How to Make a Musical

Musical comedy. Book by Marc Jacobs. Music by Craig Bohmler. Lyrics by Marion Adler.

Cast: 3m., 2w., 1 either gender. How to Make a Musical is a tuneful, dazzling farce that shows us how musicals can change the everyday mundane to magical moments! The Professor, our musical guide, is going to teach "How to Make a Musical." He picks Chris, a "random" student, out of the audience and takes him through a day at his school, showing him each scene both as it would be in real life and how it would be played in a musical. Chris arrives at school and bumps into Jessica. Their dialogue is nothing unusual, but, when repeated in song ("Why Didn't I See You Before?"), phrases like "Whatcha do last night?" become fraught with subtext. Catholic Chris is in love with Jewish Jessica, whose parents can't forgive him for losing control of his car and wrecking her brother's bar mitzvah. Jessica is drawn to Chris' nemesis, Bruno, the school quarterback. When the Professor says it is time for the "I want" number, Chris bursts into "What I Want Is the Girl," vowing to win Jessica against all odds. The Professor introduces our "Character Couple": Monica, the school reporter, and Julian, the science nerd. They detest each other, so, of course, they are destined to end up together ("Fall in Love"). Next, we see all five students in class with the Professor. The subject, Great Lovers Through History, is explored in that musical comedy staple, the list song ("Great Lovers Score"). Bruno declares he will get Jessica, score the touchdown and become a Jew to please her parents… all today after school! Chris is heartbroken, but the Professor explains that conflict is necessary in a musical. Bruno is on the football field, annihilating the competition; Jessica is cheerleading, and Chris is in the bleachers with Julian and Monica ("The Big Game"). Monica notices Bruno has a rabbi waiting in the end zone so that Bruno can become a Jew as soon as he scores the winning point. Unbeknownst to Chris, Bruno had sabotaged Chris' brake cables the day of the bar mitzvah. This blatant plot device is explained by the Professor in a lecture on—what else?—plot devices. Chris exposes Bruno, accidentally scores the touchdown himself, wins Jessica, and gains her parents' approval. An ordinary-into-extraordinary day is yours in this fun, irreverent musical. Bare stage with props. Approximate running time: 50 minutes.

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Characters

The Professor............an expert on theatre............................................................Pax Bernhardt

Chris Barnes..............an average student............................................................Ty McCain

Jessica....................the school's prettiest cheerleader........................................Hannah Rowland

Bruno Pounder..........the school's star quarterback.............................................Paxton King

Julian Krebbs............Chris' best friend--a science geek......................................Joshua Joyce

Monica Mayhem....... Jessica's best friend--the school reporter..........................Chelsea Crouch

The School Mates..............................................................................................Noradino Rodriguez, Brandy Maine, Dylan McLeod, Victoria Crouch, Tara VanKleef, Nathan Ehling

The Professor's Crew........................................................................................Emily Borchert, Harley Fender, Caleb Rogers, Holden Staten