Origin Theatrical

 

LADY IN THE DARK

Although Liza Elliot is at the top of her field as the successful editor of a fashion magazine, her mysteriously profound lack of fulfillment frightens her into psychoanalysis. She has been unsettled by confused and fantastic dreams, the central characters of which are, in various guises, four men: her married lover, a handsome if shallow movie star, the magazine's flamboyant photographer and her chief nemesis, the cynical advertising manager. The ensuing exploration of the psychological implications of dreams makes for the most intelligent, stylish and theatrical of musicals. Uniquely structured like a straight play, the arresting score arrives in extended interludes that dramatize Liza's dreams. Ultimately, it is the memory of a haunting childhood song that she has been unable to recall that sets her free.
 

Cast Requirements: PRINCIPALS 4 Women 5 Men FEATURED 7 Women 4 Men ENSEMBLE Large singing-dancing ensemble featuring children.

Set Requirements: LADY IN THE DARK takes place in two offices and a series of dreamscapes. SPECIFIC LOCATIONS Dr. Brooks' Office; Liza Elliott's Office; Four Dream Sequences: Glamour Dream, Wedding Dream, Circus Dream, Childhood Dream

Genre / Style: Musical Drama

Rehearsal / Orchestral Material: Rehearsal Set 20 Libretto-Vocal Books 2 Piano Vocal Scores Orchestration Package (19 Books) 1 FULL SCORE I (Conductor) 1 FULL SCORE II (Conductor) 1 FULL SCORE III (Conductor) 1 PIANO 1 FLUTE (Doubles Piccolo) 1 REED I (Clarinet, Alto Sax) 1 REED II (Clarinet, Bass Clarinet, Alto Sax, Baritone Sax) 1 REED III (Oboe, Clarinet, Tenor Sax) 1 TRUMPET I 1 TRUMPET II 1 TRUMPET III 1 TROMBONE 1 ORGAN (see note below) 1 PERCUSSION (see list below) 1 VIOLIN I (Divisi) 1 VIOLIN II (Divisi) 1 CELLO I 1 CELLO II 1 BASS

Musical Numbers: My Ship, The Saga of Jenny, Girl of the Moment, Tschaikowsky, This is New, One Life to Live ..

Book by Moss Hart
Lyrics by Ira Gershwin
Music by Kurt Weill

"LADY IN THE DARK remains fascinating, its score one of the most intriguing of its period, with Gershwin contributing some of the finest stage lyrics, and Weill expanding the vocabulary of Broadway melody via his unique harmonies and rhythms."
In Theatre, 1998

"Uses the resources of the theatre magnificently and tells a compassionate story triumphantly...the finest score written for the theatre in years...the lyrics are brilliant."
The New York Times, 1941

"A witty book by Moss Hart, delicious lyrics by Ira Gershwin and a gorgeous score by Kurt Weill."
New York Daily News, 1994