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Notes To Marianne

2011 Festival

Book and Lyrics
Dan Lipton and David Rossmer

Music
David Rossmer

Director
Jeremy Dobrish

Music Director
Chris Fenwick

Cast
Stephen Bogardus, Haley Bond, Charlie Brady, Will Erat, Santino Fontana, Megan Lawrence, Vasthy Mompoint, Rachel Stern and Ken Triwush

For More Information Contact

For more information about NOTES TO MARIANNE, contact: Robert Duva, 212-243-7845

Number of Principals (Male): 3
Number of Principals (Female): 2
Preferred Ensemble Size: 9
Total Cast Size: 14


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Synopsis

Sometimes we leave someone we love. At 12 years old, Johnny ran away from home, leaving behind his sister MariAnne — a regret he can’t shake. That was in 1952. Ten years later, the estranged pair are swept into a series of extraordinary events that will bring them to a pivotal reunion  The set is sparse yet the story stretches from Brooklyn to Kansas. The cross-country journey rides a wave of American pop music, from early ’60s rock to ’30s saloon songs to contemporary beats and melody. A modern fairy tale, notes to MariAnne explores the consequences of leaving those we love and finding new hope in the most unexpected places.

Development History

notes to MariAnne was seen in concert at Joe’s Pub and had several closed readings before 2007, when the show was welcomed to the O’Neill Center’s National Music Theatre Conference, where Rossmer & Lipton received the Holof Award for their lyrics.  In 2008, the show was seen at New York Stage and Film’s Martel Musicals series as part of the Powerhouse Theater season at Vassar.

Festival Successes

Reading at New York Theatre Workshop (NY) in 2012 and Amas Musical Theatre (NY) in 2013.

Fest Fast Facts

  1. The show tells a simple story of emotional complexity, exploring the consequences of leaving someone you love.
  2. After being developed at NY Stage and Film and The O’Neill, notes to MariAnne is ready to be realized on stage.
  3. notes to MariAnne belongs on the continuum of modern contemporary pop/rock musicals that feel larger than their small cast and minimal set (Next to Normal, Spring Awakening).
  4. The central character of MariAnne exudes an honesty and optimism consistent with the early 1960s setting. This bright optimism is reflected in the score, which captures that time but also reaches back to saloon songs and dustbowl folk, and forward to arena rock and modern grooves.
  5. It’s not your grandma’s musical. . .but she’ll still love it. Through its development, the show has proven to appeal to both young fans of Twilight as well as older theatergoers who find the original story compelling. Both audiences appreciate that a gritty tale is presented with unexpected humor, that poetic lyrics are delivered without sentimentality, that the plot unfolds in non-linear fashion.