It's all about helping people far away - the farther the better! A sparkling musical satire of politics and love in a self-destructing charity.
The high-minded young socialites of The
S.O.F.A. (
Society for
Overseas Financial Aid) truly believe in unity and brotherhood.
Problem is, they can't stand each other!
Right before the annual
Charity Ball, Joseph and the radicals denounce The S.O.F.A. as too soft and storm off. That leaves the bumbling
Executive to pull it together -- but how, when everyone insists on their own way?
As The S.O.F.A. crumbles into ever-smaller fragments, so do prospects for romance: Ben can't talk to women,
Anita scares off men,
Trevor isn't bad enough for
Suzy, and nobody's good enough for
Mavis. Can anything get these feuding philanthropists past their differences, dogmas, and massive egos in time to save the
Ball?
With a joyous exuberance and melody-rich pastiche score that hearken back to classic
Broadway, Charity will leave you humming -- and smiling -- long after you've left the theatre.
Adi
Sara Kreindler's sparkling musical played to sold-out houses and four-star reviews at
Oxford, England's
Old Fire Station Theatre. Now, a revamped version is ready for its professional première.
Follow the journey at www.facebook.com/charitythemusical.
"
Talk to
Women" features
Kevin Aichele as Ben and Sam
Plett as Trevor.
TALK TO
WOMEN (Ben and Trevor) -- LYRICS
BEN: I was on a date, the hour was late
And it was almost time to retire
I searched for pretty words to say
The kind that set a lady's heart afire
The history of sexuality
Seemed a racy theme to discuss
So I whispered low of
Michel Foucault—
TREVOR: Then she bolted for the bus!
BEN: Why can't I talk to women?
Why can't
I be like you?
Why do I put my foot in
And dine upon my shoe?
Why does my very presence
Leave pretty girls in shock?
Is it my breath?
TREVOR: No, you bore them to death!
BEN: Oh, why can't I learn to talk?
I was out one day in a small café
And I was trying not to be offensive
When my companion wondered why
Her flavoured cappuccino was so expensive
So I gave a
Marxist analysis
Which I thought one could not top
TREVOR: She was class conscious but semi-conscious
By the time you let it drop!
BEN: Why can't I talk to women?
Why can't I find the key?
TREVOR:
Debonair with savoir faire
In other words, just like me
BEN: Why do fantastic females
Think I am
Mister Spock?
TREVOR: You'd confirm all their fears
With pointier ears.
BEN: Oh, why can't I learn to talk?
BEN: (spoken)
Should I talk about quantum theory?
TREVOR: That's too dreary.
BEN:
Global peace?
TREVOR: She'll call the police.
BEN:
Monet?
TREVOR: No way.
BEN:
Purcell?
TREVOR: Like hell!
BEN:
Camus?
TREVOR: Who?
BEN:
Kant?
TREVOR:
Don't!
BEN:
Eat, Pray, Love?
BOTH:
Ugh!
BEN: I have lectured on astronomy
On romantic moonlit riverfront strolls
And I've held forth on
French cuisine
As we dined on wine and profiteroles
The finer points of contract law
Have been my serenade
TREVOR: This is all very fascinating
But it's not going to get you—
BEN: Why can't I talk to women?
Why can't I be like you?
BOTH: Why do I (you) put my (your) foot in
And dine upon my (your) shoe?
(I'm asking)
Why can't I (you) talk to women?
Why am I (are you) such a flop?
And if I (you) can't learn to talk to women
Why can't I (you) learn to stop?!
Music and lyrics [c] Adi Sara Kreindler
2013
- published: 21 Jan 2014
- views: 145