Fa La La Land A Creative Musical For Young Voices by Teresa Jennings & Karl Hitzemann CHARACTERS: The Mayors of Fa La La Land: Mayor Deputy Mayor Vice Mayor Assistant Mayor Executive Mayor (and, oh yeah...) Mr. Mayor The Composers of Fa La La Land (any number, 4 speaking) The Lyricists of Fa La La Land (any number, 4 speaking) Maestro Julie (or John) Conductor The Maestro s assistants: Handel Bach A group of tourists visiting Fa La La Land (any number, none speaking) Fa La La Land townspeople (any number, none speaking) SETTING: Fa La La Land - The magical place where holiday songs come to life. TIME: Present day OPENING SONG: A Musical Time Of Year During the opening song, the mayors, tourists, and townspeople are milling about while singing. The Composers and Lyricists can be on stage to help boost the singing, but should be off stage by the end of the song. The Maestro and her entourage are on stage yet. 1
A Musical Time Of Year spirited march (Î.=112) & bb b 8 6 4 Å 5 4 Å 9 6 Teresa Jennings % Å repeat on d.s. also 15 & bb f b.... It s Time a for mu - mu - si - si - cal cal time songs of of year! cheer! & bb b Å 19. It s Time a for mu - mu - si - si - cal cal. time songs of of year! cheer!. J Fa ı 23 & bb b J la la la la la la la. Fa la la la la la la la. Fa? & bb b.. la la la la mu - si - cal time of year! & bb b la la la la to coda (after repeat on d.s.) mu - si - cal songs fi J of ı 33. cheer! Teacher s Part in Teacher s Handbook, Page 4 2017 Plank Road Publishing, Inc. Intertiol Copyright Secured All Rights Reserved 2
& bb b. The A Musical Time Of Year ı 37... es hearts are are. swirl - fill - ing ing J round and round a hap - our py & bb b. heads. sound. We We? spoken, sim - ply have to sing a mer - ry tune. optiol «Merry tune! & bb b. & bb b vo - cal - ize, we Our croon. opt., half-spoken «sing, ı 48 (big scoop, hard exaggerated n ) we belt,. we Í fi coda. & bb b. cheer! J Fa ı 54 J la la la la la la la. Fa la la la la & bb b la la la. Fa ı 58... la la. la. A. J mu - si - cal & bb b time of ı 64. year! A mu -si - cal time J of year! 3
After the opening song, the mayors, townspeople, and tourists should form two groups center stage. In lieu of a group of tourists, the mayors can be speaking to the audience. In other words, the audience can be treated as though they are the tourists who are visiting Fa La La Land. Mayor: (speaking to the audience or group of tourists visiting Fa La La Land or both) Hello! Welcome to our city! I am the mayor of Fa La La Land. Deputy Mayor: Hi there! Welcome! I am the deputy mayor of Fa La La Land. Vice Mayor: Good to see you all! I am the vice mayor of Fa La La Land. Assistant Mayor: Greetings, greetings! I am the assistant mayor of our fair city. Executive Mayor: So glad you could all come! I am the executive mayor. Mr. Mayor: Howdy! People around here call me Mr. Mayor! Deputy Mayor: He s really one of the mayors here. Vice Mayor: No, he certainly is! Deputy Mayor: His last me ust happens to be Mayor. All Mayors except Mr. Mayor: (ad lib, shaking their heads, rolling their eyes, mumbling) Oh, brother. Good grief. MISTER Mayor, huh!!, etc. Assistant Mayor: ANYway... as you know, here in Fa La La Land we write wonderful songs! Executive Mayor: Wonderful holiday songs. Mayor: Yes, Fa La La Land is the magical place where holiday songs come to life! Deputy Mayor: Soon we will introduce you to our amazing team of Composers. Vice Mayor: They write the melodies! Assistant Mayor: And our equally amazing team of Lyricists. Executive Mayor: They write the words! Mayor: But first, we have a surprise for you! Mr. Mayor: Oh, I ust love surprises! Deputy Mayor: Yes, don t we all. Mr. Mayor: It was a total surprise when I became one of the mayors of this great city! Vice Mayor: You re one of the mayors! You re me is ust may... Oh, never mind. 4
Assistant Mayor: ANYway, as you may know, a famous maestro is coming to conduct our newest holiday hit! Executive Mayor: And you all will get to meet her! Tourists/Townspeople: (ad lib ooh s and ah s) How exciting! I wonder who? That s so cool., etc. Mayor: She comes from a far-off, exotic land called Mil-wau-kee. (or any town you want) Tourists/Townspeople: (ad lib more ooh s, ah s, and wow s) Deputy Mayor: Yes, her (or his) me is Julie (or John) Conductor. Vice Mayor: Wait, she s... Maestro Conductor? Assistant Mayor: Yes, I guess go. Executive Mayor: So, Conductor Maestro... Mr. Mayor: Maestro Conductor. Executive Mayor: Oh, yes, Maestro Conductor will be here soon. But first! Mayor: As promised... Deputy Mayor: Let us introduce you to our very talented song writers! Vice Mayor: Our Composers and Lyricists! Applause and cheers as the Composers and Lyricists walk out. SONG: Music Is Our Thing 5
Music Is Our Thing drums set-up medium swing - coolio (Î=130) Å 5 +sps cont. sim. throughout & # 4 2 # c. Å 9 f. Ó Teresa Jennings Ó Mu-sic Lyr-ics, is our mel-o- & # # Ó thing. dies. Å 13. Mu - Chords Ó sic and Ó you can har - mo - Ó sing. nies. We write the We write the & # Å % 17 #. Ó (1.) (2.) (3.) mu - mu - mu - sic. sic. sic. It s We It s what play what we and we Ó do. sing. do. We We We write write write the the the & # Å 21 to coda (after d.s.) #. Ó Ó. (1.) (2.) (3.) mu - mu - mu - sic. sic. sic. We Cause We write it s write for our for fi you. thing.? & # # Í 3. We write the fi coda & # F # Ó you. We write for you. Ó P & # # ı 30 p Ó We write for you. We write for Ó you. Ó Teacher s Part in Teacher s Handbook, Page 12 2017 Plank Road Publishing, Inc. Intertiol Copyright Secured All Rights Reserved 6
All of the Composers always speak in a sing-song way (optiol). The Lyricists speak in rhyme. Composer 1: We write the music for the songs here at Fa La La Land. Composer 2: We fill the air melodies! Composer 3: Beautiful music that gives the lyrics life! Composer 4: We have a wonderful time working our friends, the Lyricists! Composers: (ad lib) Yes indeed! They re awesome! Great friends! Couldn t do it out them!, etc. Lyricist 1: Our composer friends are ust amazing! Lyricist 2: Their music and our words make a nice blend. Lyricist 3: And it s really nice that we can say... Lyricist 4: They are also our very, very good friends! Lyricists: (ad lib) Yup, great people! Very talented! Fun to work! We make a great team it would seem!, etc. Mayor: As you can see, these are wonderful folks! Deputy Mayor: Yes, yes. Very wonderful. Vice Mayor: We re really looking forward to your newest holiday song! Assistant Mayor: Right! Can t wait to hear it! Executive Mayor: And Conductor Maestro... Mr. Mayor: Maestro Conductor. Executive Mayor: Er, ah, Maestro Conductor will be here soon to conduct it! Tourists/Townspeople: (ad lib) I can t wait! Very exciting! I wonder what it will sound like! This is so cool!, etc. Composer 1: We re working on it. Composer 2: We ll have something ready very soon. Composer 3: It takes us a little longer, Composer 4: Because the melody is the most important part of the song! 7
Composers: (ad lib) That s true! You re right! Can t have a song out a melody! I think we can all agree on that!, etc. The Lyricists can t believe what they are hearing. They had no idea the Composers felt this way. They, of course, feel that their part is more important. Lyricist 1: Excuse me... What did you say?? Lyricist 2: You couldn t possibly be more wrong! Lyricist 3: Without our fabulous poetry... Lyricist 4: You wouldn t have a complete song! Lyricists: (ad lib) That s right! Who do they think they are?! Are they kidding?! Unbelievable!, etc. Mayor: Friends, friends! Let s fight! Deputy Mayor: You re all very important. Vice Mayor: Now let s get together and write that new holiday song. Assistant Mayor: Because Conductor Maestro... Mr. Mayor: Maestro Conductor. Assistant Mayor: Er, ah, whatever it is... will be here soon! Mayor: And she ll want to hear it! Composer 1: There is no way I am going to work them. Composer 2: Let s see how well they do out a melody! Composer 3: Yeah! No melody, no song! Composer 4: Maybe we ll ust have a holiday song OUT words! Mayors and Tourists/Townspeople: (ad lib, some gasping) Oh my! Oh dear This is awful! What a terrible situation!, etc. Lyricist 1: Ha! I d like to see you try! Lyricist 2: You can t have a song out words! Lyricist 3: That would be ridiculous! Lyricist 4: And totally and utterly absurd! 8
Mayors and Tourists/Townspeople: (ad lib, more gasping) Oh, oh! This isn t good. What about the holiday song? Can t we all ust get along?!, etc. Mayor: Please, please! Let s work this out! Deputy Mayor: For the sake of our city. Vice Mayor: If we don t have a new song, that would... Assistant Mayor: Well, that would be a pity. The other mayors look at him in surprise. Assistant Mayor: Sorry, I guess it s sort of contagious. Mr. Mayor: (in a sing-song way, like the Composers) Yes, I know what you mean! Mayor: Oh, brother! Deputy Mayor: Please, Composers... Lyricists... Let s work this out. Composers and Lyricists: (ad lib, attitude) No way! We re done here! Forget it! I m working them! No more! Ha! Not if my life depended on it! They can if they want, but me!, etc. SONG: Not With Me 9
Not With Me (very, very loosely based on Deck The Halls) -so-merrily (Ï=63; Î=126) 4 & bc Å 5 adapted/arr. Teresa Jennings 4 Å 9 & b. 1. 2. 3. 3 times f Deck Keep Fast the your a - halls blaz - way or ing your do yule own what - ev - to your - o - pin - er. self. ion. (nb) Na Na Na,,, # me. me. me. Å 13 & b (1.) (2.) (3.) Tis Strike Hail the the your - sea - harp. self son, Or a blah. blah Who blah. cares? diff r - ent part - ner. (nb) Na Na Na,,, # me. me. me. Å 17 & b No fa la la, no ho ho ho. Å 21 & b (1.) (2.) (3.) Troll You Heed - your can less own have of new your your yule - tide yule - tide noise and car - ol. trea - sure. blath - er. (nb) (nb) No way, nuh - uh, Na Na Na,,, nev-er nev-er, nope! me! me! me! raspberry, optiol 1., 2. 3. & b. ı 28 You can deck the & b halls, but w w me! Ó *raspberry, Ó opt. *opt. say nope! instead Teacher s Part in Teacher s Handbook, Page 19 2017 Plank Road Publishing, Inc. Intertiol Copyright Secured All Rights Reserved 10
Maestro Conductor and her entourage arrive on the stage after the song has ended. Maestro: Hello, everyone! It is I, Maestro Julie (or John) Conductor! Mayor: Oh! Conductor Maestro! You re here already! Deputy Mayor: (said to the other mayors) Oh dear! What are we going to do?? Vice Mayor: (said to the other mayors) The song isn t even close to being ready! Maestro: Please let me introduce you to my assistants, Handel and Bach. Bach: Hi everyone! We ust flew in from Milwaukee... Handel: And gee, are our arms tired! All: (big groan) Handel: Wow, I guess that oke was kind of flat! Bach: I don t know, I thought it was pretty sharp! All: (bigger groan) Maestro: ( meaning to make a pun) Okay, that s enough you two. I don t want you causing any treble! All: (even bigger groan) Maestro: Oops. Sorry about that. Well, I am soooo excited about conducting your latest holiday hit! Mayor: Yes, well, I m afraid... Deputy Mayor: You see, there s been... Vice Mayor: We have a problem! Maestro: Oh no! What s wrong? Assistant Mayor: Well, our Composers and Lyricists are refusing to work together! Executive Mayor: They got into a big fight about who is more important. Mayor: The Composers think that their melodies are the most important part of the song. Deputy Mayor: And the Lyricists think that their words are the most important part of a song. 11
Maestro: Oh no, this is very serious. Handel: Eh, it ust sounds like a minor setback to me. Bach: I don t know, sounds like a maor development to me! All: (big groan) Maestro: Handel, Bach, you really should try to scale back your okes. All: (bigger groan) Maestro: Oh, right. Sorry again. Mayor: Conductor Maestro... Mr. Mayor: Maestro Conductor... Mayor: Is there anything you can do to help us? Maestro: Well, I can certainly try. Let me see... You think you are more important, and you think that you are more important. Composer 1: Yes, it s pretty obvious... Composer 2: Our melodies make the song. Composer 3: Without us... Composer 4: They wouldn t have any music for their words. Lyricist 1: But the words to a song are so important. Lyricist 2: It s the only way to understand the meaning. Lyricist 3: Without the amazing words we write... Lyricist 4: A song ust wouldn t be at all appealing! Maestro: But can t you see that you are both equally important? Deputy Mayor: Yes! That is so true! Maestro: You need each other. Assistant Mayor: Absolutely! Maestro: Why, you go together like butter and toast... 12
Executive Mayor: Like peas in a pod... Maestro: Like eggs and bacon... Mr. Mayor: Like mashed potatoes and gravy! Handel: Anybody else gettin hungry? Bach: (nodding yes vigorously) No doubt! Maestro: (looks sternly at Handel and Bach then turns to the Composers and Lyricists) Don t you think your friendship is worth working this out? Lyricist 1: We don t know what to say... Lyricist 2: We hadn t thought of it that way... Composer 3: I didn t realize how much we need each other. Composer 4: We forgot that we re a team and we need to get along. SONG: When We Get Along 13
When We Get Along bell tree & # # forgivingly (Î=98) 4 Å 5 4 Karl Hitzemann P & # Å 9 solo (optiol) # We had a friend - ship, a bond that was strong. & # Å 13 # Talk - ing and laugh - ing each day. & # Å 17 # We liked each oth - er, and we got a - long. & # Å # 21 Seems like we ve now lost our way. 3 ı % 27 all F & # # Å 31 Some -times We have we a say things friend - ship, that a we bond do that is mean. strong. Feel - ings Talk - ing get and Teacher s Part in Teacher s Handbook, Page 26 2017 Plank Road Publishing, Inc. Intertiol Copyright Secured All Rights Reserved 14
When We Get Along & # # ı 35 hurt, laugh - yes ing that s each true. day. Al - We ways like re - each mem - oth - ber, er, we re and & # # still we a get great a - team. long. to coda (after d.s.) fi ı 39 These are things we can work through. ı 43 f & # # Mu - sic and lyr - ics com - bine in a song. & # ı # 47 But that can t hap - pen if we don t get a - long. Í fi & # coda # Let s try to right this wrong. & # ı # 57 Things ust work bet - ter when we get a - long. & # # rit. solo (opt.) When we get a - long. U 15
After the song ends, the Composers and Lyricists shake hands, hug, fist bump, high five, etc. Composer 1: When we work together... Composer 2: The results are much better. Composer 3: We ll have differences from time to time, Composer 4: But our friendship is far more important. Lyricist 1: On that we can all agree. Lyricist 2: And now since we all get along, Lyricist 3: We d better get at it, Lyricist 4: And write that new holiday song! Mayors and Tourists/Townspeople: (ad lib) Hooray! Alright! That s wonderful! Oh, thank goodness!, etc. The Composers and Lyricists move into a huddle. We hear lots of talking and singing. If possible, have them move to a piano or keyboard and start playing various es and chords. Hint at song to come in these ad libs, maybe sing a little Good, good... or a bass line suggestion, or even the claps. SOUND: Piano SFX Maestro: Ooooh, I can t wait to conduct their new song! Handel: Well, looks like everything is Bach to normal! Bach: I hope everyone can Handel it! Maestro: You two really need to be more quiet. Handel and Bach: Sorry. Being quiet isn t our forte! Maestro: Oh, give it a rest! Mayors and Tourists/Townspeople: (ad lib) Hey, that one was pretty good! Not bad! I think she needs a new staff!, etc. The Composers and Lyricists come out of their huddle. Composers and Lyricists: (one of them holds score paper) We ve got it!! Mayors and Tourists/Townspeople: (ad lib cheers and sounds of happiness) The Composers and Lyricists walk the score over to the Maestro. 16
Composers: We worked together... Lyricists: To get the ob done. Composers and Lyricists: And now we have a song that says... ALL: Happy Holidays, everyone!!! Maestro Conductor conducts everyone during the file. FINALE: Good, Good Holiday Feelings! BOW MUSIC: Reprise: Good, Good Holiday Feelings! The End! 17 2017 Plank Road Publishing, Inc.
Good, Good Holiday Feelings! drums set-up light rock - oyfully! (Î=144) & # 4 # c Å 5 4 Å 9 claps Teresa Jennings Å 13 f% & # # Good, good, good, good! & # # w. Yeah yeah yeah yeah yeah! Å 17 repeat on d.s. also (claps cont.) Here Jump it comes, right in that hol - i-day hol - i-day feel - feel - ing. ing. & # # Here Jump it comes, right in that hol - i-day hol - i-day oy. oy. Å 21 Clap Fill your hands your heart hol - i-day hol - i-day spir - spir - it. it. & # shout «#. Make Come a on, hap - raise py your? stop claps noise! Yeah! voice! & # ı 26 repeat on d.s. # also. w. Let your - self Hap - pi - ness oin has in ust the be - fun. gun.? Let your - self feel light. Teacher s Part in Teacher s Handbook, Page 33 2017 Plank Road Publishing, Inc. Intertiol Copyright Secured All Rights Reserved 18
Good, Good Holiday Feelings! & # # Let your heart take flight! (nb) Oh! ı 33 (+claps, optiol) Good, good hol - & # # ı 37 i - day feel - ings! Awe - some, mer - ry, o - kay! Good, good hol - & # # i-day feel-ings! to coda (after d.s.) Won-drous, hap-py fi Å 41 claps hol - i - day! Ó & # # Í fi coda & # # hol - i - ı 46 day! Good, good hol - & # # ı 50 i - day feel - ings! Awe - some, mer - ry, o - kay! Good, good hol - & # # i - day feel - ings. Won - drous, hap - py w hol - & # # w i - ı 56 divisi, opt. w w day! w w «shout! Hap - py hol - i-days! sing To div., opt. shout «you! Yeah! 19