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
- Music
- Galt MacDermot
- 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
- Licensor
- Tams Witmark Music Library
- 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 |
|---|---|---|---|
|
Lead |
Female |
Mezzo-Soprano, Alto |
|
|
Lead |
Male |
Tenor |
|
|
Lead |
Male |
Tenor |
|
|
Lead |
Female |
Mezzo-Soprano |
|
|
Supporting |
Female |
Mezzo-Soprano |
|
|
Supporting |
Male |
Tenor |
|
|
Supporting |
Male |
Baritone |
|
|
Supporting |
Male |
Baritone |
|
|
Supporting |
Male |
Baritone |
|
|
Featured |
Male |
Spoken |
|
|
Featured |
Male |
Baritone |
|
|
Featured |
Female |
Soprano |
|
|
Featured |
Female |
Mezzo-Soprano, Alto |
|
|
Featured |
Male |
Spoken |
|
|
Featured |
Either Gender |
Silent |
|
|
Ensemble |
Either Gender |
Soprano, Alto, Tenor, Baritone |
|
|
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
Scenes
Key Terms
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Videos
Quizzes
Themes, Symbols & Motifs
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