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Overview

Synopsis

In the dying days of vaudeville, a washed-up performing trio cools its heels in New York City. Dim-witted straight man George is happy to sit around reading Variety, energetic idea man Jerry is off at the movies, leaving practical May to bewail the future. When the first talking picture revolutionizes the movie business, Jerry convinces the threesome to head out West to take advantage of the filmic gold rush, and May gets the idea to pose as a diction coach, the better to fleece hordes of terrified silent movie actors who suddenly need pipes of gold to stay in the business. After a chance meeting with Helen Hobart, old friend and popular movie columnist, the trio is all set with an introduction to glamorous Glogauer Studios. But success in the movie business is a fickle friend indeed, and George, May, and Jerry must learn to navigate the ego-driven confusion and ambitious, chaotic temptation of Hollywood, or losing each other forever. Once in a Lifetime, a madcap comedy by Moss Hart and George S. Kaufman, pokes gentle fun at the shining, glamorous, ridiculous, and tacky scene that was Hollywood in the late 1920s, when the upheaval caused by talking pictures created a whole world of panic and possibility. This show is lively and upbeat, laced with wry humor and quirky characters.

Note: There are over 40 Featured and Ensemble roles in Once in a Lifetime, but with doubling, an ensemble of 22 (12 M, 10 F) should be sufficient.

Show Information

Category
Play
Age Guidance
Youth (Y)/General Audiences (G)
Number of Acts
3
First Produced
1930
Genres
Comedy
Settings
Period, Multiple Settings
Time & Place
1920s, a boarding house, a train, hollywood, california, usa
Cast Size
large
Licensor
Samuel French
Ideal For
College/University, Community Theatre, High School, Large Cast, Middle School, Professional Theatre, Regional Theatre, Mostly Male Cast, Includes Young Adult, Adult, Late Teen, Mature Adult Characters

Context

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Plot

Characters

Name Part Size Gender Vocal Part

May Daniels

Lead

Female

Spoken

George Lewis

Lead

Male

Spoken

Jerry Hyland

Lead

Male

Spoken

Helen Hobart

Supporting

Female

Spoken

Susan Walker

Supporting

Female

Spoken

Mrs. Walker

Supporting

Female

Spoken

Herman Glogauer

Supporting

Male

Spoken

Miss Leighton

Supporting

Female

Spoken

Lawrence Vail

Supporting

Male

Spoken

Rudolph Kammerling

Supporting

Male

Spoken

The Porter

Featured

Male

Spoken

Cigarette Girl

Featured

Female

Spoken

Coat Check Girl

Featured

Female

Spoken

Phyllis Fontaine

Featured

Female

Spoken

Miss Fontaine's Maid

Featured

Female

Spoken

Miss Fontaine's Chauffeur

Featured

Male

Spoken

Florabel Leigh

Featured

Female

Spoken

Miss Leigh's Maid

Featured

Female

Spoken

Miss Leigh's Chauffeur

Featured

Male

Spoken

Bellboy

Featured

Male

Spoken

Ernest

Featured

Male

Spoken

Weisskopf

Featured

Male

Spoken

Meterstein

Featured

Male

Spoken

First Electrician

Featured

Male

Spoken

Second Electrician

Featured

Male

Spoken

Mr. Flick

Featured

Male

Spoken

The Bishop

Featured

Male

Spoken

Script Girl (Miss Newton)

Featured

Female

Spoken

George's Secretary

Featured

Female

Spoken

Miss Chasen

Featured

Female

Non-singer

Scenario Writers (3)

Ensemble

Male

Spoken

Film Crew (5)

Ensemble

Male

Spoken

Bridesmaids (6)

Ensemble

Female

Spoken

Ensemble

Ensemble

Either Gender

Spoken, Silent

Songs

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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

All monologues are the property and copyright of their owners.. Monologues are presented on StageAgent for educational purposes only. If you would like to give a public performance of this monologue, please obtain authorization from the appropriate licensor.

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.

Key Terms

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Videos

Quizzes

Themes, Symbols & Motifs

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Quote Analysis

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