The Joy of Living.
THE JOY OF LIVING: - SYNOPSIS:
Faced with the realisation of his own mortality, Broadway director, Billy McLean, signs himself into a private rest home, both to escape the press and to find peace to write his autobiography. But peace and quiet are in short supply when he encounters a role-call of inmates who would be at home on a funny farm.
There’s Velma, a wannabe dancer with nymphomaniac tendencies, there’s Timmy and Suzy who love each other and hate each other but love to hate each other and hate to love…..well, you know what I mean! There’s Izzy, a black Gospel singer who believes she used to be white, and promotes the notion of Reincarnation.
There’s Leo, a German Jew with a passion for the musical ‘Oklahoma’ and his own nakedness! There’s Cindy, who might just be an angel in human form, and there’s Gruber, as bitter and vindictive as the devil himself!
But they are bound together by the inescapable truth of their impending date with destiny. With time running out rapidly, Billy McLean sets himself the quest of bringing a few rays of sunlight into their remaining days.
CHARACTERS:
Billy McLean..........A Director. Strong Acting/ Singing. 40's.
Leo Kramer.............Strong Comedy and Acting. 70-ish.
Hermin Gruber........Strong Aggressive Acting. 30-ish.
Timmy Grant............Strong Acting. Mid 20’s
Mickey McLean......Sincere Actor. Narrator. 30’s.
Eddie Cozner............Good Actor, Unfaithful husband. 40’s.
Johnny Hart..............Cheesy but sincere T.V presenter. 40’s
Cindy Coulter...........Sincere Actress with singing. Late 20’s
Izzy Waldren.............Strong Black Comedienne/Singer. 30 – 40
Velma Cozner...........Comedy, song and dance. Mid 30’s – 40.
Suzy Darren..............Strong Actress and Singer. Mid 20’s.
Doc Wallace.............Strong Mature Actress/Singer. 50 – 60.
SCENES:
The Lounge and Conservatory of a Rest Home. The same, decked out as a Television Studio. The lobby of a Bank.
CHORUSES:
Reincarnation. Live It Up. Behind The Wall. Alleluia, I Have Seen The Light. He Gave Us Love. The Joy of Living.
DANCES:
Big Hoe-down for ‘The Day When Leo Kramer Came To Town’. Jazz dance for ‘Honey, You Got Class’. Movement for ‘Visiting Time’, ‘Reincarnation’ and Gospel Rhythm style for ‘Alleluia, I Have Seen The Light’.
PERFORMED BY:
First Act Musical Company, Belfast. Aims Youth Musical Group. Ennis Musical Society. Roscrea Musical Society. Encore Theatre Company, Galway.
ACCOLADES:
All 10 of the main principals where Nominated for Performance Awards when the show first went to the Waterford Festival in 1991.
1 Best Actor Award from 2 Nominations for "Leo Kramer".
1 Best Supporting Actor Award from 2 Nominations for "Hermin Gruber".
Adjudicator's Special Award to Peter Kennedy for "Outstanding Contribution to the Waterford Festival".
PRESS:
"Few shows can make you laugh and cry and laugh again, but this piece of musical theatre tugged at the heart-strings on so many emotional levels." Connacht Tribune.
"I doubted a show set in a home for the terminally ill could be entertaining. I confess that I was wrong. It was much more than entertaining. It had moments of outrageous humour, coupled with passion and compassion. A memorable piece of theatre." Belfast Telegraph.
"It wasn't about death at all. It was a celebration of life, and written with an acute appreciation of the human condition. Wonderful theatre!" Peter Spencer, Adjudicator, Waterford International Festival of Light Opera.
