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Overview

Synopsis

Childhood best friends Valentine and Proteus are handsome, well-to-do young gentleman, living in beautiful, rural Verona. Intelligent, ambitious Valentine heads off to Milan, intent on making a splash in the big city, while quiet, love-struck Proteus is content to stay at home and pursue the fair and fiery Julia. Seemingly more interested in farming than romance, Julia falls for Proteus on the eve of his own departure, when his father insists he follow Valentine to Milan to get an education. Proteus sets out for the wider world, and when Julia discovers that she is pregnant, she takes the clothes off of her own scarecrow and, with her best friend Lucetta, dresses as a man to brave the dangerous journey to Milan. Stars are crossed and hearts are broken in the big city, when Valentine falls for seductive Silvia, daughter of Milan’s powerful Duke, who is engaged to rich and ridiculous Thurio. No sooner do Valentine and Silvia make a plan to elope, than Proteus, arriving in town, begins to covet his best friend’s girl, and reveals the plot to the Duke, who sends Valentine off to war. The coast is clear for Proteus, who hires two boys -- Julia and Lucetta in disguise, to plead his case to Silvia. Will Valentine defeat Proteus? Will Valentine and Proteus defeat Eglamour -- Silvia’s third lover? Will Julia keep the baby? William Shakespeare’s tangled, problematic quartet of love and friendship, Two Gentlemen of Verona, gets a new flavor with this Tony Award-winning rock musical reboot, a celebration of love in all of its bawdy, joyful, confusing, ridiculous, complicated glory. Galt McDermot infuses his score with Latin beats and a soulful, Motown sound to create vibrant and vivacious tunes, and John Guare’s cleverly streamlined book keeps the story on its toes and lets the music shine.

Show Information

Book
John Guare
Lyrics
John Guare
Based on the Play/Book/Film
Based on the play, Two Gentlemen of Verona, by William Shakespeare
Category
Musical
Age Guidance
Thirteen Plus (PG-13)
Number of Acts
2
First Produced
1971
Genres
Comedy, Romance
Settings
Period, Fantasy/Imaginary, Multiple Settings
Time & Place
renaissance, baroque, 1970s, once upon a time, italy, verona, milan, a forest
Cast Size
large
Orchestra Size
Rock Combo
Dancing
Some Dance
Ideal For
College/University, Community Theatre, Diverse Cast, Professional Theatre, Regional Theatre, Mostly Male Cast, Includes Late Teen, Young Adult, Adult, Mature Adult Characters, Large Cast

Context


Plot


Characters

Name Part Size Gender Vocal Part

Silvia

Lead

Female

Mezzo-Soprano, Alto

Proteus

Lead

Male

Tenor

Valentine

Lead

Male

Tenor

Julia

Lead

Female

Mezzo-Soprano

Lucetta

Supporting

Female

Mezzo-Soprano

Thurio

Supporting

Male

Tenor

Speed

Supporting

Male

Baritone

Launce

Supporting

Male

Baritone

Duke of Milan

Supporting

Male

Baritone

Antonio

Featured

Male

Spoken

Eglamour

Featured

Male

Baritone

Soprano

Featured

Female

Soprano

Milkmaid

Featured

Female

Mezzo-Soprano, Alto

Tavern Host

Featured

Male

Spoken

Crab

Featured

Either Gender

Silent

Black Passion Quartet

Ensemble

Either Gender

Soprano, Alto, Tenor, Baritone

Citizens of Verona and Milan

Ensemble

Either Gender

Soprano, Alto, Tenor, Baritone

Songs

Act One

  • Love in Bloom/Summer, Summer - Thurio, Ensemble
  • That’s a Very Interesting Question - Proteus, Valentine
  • I’d Like to Be a Rose - Proteus
  • Love Has Driven Me Sane - Proteus
  • Thou Hast Metamorphosed Me - Proteus, Ensemble
  • I’m Not Interested in Love - Julia, Male Ensemble
  • Love, Is That You? - Thurio, Soprano
  • What Does a Lover Pack? - Proteus, Julia, Ensemble
  • Pearls - Launce
  • Loving - Proteus
  • Two Gentlemen of Verona - Julia, Lucetta, Female Ensemble
  • Follow the Rainbow - Proteus, Valentine, Launce, Speed, Julia, Lucetta
  • Where’s North? - The Company
  • Bring All the Boys Back Home - Duke, Ensemble
  • Love’s Revenge - Valentine
  • To Whom It May Concern - Silvia, Valentine
  • Night Letter - Silvia, Valentine
  • Love’s Revenge (Reprise) - Valentine, Proteus, Launce, Speed
  • Calla Lily Lady - Proteus

Act Two

  • We Come From the Land of Betrayal - Lucetta
  • Thurio’s Samba - Thurio, Duke, Ensemble
  • Hot Lover - Launce, Speed
  • What a Nice Idea - Julia, Lucetta, Tavern Host
  • Who Is Silvia? - Proteus, Ensemble
  • Love Me - Silvia
  • Eglamour - Silvia, Eglamour
  • Where Is Silvia? (Kidnapped) - Duke, Ensemble
  • You Live in the Mansion - Valentine
  • Howl (alternate to “Mansion”) - Valentine
  • What’s a Nice Girl Like Her - Proteus
  • Don’t Have the Baby - Julia, Lucetta, Launce, Speed
  • Thurio’s Samba (Reprise) - Thurio, Lucetta
  • Milkmaid - Launce, Milkmaid
  • Love Has Driven Me Sane (Reprise, Finale) - 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

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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.

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