THE MELODY LINGERS ON Production notes and script By Everett B. Nau Barbershop Harmony Society PRODUCTION NOTES " ... The Melody Lingers On" was During the proceedings, the silhouette written as a tribute to the life and music comes to life and presents a closer look of Irving Berlin. It replaces the Society's into the life of Berlin through his own show Mr. Music. words, as recorded in several Berlin biographies. His emotions during the Irving Berlin lived for 101 years and show range from anger to romance. wrote music that captured many phases During Berlin's speaking parts, the rest of American life. From his beginnings as of the cast is oblivious to his words and a young Russian immigrant on the actions. Lower East Side of New York, he rose to become the master of the American There are two main speaking parts in musical art form. But his life was more the show: the emcee and Irving Berlin's complex than many people are aware. silhouette. Three other minor parts are This show depicts Berlin as the available and each consists of just a few consummate artist who knew that his lines. The relatively few speaking parts music was special. coupled with a simple set design and good solid barbershop music make this SYNOPSIS a show that chapters of all sizes should be able to handle. The show features 12 songs written by Irving Berlin. While these 12 were used CREATIVITY in the Harmony College production, other Berlin songs can be used if the The following are more specific thoughts chapter desires. Since the show deals about the show and some production with Irving Berlin and his music, it is ideas. There may be other ideas that probably best not to introduce music you wish to incorporate. You are from other composers, since Berlin encouraged to use your imagination. himself found so little time for them during his lifetime. One good method of generating some creativity is brainstorming. Divide the The show is set as a Friars Club chapter into groups and give them some meeting in New York City to induct time to meet during the chapter meeting. Irving Berlin into its Hall of Fame. Ask them to develop a list of things that Present on this occasion, and would enhance a production about celebrating the 50th anniversary of their Irving Berlin's life. No idea at this time is performance, are members of the cast a bad one, and everything should be of This Is the Army. They serve as the considered. Have each group submit its chorus for the show. The highlight of list to the show committee for its review the· ceremony is the unveiling of the and approval. The idea is to generate silhouette of Berlin as a tribute to the creativity and interest for the chapter distinguished composer. members. Let the committee make the final decisions with the good of the total show in mind. performers and provides opportunities to As with any production, you should use encourage quartet participation within all the performance and theatrical the chapter. It is also an alternative to elements at your disposal to make " ... having the chorus learn 12 new songs The Melody Lingers On" the best for a show. Do not overlook other possible production for your audience. possibilities for variety such as featured These elements include scenery, props, voices (solos), voice-overs with the costuming, lighting, chorus staging, chorus "looing" in the background, or vignettes, pantomimes, or just about any quartets singing part of a song while the other entertainment device that you can chorus does the rest. imagine. STOCK ITEMS Remember, the audiences at your show could stay home and listen to A set of all 12 printed arrangements is barbershop recordings or be entertained available; stock no. 2067. in other ways. They are at your show to be entertained by a theatrical STAGING AND SETS experience that includes both sound and sight. Don't cheat them. Feature our The Harmony College show was staged unique product--barbershop harmony- rather simply. A lectern for the emcee and complement it with a solid visual was set on the apron downstage right. performance. The chorus risers were set slightly right of center. The shadow box for Irving MUSIC Berlin was set slightly left of center and upstage of the risers. A quartet Obviously, since the show is a tribute to microphone and lighting pool was Irving Berlin, his music is used. The established downstage left. The only script lists the music and stock numbers movable set piece that was used came along with recommendations for the from stage left. ensemble that should sing each song. The music was selected to showcase SET PIECES the widest possible array of Irving Berlin's talent, to provide the audience The emcee's lectern is a pretty standard with some recognizable music, and to piece found in most theaters. The more give the singers some music that will fit elaborate the piece, the better the effect. easily into their libraries. The chorus risers should be set as far The recommendations as to who should right as possible and canted slightly perform each song are merely toward the center of the stage. The suggestions based upon the Harmony actual positioning of the risers will College show. They may be presented depend on the size of your stage and in any form that you desire. But the number of risers that your chorus remember that mixing chorus, quartet, needs. If the focal point of the risers can octet and even very-Iarge-quartet (VLQ) be directed toward the center of the performances offers variety to your stage, it will help draw the audience's audience, gives a brief respite to the attention to the silhouette of Berlin. downstage of the shadow box. It too is A movable set piece was built for "When more completely discussed under the The Midnight Choo-Choo Leaves For lighting notes. Alabam'." It was a wagon with two flats forming a cornered wall section. As the ACTING AND CHARACTERIZATIONS song began, it was pushed into a lighted area from stage left. The set piece The principal character of the show is, of contained a couch, luggage, and some course, Irving Berlin. In order to provide small furniture items. The wagon itself some realism, cast someone who is was eight feet long by 4 feet wide, with relatively thin, of a little less-than- one wall built up from the four-foot side average height, and a fastidious and another from the rear adjoining dresser. He should have a robust head eight-foot side. An actor, sitting on the of hair, or be able to wear a wig well. If couch, entered with the set piece. This possible, his voice should be somewhat piece can be as elaborate or simple as high-pitched. It would be a good idea to you wish. have the character do some research into the life of Irving Berlin. An excellent SHADOW BOX source of information and pictures is found in Laurence Bergreen's book, As The shadow box is the focal point of the Thousands Cheer (New York: Viking, entire show. It should probably be 1990). elevated from the stage about six feet to help provide visibility to the audience The role of the emcee is also quite and to eliminate lighting-wash problems. important. He should have a good The shadow box at Harmony College speaking voice and a command of the contained a cut-down outline of an stage. This person controls the pace of upright piano and a bench. Six feet wide the show quite a bit and must be able to and seven feet high, The shadow box memorize his lines, since so many cues was elevated six feet from the stage depend on him. itself. (Lighting for the shadow box is covered under the Lighting notes.) The Three minor speaking parts offer good shadow box was hidden from the opportunities for a variety of character audience by a drop, which was flown types. For those aspiring Thespians in during the emcee's lines early in the your chorus, these parts may be just the show. Later, it was covered following ticket; they are discussed later in these Berlin's last spoken lines to allow the notes. character to leave the shadow box. During the tag of the final song, the If your chapter does not have the drape was raised again to provide the characters necessary to fill these roles, climactic moment alluding to Berlin's check with a local theatre company or absence. drama club to see if there is interest. Quite often, members of these groups OTHER SETS are cooperative and willing to work on local chapter shows at little or no cost to In the Harmony College production, the the chapter. quartet pool was established slightly ADDITIONAL STAGING VARIETY a journey. From stage right came the conductor, and the two of them acted It is important to remember that at no out the entire lyrical message of the time during the show do the other song. members of the cast realize that the silhouette of Berlin is speaking. Use of "Mandy" was presented as a minstrel freeze poses may be employed during show number in a comical setting. Nine Berlin's lines. Lighting may also be used men entered the stage with tambourines to divert the audience's attention from and noise makers and did a Spike the other characters to Berlin. Jones-kind of routine; unfortunately, there were only eight seats, so the man The songs that are presented need to who had no seat became the foil for the have some staging life in them.