By C. Stephen Foster, Chuck Pelletier, and Rod Damer
John, Cliff, Anna, and Divonne live out their complicated lives in the green room of their school's theatre department. Both hilarious and heartwarming, this modern musical gives an authentic account of the struggles these four college theatre majors have in finding their place in the world. The rock-infused pop score includes the outrageous anthem to virility “Nothing Can Stop My Boys” and a delightful take on the “there are no small parts” adage in the Songwriter’s Guild of America award-winning song, “It’s All About Me.” If you’ve ever been an actor, wanted to be an actor, or known an actor, you’ll relate to the Broadway dreams of these characters in this brand new sure-fire hit!
The Story
Act I
The green room, the place where actors await their entrance onto the stage, serves also as the study lounge, rehearsal space and support group for four struggling theatre majors. Anna and Divonne share their ambitions for life beyond school (In the Green Room), but now are somewhat content to concentrate their energies on this space in the bowels of St. Gustov, a small Midwestern college. Anna introduces her smarter, younger brother Cliff to the green room, as well as to Divonne and John, her somewhat overconfident boyfriend. Brother and sister must convince John and Divonne that Cliff is worthy of acceptance into their group and into their beloved territory (He’s Got Style). Cliff’s earnestness and wit, along with his talent as a playwright, finally win them over. As the girls prepare for an upcoming audition, John takes Cliff under his wing and expounds on the virtues of being single (Bachelor’s Anthem). However, neither can overcome their attractions—Cliff to Divonne and John to Anna (What Do I Think of Me?). Cliff and Divonne’s relationship spawn an unexpected dilemma, which Cliff celebrates (Nothing Can Stop My Boys). A distraught Anna points out their parents’ inevitable disapproval, but Cliff’s manhood remains undaunted (Nothing Can Stop My Boys [Reprise]). After the four rehearse and perform for their professor’s musical tribute to the Bible (Don’t Try to Part the Waters), Divonne reveals to Cliff not only that she is not pregnant, but also that she is breaking up with him (I’ve Had Enough of You). During the strike for the show, John ignores Anna, prompting her and Cliff to commiserate about love in a sibling duet (The All-You-Wanna-Do-Is-Do-Me Blues). John must weigh the wealth and security offered by a position at his father’s firm against the passion and inherent instability of a career onstage (In the End).
Act II
Two and a half years later during our group’s last collegiate all-nighter, Cliff and John rescue Divonne from writer’s block with some electrifying ideas (Destination Stage Left). The boys are desperate for Anna’s help in their cram session for theatre history, but she refuses as long as she is required to wear and ultra-revealing costume demanded by Cliff’s script. As the other three leave to resolve this issue, Divonne laments her fate as a perpetually underappreciated character actor (It’s All About Me). Despite the foursome’s differences, they must pull together to rehearse a song (Good-Lookin’ Girls) for Cliff’s play. Afterward, Cliff admits he’s still in love with Divonne, but she convinces him that love will come again to him (It Comes Easy). The others turn on Anna whom they feel is needlessly blocking their dreams of conquering Broadway after graduation. Left alone, Anna decides to lay it all on the line, shed her good-girl image and take a big risk for the good of the group (I Wanna Go to Extremes). Now united in purpose and rededicated to acting, our intimate group watches the curtain fall on their college life and on the place that embodied it. They set their sights beyond the comfortable walls of the green room and look toward their future (Waiting In the Wings).
Act I
Act II
In The Green Room
Destination Stage Left
We've Got Style
It's All About Me
Bachelor's Anthem
Good-Lookin' Girls
What Do I Think Of Me?
It Comes Easy
Nothing Can Stop My Boys
I Wanna Go To Extremes
Nothing Can Stop My Boys (Reprise)
Waiting In The Wings
Don't Try To Part The Water
I've Had Enough Of You
The All-You-Wanna-Do-Is-Do-Me Blues
In The End
"A bright, beaming cherub of a fledgling musical. Composer-lyricist Chuck Pelletier's skillfully crafted score is a satisfying range of musical styles. Think Merrily We Roll Along–without the rolling. The combination of youth and ambition in these characters conspires to make narcissism the show's dominant theme, celebrated with breezy wit and irony." –Los Angeles Times
"In these tight economic times, The Green Room’s small cast and simple set requirements make it a perfect choice for regional and community theaters. All in all, The Green Room is an entirely enjoyable musical bonbon, and an excellent showcase for four very talented young performers." –StageSceneLA
"From the first note of this fresh new musical, you’d better pay attention because the words fly fast and furious, with energy to spare, from the sparkling young cast. If you’ve ever been an actor, wanted to be an actor or known an actor, you’ll relate to the Broadway-hopeful dreams of these characters in their home away from home–the green room. Pelletier’s music satisfies the audience by moving through a number of styles. Together, the elements work to create a thoroughly enjoyable evening." –Musicals in LA
"5 STARS. Critics Pick! Boasts a uniquely appealing musical score by Chuck Pelletier and a fast-paced, optimistic story about collegiate youth. It's All About Me, Destination Stage Left, I Wanna Go to Extremes and Nothing Can Stop My Boys are just four of the tuneful songs that will stay with you for many years to come. From what other new contemporary musical are you likely to even remember one tune?" –Grigware Talks Theatre
"The production of the musical at California Stage is a surprisingly sweet (and sometimes bawdy) tale of ambition and talent." –Sacramento Bee
"This little musical will no doubt become a favorite among the musical theater community, if for no reason other than how well it mirrors the experience of so many young actors. The pop-based score has some outrageously funny (and smart) lyrics, notably an anthem to virility (Nothing Can Stop My Boys) and an extremely snarky riff on the politics of theater (Destination Stage Left). For those of us who spent any time around the theater crowd in college, The Green Room is a trip down memory lane." –Sacramento News & Review
Cast
ANNA KEARNS – Female, 18-25. Soprano. Anna is an extremely beautiful, youthful, up-tight, goody-goody acting major. She loves structure and always gets cast as the lead in all the productions. She is obsessed with shaping John Radford up and making him husband material. She sings the show-stopping I Wanna Go to Extremes and the beautiful duet What Do I Think of Me?
DIVONNE BRUDER – Female, 18-25. Alto. Divonne is very outspoken, funny and quirky. She is a younger Ethel Merman, Bette Midler or Barbra Striesand. She doesn’t fit into the academic scene at all and constantly threatens to move to New York. She’s frustrated that she has never gotten a lead role; instead she gets walk-ons or worse. Divonne falls in lust with Anna’s nerdy brother, Cliff, but soon dumps him. She sings the award-winning song It’s All About Me and the heart-melting It Comes Easy.
CLIFF KEARNS – Male, 18-25. Tenor. Cliff is geeky, bright and boyish. Must be funny! Anna’s younger brother who follows her lead and attends St. Gustov to act and write. He might be gay. He becomes best friends with playboy John Radford and romantically involved with Divonne. He sings the show-stopping Nothing Can Stop My Boys and Destination Stage Left.
JOHN RADFORD – Male, 18-25. Bass. John is cocky, self-assured and jockish–a typical frat boy. He is in lust with Anna but she continually gives him the brush off. His big-mouth, bad-boy attitude covers a heart of gold. He brags about being “the big man on campus” and gets the lead in every play. His dad wants him to study architecture, but he wants to pursue acting. He sings Bachelor’s Anthem and In the End.
Setting
The green room, present day
About the Authors
C. Stephen Foster (Book) is an actor/writer originally from Ft. Worth, Texas now living in Hollywood. His two-man show (with Scott Wilkerson), Divanalysis: the Mechanics of Camp, played as part of the summer series at the renowned Highway’s Performance Art Space. Foster’s biggest stage triumph so far was the hit comedy Legends and Bridge which was extended three times at the Group Repertory Theater. Legends received rave reviews including Critic’s Pick in The Valley Scene, Spotlight in Backstage West and was “Recommended” by the LA Weekly. It garnered three ADA Award nominations including Best Comedy and Best Play. Foster and Pelletier’s screenplay Rainbow Sticker was recently a finalist in several major contests, including the Hollywood Gateway, Page International, and the Find the Funny Screenplay Contest. As a stand-up comedian, Foster has played the Comedy Store, the Improv and the Laugh Factory. Some of his favorite parts are Joanne in Come Back to the 5 and Dime, Bomber in Picnic, Cupid in Reindeer Monologues, and Bette Davis in Legends and Bridge. He is currently the lead in the independent movie Off Hollywood.
Chuck Pelletier (Music and Lyrics) has written three produced musicals, hundreds of songs and has various published choral arrangements. Besides The Green Room, Chuck wrote the music and lyrics to a children’s musical called The Boy Who Stood Still, which premiered in 2009 at the University of New Hampshire, and the music to the musical Sour Grapes,which premiered at the Copake Theatre in upstate New York in 2007.His original songs have been placed in several independent movies including Valentine Man, Eyes of Innocence, Piling Up Vera, Chasing Indigo and Zyzzyx Road. Chuck taught music for five years at the high school and college levels, and served as music director for the Western Illinois Summer Music Theatre Professional Repertory Company. He is currently the vocal music director for Princess Cruise Lines. Chuck has a bachelor of arts in music from the University of Illinois, and has done additional study with Alice Parker (choral arranging) and Roque Cordero (music composition), as well as at Oxford University in England.
Rod Damer (Book) is an actor as well as a writer, originally from Chicago. He has had small roles in House, Passions, Zodiac and Alien Resurrection. He’s worked extensively with the Laguna Playhouse’s Theatereach program and is a member of Theatre West. Years ago, he enjoyed the humble confines of a green room in the bowels of the theater building at St. Olaf College.
Royalties
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Materials
No deposit, no return! All rehearsal materials you receive are brand-new. Materials are provided on unbound three-hole-punched paper. Mark them up to your heart's desire—we don't want 'em back!
Orchestrations
Piano
Bass
Guitar
Percussion
Production Resources
Rehearsal CDs
One for each actor isolating their character's vocal part.
Music Tracks
Fully realized music tracks to use in performance instead of live musicians.
Logo/PR Pack
Includes high-resolution logo artwork, a ready-made show poster, a press packet with pull quotes and reviews, and reference photos to inform your design.
