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Charlotte Sweet

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Music By Gerald Jay Markoe
Lyrics By Michael Colby
Type of Musical: Off-Broadway
Opened: August 22, 1982
Theatre: Westside Arts Theatre, (New York)
# of Performances: 102
Licensing Agent: Samuel French ,Inc.

Synopsis

Act I

An Ensemble of music-hall performers gather to enact "The Story of Charlotte Sweet". In turn-of-the-century England we meet Charlote Sweet, the darling of Liverpool. Charlotte attributes her sweetness to being born on Valentines day.

Charlotte's beau is the equally cute Ludlow Ladd Grimble, who, coincidentally, was born on Christmas. Exchanging keepsakes, Charlotte gives her sweetheart a heart-shaped locket, while Ludlow gives Charlotte a Christmas Buche, i.e. log cake- from the bakery where he works. They pledge to love each other forever. Afterwards tehy join their neighbors to admire the Liverpool Sunset.

Meanwhile, at home Charlotte's poor mother - a chronic shiverer- has suffocated under the massive layers of underwear it took to warm her. The chilly details are recounted by Charlotte's fater, Bob Sweet, and the evil visitors, Barnaby and Katinka Bugaboo. Barnaby is the impresario of a music-hall troupe featuring Katinka, his buxom wife. The couple has arrived to collect on Bob's debts, incurred from the tremendous cost of his late wife's underwear. Bob backs up the Bugaboo's proposal that they liquidate all debts if Charlotte joins their troupe, and Charlotte reluctantly consents. Barnaby is particualrly pleased, since he has a secret lust for the thrush.

Next we meet Barnaby's freaky music-hall troupe:The Circus of Voices. In addition to the high-voiced Charlotte and the low-voiced Katinka, the Circus features: Cecily MacIntosh - a rippling "bubble voice" who is also wardrobe mistress; Skitzy Scofield - a schizophrenic "double voice," half high-born gentlewoman, half Cockney rogue; and Harry Host - a "fast voice," who serves as emcee of festivities. As this third-class troupe tours the lonely circuits of Britain, Charlotte ultimately steals the show with her coloratura.

During a performance, Ludlow waits backstage, only to be kicked out by Barnaby. When the troupe takes a backstage break, Barnaby raves about Charlotte, provoking Katrinka to make jealous remarks. Cecily defends the girl, and Skitzy's two voices argue over her merits.

Charlotte rises to fame "a-weaving" sizeable success for the Circus of Voices. However, doing six shows a night takes it toll. Charlotte has a vocal breakdown and loses her high note. The Bugaboos concoct a cunning sceme to restore Charlotte's upper register, they addict her to helium balloons. Barnaby is delirious, for now nothing can hinder his own rise from shabby origins to shimmering evil heights. As Act 1 concludes, he dangles a helium balloon in front of the totally dependent Charlotte.

Act II

It is December 31, and the Bugaboos have enlisted the guard duties of a whistling, Scotland Yard bobby, Patrick O'Toole. To distract him from noticing Charlotte's balloon habit, the Bugaboos invite Patrick to actually perform in their troupe.

Cecily, Harry, and Skitzy share Charlotte's delight as she opens a gift and discovers A Christmas Buche from Ludlow. A message is inside describing his vain attempts to visit Charlotte. Charlotte invites her friends to flee with her whenever Ludlow shows up. They refuse, as Skitzy divulges the trio's dark secret: The Bugaboos found the trio in a madhouse in Dover, where they'd be returned if they misbehaved. Skitzy, Harry, and Charlotte also have second thoughts as to whether Charlotte could ever escape from the Bugaboos. Still, the ever-optimistic Cecily cheers the air, reassuring Charlotte that Good Things Come to the deserving.

The entire Circus of Voices prepares for its New Year's Eve performance. Peeking at the audience out front, Patrick develops stage jitters. But Skitzy, Cecily, and Harry calm him as they segue into their next number, a comment on the audience out front.

As Charlotte is about to go on, the Bugaboos crush her hopes of escape and feed her a gigantic whiff of helium. Charlotte drifts on-stage to chant "I'm only a Lonely Canary." Her rendition is a trumph. Backstage, she and the Bugaboos receive the ultimate honor; they are visted by England's Queen. The Queen showers Charlotte with praise and requests to be left alone with Charlotte and - for protection - Patrick. The Queen takes off her outer garments and turns out to be Ludlow. Patrick slaps his beard back on and turns out to be Bob Sweet. When the two men slip out momentarily, Barnaby slinks in, aware of what has transpired. The lascivious cur tries to seduce Charlotte, who threatens to "sing" to the police of his villainy. The jealous Katinka appears and convinces Barnaby to feed Charlotte a black balloon filled with lethal gas. Just as the Bugaboos are about to kill Charlotte, Skitzy bolts in to the rescue. Brandishing a gun, she scares off the Bugaboos - until her other personality starts arguing over the gun. Barnaby graps the weapon and shoots Skitzy to the floor. Upon the sound of gunshots, Harry and Cecily dash into the room and storm Barnaby - who shoots them down too. As the stunned Charlotte watches. Ludlow leaps back in - only to be likewise shot by Barnaby.

But the tables turn on the Bugaboos. The locket Charlotte gave Ludlow, which he has kept by his heart, has deflected Barnaby's bullet and saved Ludlow.Our hero springs up and seizes the gun from Barnaby, as bobby Bob Sweet returns to arrest the Bugaboos. When the Bugaboos threaten to blame Charlotte for the murders of Skitzy, Cecily, and Harry, this trio bounds back - each with a reason for being dazed but not deceased. As Katinka gazes in horror, the others besiege Barnaby. Barnaby grabs Katinka's letal balloon, jumps onto the music-hall stage, and threatens to blow everyone to kingdom come. At this point Charlotte hits a high note that detonates the balloon. It's curtains for Barnaby.

To save her hide, Katinka vows to reform. Although the others want revenge. Cecily again cheers the air with an apt solution. Then, the New Year bells ring, and everyone celebrates the joyous turn of events. As heart-shapped confetti is hurled., the valentines - Charlotte and Ludlow - are reunited with a kiss.

Song List