Marvin Trilogy?

[Alex Kulak2]

Posted: 9/11/16 at 7:26pm

I know Falsettos is the final two shows of the Marvin Trilogy, but has anyone ever heard of a theater doing all three shows (In Trousers, March of the Falsettos, Falsettoland) in a three-act performance? I'm not sure whether it'd be too much to take in in one night, or if it would elevate the show to a new level.

[bdm250]

Posted: 9/11/16 at 9:32pm

Baldwin-Wallace University's musical theater program did it in 2004.  You could see In Trousers on Tuesday night, March of the Falsettos on Wednesday, Falsettoland on Thursday and then all three on Friday and Saturday (or something like that).  All shows had a different cast and had two casts, however.  Program can be found here https://www.yumpu.com/en/document/view/12066247/the-falsetto-trilogy-baldwin-wallace-university.

[gypsy101]

Posted: 9/12/16 at 2:57am

That's cool that they did all three shows but different casts for each would kind of defeat the purposes, in my mind.

[temms]

Posted: 9/12/16 at 9:03am

I've always thought about it but I wonder how well it would actually work. I do know of at least one other theatre that did them all, but I believe they did "In Trousers" separately from the other two at its own performances. I can't recall which theatre that was, perhaps it rings a bell for someone.

It would make for quite a long show to do them all in one evening. It would seem to make sense that Dr. Charlotte doubles Miss Goldberg and Cordelia doubles the High School Sweetheart and it adds no more people to the cast. But I just feel like "In Trousers" is so different in tone/style even though its ostensibly the same story. "March" and "Falsettoland" really do feel like two sides of the same coin - there's a consistency to the pieces that connects them in a way that "In Trousers", which is more of an abstract piece bouncing back and forth through time, doesn't really share.

There's also the question of which "In Trousers", since I know of at least three versions. There's the original with Chip Zien which is the recorded version, and has such anomalies as Marvin and Trina having two children among other things. Then there was the rewritten version which is licensed by Samuel French and was published in a compilation called "The Marvin Songs", which also had the one-act versions of "March" and "Falsettoland". But that version of "In Trousers" prominently includes "I'm Breaking Down", which was added to "March" with slightly altered lyrics. So do you do it in Act One or Act Two? Is it about her marriage falling apart, or her family?

Then there was yet a third version which combined those and appeared in the "Falsettos" published edition with Keith Haring cover art. I don't remember details of that version other than skimming it. I think it would be interesting for a company doing "Falsettos" to separately do "In Trousers" in rep, but as a full evening I wonder how satisfying it would be. I really think the style of the first wouldn't match up well with the other two and it wouldn't really add anything emotionally to the whole thing. 

[Kad]

Posted: 9/12/16 at 10:00am

There's a lot in In Trousers to like- songs like "Set Those Sails," "I Am Wearing a Hat," "Love Me for What I Am"- but I agree that it presents issues. It's far less cohesive and coherent than Falsettos and I'm not sure it adds much to the story- as temms pointed out, it covers a lot of the same ground.

[tazber]

Posted: 9/12/16 at 10:15am

William Finn doesn't really want a full trilogy.

 

He considers Trousers to have been his calling card, like a mission statement if you will.

 

It has some really good stuff, but it's definitely "early" work.

 

[Hum a tune]

Posted: 9/12/16 at 1:25pm

I saw the trilogy at Balwin-Wallace.  However, at the performance that I saw of In Trousers, they cut out the "Scrubby Dubby" section. I assume this was due to time constraints.

[GavestonPS]

Posted: 9/12/16 at 6:59pm

I know I've posted this before, but since these threads keep turning up...

I loved FALSETTOS, but it was less intense than MARCH and FALSETTOLAND performed alone. Actors only have to much energy. Moreover, the former--which I would argue is the better play, certainly the more universally relevant--is overwhelmed by the latter, which brings with it our collective feelings about the entire epidemic.

Trying to add IN TROUSERS might be interesting, but except as done with multiple casts like the college mentioned above, it can only dilute the actors' efforts further. And then there are those continuity problems.