LIBRETTO VOCAL BOOK. Suggested by a Film by Ingmar Bergman Originally Produced and Directed on Broadway by Harold Prince

Transcription

1 LIBRETTO VOCAL BOOK Music and Lyrics by Stephen Sondheim Book by Hugh Wheeler Suggested by a Film by Ingmar Bergman Originally Produced and Directed on Broadway by Harold Prince NOTICE: DO NOT DEFACE! Should you find ir necessary to mark cues or curs, use a soft black lead pencil only. NOT FOR SALE This book is renred for rhe period specified in your contract. Ir remains rhe properry of: Music Thearre Internarional 421 Wesr 54rh Srreer New York, NY MuSIC THEArRE 'NrERNArtONAL (212) l.:::::::=:::======== --.JI

2 MR. LINDQUIST MRS. NORDSTROM MRS. ANDERSSEN MR. ERIANSON MRS. S EX3STROM FREDRIKA ARMFErDT MADAME ARMFELDT FRID, her butler HENRIK merman ANNE EGERMAN FREDRIK merman PETRA DESIREE ARMFErDT MALIA, her maid BERTRAND, a page COUNT CARL-MAGNUS MALCOLM COUNTESS CHAR IJJTT E MA tcolm OSA CAST OF CHARACT ERS (In order of appearance) The Place: The Time: SWEDffi Turn of the century A NOTE ON THE ORIGINAL STAGING: The Broadway set for A LITTLE NIGHT MUSIC stressed a fluid merging of scenes with no cumbersome set changes. The stage was multi-level and used tracked platforms which moved the larger set preces on and off stage. Rooms were defined by furniture groupings. The basic frame for the production was screens which moved to mask actors' entrances and exits and to define new scenes. The second act was dominated by the upstage facade of Madame Armfeldt's country chateau which remained throughout the last act.

3 MUS lcal NUMB ERS ACT I "NIGHT WALTZ" COMPANY "NOW" FREDRIK "LAT ER" HENRIK "SOON" ANN E, HmRIK, FREDRIK "THE GLAMOROUS LI FE" FREDRlKA, DES IREE, MAOAME ARMFELDT, MRS. NORDSTROM, MRS. S EnSTROM, MRS. ANDERSS EN, MR. LINDQUIST, MR. ERLANSON "RF1'HMBER?" MR. LINDQUIST, MRS. NORDSTROM, MRS. S EnSTROM, MR. ERLANSON, MRS. ANDERSS m "YOU MUST MEE:!' MY WIFE" DES IREE, FREDRIK "LIAISONS" MADAME ARMFELDT "IN PRA IS E OF WOMAN" CARL-MAGNUS "E.VERY DAY A LITTLE DE1\TH" CHARLOTTE, ANNE "A WEEKEND IN THE COUNTRy" COMPANY ACT II "THE SUN WON'T SE:!''' MRS. MRS. ANDERSSm, MRS. srostrom NORDSTROM, MR. LINDQUIST, MR. ERLANSON } 1 "IT WOULD HAVE BEm WONDERFUL" FREDRIK, CARL-MAGNUS "PERPETUAL ANTICIPATION" MRS. NORDSTROM, MRS. MRS. ANDERSS m srostrom, "S END IN THE CLOWNS" DESIR EE "THE MILLER'S SON" PE:!'RA ALE COMPANY

4 1-0-1 Before the houselights are down, MR. LINDQUIST appears and sits at the piano that is squatting Stage Right. HE removes his gloves, plunks a key and begins to vocalize. MRS. NORDSTROM enters, hits a key on the piano and vocalizes with him. MRS. ANDERSSEN, MR. ERLANSON and MRS. SEGSTROM come out and join the vocalizing. E RoSSEN, ion itrom, ion, MEN LA, LA LA LA LA, LA LA LA LAU\LALA LA LA IALA GIRLS MRS. NORDSTROM THE OW DESERTED BEACH THAT WE W1\U<ED - R Elo1EMB ER? MR. ERrANSON REMEMBER? THE CAFE IN THE PARK WHERE WE TALKED REMEMBER? MRS. ANDERSSEN REMEMBER? THE TENOR ON THE BOAT THAT WE CHART ERED BEIl:HING"THE BARTERED BRIDE. h ALL AH, HOW WE LAOOHED, AH, HOW WE CRIED, ~OM :ST, MR. LINDQUIST GIRLS AND MEN AH, HOW YOU PROMISED LA LA IA U\ AND AH HOW AH I LIED. LIE LIE LIE lm, MRS. SEGSTROM THAT DILAPIDATED INN, REMEMBER, DARLING? MR. ERLANSON THE PROPRIeI'RESS' GRIN, ALSO HER GLARE. MRS. NORDSTROM YELLO GINGHAM ON THE BED REMEMBER, DARLING?

5 1-0-2 MR. LINDQUIST AND THE CANOPY IN RED, NEEDING REPAIR. ALL SOON, I PROMISE. SOON, I WON IT SHY AWAY, DEAR OLD - SOON, I WANT TO. SOON, WHATEVER YOU SAY. EVW GIRLS NOW WHW WE IRE C rose AND WE TOOCH AND YOU IRE KISSING MY BROW I DON IT MIND IT TOO MUCH. AND YOU I LL HAVE TO MEN NOW WHEN WE TOUCH TOUCHING MY BROWN AHHHH ALL ADMIT I'M ENDEARING, I HELP KEEP THINGS HUMMING, I'M NOT DOMINEERING, WHAT'S ONE SMALL SHORTCOMING? AND UNPACK THE LUGGAGE, LA LA LA PACK UP THE LUGGAGE, LA LA I.A UNPACK THE LUGGAGE, LA I.A LA HI-HO, THE GIAMOROUS LIFE. UNPACK THE LUGGAGE, LA LA LA PACK UP THE LUGGAGE, LA LA LA UNPACK THE LUGGAGE, LA LA LA HI-HO, THE GLAMOROUS LIFE. MR. LINDQUIST OTHER LIEDER AHHHHH UNPACK THE WGGAGE, LA I.A LA PACK UP THE LUGGAGE, LA LA LA MRS. NORDSTROM OTHER LIEDER UNPACK THE LUGGAGE, LA LA LA HI-HO, THE GLAMOROUS LIFE.

6 1-0-3 ALL BRING UP THE CURTAIN, LA LA LA BRING DOWN 'IH E CURTAIN, LA LA LA BRING UP THE CURTAIN, LA LA LA. HI-HO, HI-HOI FOR THE GLAMOROUS LIFE J (After the applause, the LIEBESLIEDER SINGERS start to waltz. The Show Curtain flies out, revealing the MAIN CHARACTERS doing a strangely surreal waltz of their own, in which partners change partners and recouple with others. The LIEBESLIEDER SINGERS drift up in the waltzing COUPLES, and reappear to hum accompaniment for the last ~ection of the dance. FREDRIKA wanders through the waltz, too, watching)

7 l-p-4 ACT I Prologue At the end of the Opening Waltz, MADAME ARMFELDT is brought on in her wheelchair by her butler, FRID. In her lap is a tray containing a silver cigarette box, a small vase with four yellow budroses and the cards with which SHE is playing solitaire. SHE is watched by FREDRIKA ARMFELDT, 13 a grave, very self-contained and formal girl with the precise diction of the convent-trained. FREDRIKA If you cheated a little, it would corne out. MADAME ARMFELDT (Continuing to play) Solitaire is the only thing in life that demands absolute honesty. As a woman who has numbered kings among her lovers, I think my word can be taken on that point. (SHE motions to FRID, who crosses down and lights her cigarette) What was I talking about? You said I should watch. Watch -- what? FREDRIKA HADAME ARMFELDT FREDRIKA It sounds very unlikely to me, but you said I watch for the night to smile. should MADAME ARMFELDT Everything is unlikely, dear, so don't let that deter you. Of course the summer night smiles. Three times. But how does it smile? FREDRlKA MADAME ARHFELDT Good heavens, what sort of a nanny did you have? FREDRIKA None, really. Except Mother, and the other actresses in the company -- and the stage manager.

8 P-4 z, in box, Ud SHE 3 d l-p-s ;'ladame ARliFELDT Stage managers are not nannies. They don't have the talent. FREDRIKA But if it happens -- how does it happen? HADAME ARMFELDT You get a feeling. Suddenly tile jasmine starts to smell stronger, then a frog croaks -- then all the stars in Orion wink. Don't squeeze your bosoms against the chair, dear. It'll stunt their growth. And then where would,you be? FREDRlKA But why does it smile, Grandmother? tiadame ARMFELDT At the follies of human beings, of course. The first smile smiles at the young, who know nothing. (SHE looks pointedly at FREDRlKA) The second, at the fools who know too little, like Desiree. Mother isn't a fool. FREDRIKA MADAME ARMFELDT (Going right on) Urn hmrn. And the third at the old who know too much - like me. (The game is over without coming out. Annoyed at the cards, ~~DAME ARMFELDT scatters them at random, and barks at FRID) Frid, time for my nap. FREDRIKA (Intrigued in spite of herself, gazes out at the summer night) Grandmother, might it really smile tonight? I 1ADAME ARMFELDT Why not? Now, practice your piano, dear, preferably with the soft pedal down. And as a treat tonight at dinner, I shall tell you amusing stories about my liaison with the Baron de Signac, who was, to put it mildly, peculiar. (FRIO wheels her off Left, and FREDRIKA goes to sit at the piano)

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