machine: A Musical

Musical

Overview

Synopsis

In Adding Machine, Mr. Zero, a middle-aged accountant, is “let go” from his job after twenty-five years; he will be replaced by an adding machine. Facing a mundane and repetitious life with a shallow wife and a strained relationship with his female assistant, he murders his boss and finds himself facing execution. In the afterlife, Zero and his assistant find the romance they could never have in life, but Zero cannot reconcile his newfound happiness with his sense of justice and his new identity as murderer. In death, Zero discovers his true nature, the history of his soul, and has one final chance to find redemption. A nearly-operatic abstract score further conveys the expressionist nature of this deeply philosophical and dark commentary on the meaning of life.

Show Information

Conceived By
Based On Book By
Based on
The Adding Machine, a play by Elmer Rice
Category
Musical
Age Guidance
Youth (Y)/General Audiences (G)
Number of Acts
1
First Produced
2007
Genres
Drama
Settings
Simple/No Set
Time & Place
1920s city and afterlife
Cast Size
small
Orchestra Size
Small
Dancing
None
Licensor
Ideal For
Chamber Opera, College/University, Community Theatre, Ensemble Cast, Regional Theatre, Small Cast, Star Vehicle Male, Mostly Male Cast, Includes Adult Characters

Characters

Character Portrayals

See StageAgent members who have performed roles in Adding Machine: A Musical.

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Songs

  • Prelude - Ensemble
  • Something to Be Proud Of - Mrs. Zero
  • Harmony, Not Discord - Ensemble, Zero, Daisy
  • Office Reverie - Zero, Daisy
  • Movin' Up-in Numbers - Zero, Daisy
  • In Numbers - Zero, Ensemble
  • I'd Rather Watch You - Daisy
  • The Party - Mrs. Zero, Ensemble
  • Zero's Confession - Zero
  • Ham and Eggs! - Zero, Mrs. Zero
  • Didn't We - Zero, Mrs. Zero
  • I Was a Fool - Zero, Mrs. Zero
  • The Gospel According to Shrdlu - Shrdlu, Zero
  • Death March - Zero, Fixer
  • A Pleasant Place - Zero, Ensemble
  • Shrdlu's Blues - Shrdlu, Zero, Ensemble
  • Daisy's Confession - Zero, Daisy
  • I'd Rather Watch You (Reprise) - Zero, Daisy, Ensemble
  • Freedom! - Shrdlu, Zero, Daisy
  • In Numbers (Reprise) - Ensemble
  • Freedom! (Reprise) - Zero
  • The Music of the Machine - Zero, Daisy, Charles, Ensemble

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.

Videos

Quizzes

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