.LOVE

 

Two Act Musical 

for Soprano, Baritone & Piano 

 

by Richard Jennings

w/additional lyrics by TedNewman

 

Maybe that high school sweetheart was my soul mate after all....

 

Middle aged and looking for love online.

 

In modern musical theatre style, the show is mostly sung. There is no set with minimal costumes, lighting and props.

 

“BRILLIANT!”

“I saw my life.”   “A great musical!”   

 

"You've captured a generation."

 

"It was wonderful - creative, entertaining,

good portrayal of full lives, great music,

living our own 'history'. “ 

 

“I was humming the tunes all the way home.”

 

“It’s unexpected The way the rhythm and melodies interact,.

 It goes places you don’t anticipate. I had to sit up and say 

OK, I’ll pay attention and go with this. We enjoyed it very much.”

 

“You really hit on a lot of my emotions

with the lyrics in these songs.”

 

 “I could totally see myself in each scene”

 

“I loved the music!”     "I cried"  

 

“This is genius! “     

 

"It was a warm and wonderful show."

 

“I got it!    "A memorable night."

 

“I really loved the song about the daughter

...so lovely and tender.”

 

"You caught so many life... what shall I call them?

.. hazards so well."

 

“Your piano accompaniments are always interesting

and have wonderful energy and flow."

 

SYNOPSIS

ACT ONE

Traversing the aisles in the same grocery, He and She are interrupted several times by phone calls that reveal their complicated adult lives: He is a music professor, up for Dean and a single dad with an almost adult daughter. Shes an editor of the local newspaper. Her ex husband is undependable and is teaching their daughter questionable values. Their shopping carts almost collide, but diverted they do not meet. Each goes home to check on their latest computer match. Disappointed, they ask Is that all? Is love over in this life Their thoughts drift back to childhood as we follow them through their lives together and apart starting when they met on the playground at age 5 and played Doctor. Getting older, puberty arrives with confusion. In High School, they become close friends for a while before sexual tension causes them to part. Separately, they experience college life until they meet and bond with intensity and set up house. She becomes pregnant. He withdraws, confusing her. She has an abortion, thinking thats what he wants. That was not his intention. Somehow, they dont have much to say to each other. They break up.

 

ACT TWO

In middle age now, they live separate lives, single in the same city. Both are shopping in the same grocery. Their shopping is interrupted several times by phone calls that expose their complicated adult lives: Hes getting pressure to cover for the sick Dean. His daughter wants to drop out of college and travel. She writes for the local newspaper. Her child is rude and her husband verbally abuses her constantly. Their shopping carts almost collide, but diverted, they do not meet. He feels lonely and frustrated by the dating scene. He finds the online dating world difficult. She feels trapped and finds solace from Salsa dancing. When her husband is caught soliciting sex online, she is happy to end the marriage. He explores more dating websites. She examines her life decisions and looks forward. Each separately decides to try one more online matchmaker... .love. They make a connection and a date for coffee with their online match. She is enthusiastic but has doubts about getting back into the dating scene. She gets a call from her ex, trying to wiggle out of his time with their daughter. She is firm but the conversation reveals just how fragile her life is. It upsets her deeply. As he is about to go out his door, he gets a call from the University President, informing him that his mentor, the Dean, has died. The President is appointing him Dean of Fine Arts. He is humbled. They both are a little taken aback and they wonder why they are forging out into the world to try something new when their lives are already so full and complicated. They conclude, Im alive. Taking a deep breath, they go to meet their online match. Standing in line to get coffee, they recognize each other. They talk. There is much affection and interest. After polite and personal conversation, they realize they are the match. Tentatively, they embrace.

 

 

 

 

 

I