A Minister's Wife (Musical) Plot & Characters

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Synopsis

A Minister’s Wife is a new chamber musical, based on George Bernard Shaw’s play, Candida. It is set in London at the end of the 19th century and hones in on the marriage of the Reverend James Morell and his wife, Candida. However, all is not as it seems, as into their marriage comes the poet, Eugene Marchbanks. He is young, idealistic, and desperate to win the love of the beautiful and strong-willed Candida. A spirited socialist and moralist, Rev. Morell has let his marriage to Candida take care of itself whilst he passionately advocates change and reform in London society. Happy to see his wife upon her brief return from the country, he initially misjudges Marchbanks’ position within his marriage. While Rev. Morell focuses on preparing a speech for the Guild of St. Matthew with his secretary, Prosperine (Prossy) Garnett, and his curate, Rev. Alexander (Lexy) Mill, Eugene Marchbanks admits that he is in love with Candida. When Prossy admits to Marchbanks that she is in love with Rev. Morell, Marchbanks is devastated to realize that Candida may also really love her husband. Aware that his marriage is now under threat, Rev. Morell leaves his wife alone with Marchbanks as a test of their marriage. Marchbanks is a smitten lapdog as he desperately repeats his declarations of love to Candida. When Rev. Morell insists his wife chooses between him and the poet, Candida plays with the affections of both men before choosing to stay with her husband. Crushed, Marchbanks disappears “Into the Night”, leaving the Reverend and his wife alone to repair their marriage.

Show Information

Book: Austin Pendleton

Music: Joshua Schmidt

Lyrics: Jan Levy Tranen

Conceived By: Michael Halberstam

Based On Book By: George Bernard Shaw

Based on the Play/Book/Film: Candida

Category: Musical

Age Guidance: Youth (Y)/General Audiences (G)

Number of Acts: 1

First Produced: 2009

Genres: Drama

Settings: Period, Unit/Single Set

Time & Place: london, england, 1890s

Cast Size: small

Orchestra Size: Small

Dancing: Optional

Licensor: Concord Theatricals

Ideal For: College/University, Professional Theatre, Regional Theatre, Small Cast, Mostly Male Cast, Includes Adult, Young Adult Characters

Lead Characters

View all characters in A Minister's Wife

Context

Plot

Characters

Name	Part Size	Gender	Vocal Part
The Reverend James Mavor Morell	Lead	Male	Baritone
Eugene Marchbanks	Lead	Male	Tenor
Candida Morell	Lead	Female	Mezzo-Soprano
The Reverend Alexander Mill	Supporting	Male	Baritone
Miss Prosperine (Prossy) Garnett	Supporting	Female	Mezzo-Soprano

Songs

A Fine October Morning - Rev. Morell, Prossy Garnett & Rev. Lexy Mill

Sermon - Rev. Morell, Prossy Garnett & Rev. Lexy Mill

The Hoxton Freedom Group… - Rev. Morell & Prossy Garnett

Candida’s Coming Home - Rev. Morell, Prossy Garnett & Candida Morell

Enchantment - Rev. Morell, Prossy Garnett, Rev. Lexy Mill, Candida Morell & Eugene Marchbanks

In Response - Prossy Garnett & Rev. Lexy Mill

Stagger Me, My Boy… - Rev. Morell & Eugene Marchbanks

The First Preaching Match: The Love of a Fool - Rev. Morell & Eugene Marchbanks

Kingdom of Heaven - Rev. Morell & Eugene Marchbanks

Is It Like This for Her Here Always? - Rev. Morell & Eugene Marchbanks

Shy, Shy, Shy - Prossy Garnett & Eugene Marchbanks

Isn’t He Foolish? - Prossy Garnett & Rev. Morell

Shallops and Scrubbing Brushes - Candida Morell & Eugene Marchbanks

Off to the Guild of St. Matthew - Rev. Morell, Prossy Garnett, Rev. Lexy Mill, Candida Morell & Eugene Marchbanks

At the Gate of Heaven - Eugene Marchbanks & Candida Morell

Candida, Candida! - Eugene Marchbanks & Candida Morell

The Man Candida Married… - Rev. Morell & Eugene Marchbanks

The Second Preaching Match - Rev. Morell, Eugene Marchbanks & Candida

Champagne - Rev. Morell, Prossy Garnett, Rev. Lexy Mill & Candida Morell

I Am to Choose, Am I? - Rev. Morell, Eugene Marchbanks & Candida

The Bids for Candida - Rev. Morell, Eugene Marchbanks & Candida

Spoiled From the Cradle - Rev. Morell, Eugene Marchbanks & Candida

Into the Night - Rev. Morell, Prossy Garnett, Rev. Lexy Mill, Candida Morell & Eugene Marchbanks

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.