Education Guide

Education Guide
May 2013
Table of Contents
Setting, Synopsis, and Cast of Characters ………………………………………………........3
The Music of Sleepless in Seattle – The Musical ……………………………………………..5
From Page to Stage……… …………………………………………………………………….6
Creative and Design Team …………………………………………………………………….8
A Conversation with the Creative Team …………………………………………………..….9
Understanding the Genre: Romantic Comedy ……………………………………………...11
After the Show … ………………………………………………………... …………………..13
Prepared by
Dramaturg Elyse Anoush Griffin
For New Generations at The Playhouse, an Outreach & Education program at The Pasadena Playhouse.
All photos are used for educational purposes only. They remain the property of their owners.
For more information on Outreach & Education at The Playhouse, please visit our website at
www.pasadenaplayhouse.org or contact our Outreach & Education Manager/Artistic Associate Courtney
Harper at [email protected] or 626-204-7388.
The Pasadena Playhouse Outreach & Education programs are made possible in part by the support of
the Wells Fargo Theatrical Diversity Project.
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Setting, Synopsis, and Cast of Characters
Setting: Baltimore, Maryland; Seattle, Washington; and the Empire State Building in New York City, 1993.
Synopsis: Sleepless in Seattle – The Musical centers around Sam, a widower and single father. When Sam's son, Jonah,
calls into a talk radio program looking for a new mother, Sam ends up getting on the phone and laments about his lost
love. Thousands of miles away in Baltimore, Annie hears the program and immediately falls in love with Sam, despite the
fact that she has never met him and that she is engaged to another man. Believing they are meant to be together, Annie
sets out for Seattle to meet Sam, who, meanwhile, contends with an onslaught of letters from available women equally
touched by his phone call.
The Cast of Sleepless in Seattle – The Musical features:
*Add Robert M, girlfriend character
Joe West (Broadway’s A Christmas
Story) as “Jonah”
Tim Martin Gleason (The Phantom
of the Opera) as “Sam”
Todd Buonopane (“30 Rock,”
Happy Days) as “Rob”
Sabrina Sloan (“American Idol,”
Catch Me if You Can) as “Becky”
Chandra Lee Schwartz (Wicked,
High School Musical) as “Annie”
Robert Mammana (Les Miserables,
“Dexter”) as “Walter”
3
The Ensemble in rehearsal.
QUESTIONS IN CONTEXT
1) Who was your favorite actor? Write a thank you letter to him or her. Let them know why you enjoyed the performance
and why it was nice to be able to come to this specific performance.
2) The actors in this show also act
on television and in films. What do
you think are the different demands
of acting on stage versus acting for
the camera? Do you think there is a
difference?
2) If you were casting this play,
what well-known actors would you
cast in it?
Tim Martin Gleason (“Sam”) and Katharine Leonard (“Victoria/Ensemble”) in rehearsal.
4
The Music of Sleepless in Seattle – The Musical
ORCHESTRA
Keyboard 1 / Conductor………...…………………………………………………………………………….......David O
Reed 1 / Contractor …………………………………………………………………………………....…........Sal Lozano
Reed 2 …………..……………………………………………………………………………….………….John Yoakum
Trumpet …………………………………………………………………………………………..……….....Dan Fornero
Drums……………………................................................................................................................................Ray Brinker
Bass……………………...…...…........................................................................................................................Kevin Axt
Keyboard 2…..……………………………………………………………………………………………..David Witham
Cello ……………………………………………………………………………………………………......Stephanie Fife
Guitar……………………………………………………………………………………………….…..Andrew Synowiec
Accompanist………………............................................................................................................................Brent Crayon
Orchestrations …………….....Michael Starobin
Musical Supervisor…………….….Larry Blank
Music Director ………………………..David O
“Sleepless in Seattle has been such a joy to musicalize, in part because it's not your average boy-meets-girl romantic
comedy,” said composer Ben Toth. “As we know from the movie (spoiler alert!), the boy doesn't even truly connect
with the girl until the final minutes of the film. The opportunity, then, for the songs has been to create a sense of
human/musical connection, bridging the 3,000 mile-wide divide between our meant-to-be lovers. Annie and Sam
may hardly know each other, but WE know that they're meant to be together, even from their very first musical
moment.”
–Composer Ben Toth
QUESTIONS IN CONTEXT:
1)
Words aren’t always necessary in order
to tell a story. How does music tell
stories?
2) While you’re watching the show, take
a brief moment to close your eyes and
just listen to the instruments and
voices. Why do you think the
composer and lyricist chose the exact
notes and instrumentation you’re
hearing?
3) If you were making a musical play
about your own life, what kinds of
music would you set it to? What
instruments would you choose?
A glimpse of the score for Sleepless in Seattle – The Musical
5
FROM PAGE TO STAGE
Twenty Years After the Hit Film – A New Stage Production
Premieres at The Pasadena Playhouse
by Joel Hile
About seven years ago, during atypical Hollywood business lunch, Sleepless in Seattle came up in a casual
conversation between producer David Shor and his friend, a major studio executive. Shor was interested in
adapting the hit movie to the stage but wasn’t sure exactly which rights his business partner, Jeff Arch, who
wrote the original story and co-wrote the screenplay for Sleepless in Seattle, actually owned – and he knew that
the process would be a long and difficult one. He enlisted the assistance of his lunch companion who promised
to help in any way he could. There was no shortage of needed assistance and my friend probably regretted ever
making that offer- I may have worn out that offer," Shor says with a grin.
That night, Shor phoned his partner, asking the same questions he had earlier that day – and further inquired if
Jeff would be interested in revisiting the story of Sam, Annie and Jonah by writing the book for a new stage
adaptation. “David and I were just coming off a movie deal together, and I was coming off a second movie
when David called me to ask if I'd want to adapt Sleepless in Seattle, if he could cut a deal with Sony for the
rights,” stated Arch. “I said 'sure,' and didn't really expect anything to come of it. But then David came back and
said that he was in discussions with Sony and it was real, he had a preliminary creative team and director ready
to go, and a company established – and we've been at it ever since." Shor added, “A full year later we had an
agreement with the movie studio, all of the rights assigned to my company, and a much clearer understanding of
how we should be adapting the story as a musical. That was the
beginning of the journey that ultimately led us here to The Pasadena
Did you know…?
Playhouse.”
David Shor made another fortuitous phone call a little over two years
ago to Playhouse Artistic Director Sheldon Epps to inquireif he would
be interested in being involved with the project. “I don’t think David
even completed the word ‘Seattle’ before I immediately responded
with – YES!” stated Epps. “Bringing this touching and incredibly
funny story to the stage just felt like a natural transition. And as a
musical, the incredible emotion these characters experience in their
fateful journey would have an opportunity to be further realized
through music.”
Sleepless in Seattle – The Musical started
as a staged reading right here at The
Pasadena Playhouse, as part of our
Hothouse at The Playhouse new play
development program! If you want to learn
more about Hothouse At The Playhouse,
check out our website,
www.pasadenaplayhouse.org.
Plans were made to premiere Sleepless in Seattle – The Musical in the
summer of 2012, closing out The Playhouse’s season that year.
However, a difficult decision was made to delay the engagement, so
that the production could have a bit more time to develop and “find its
voice.” Everyone attached to the project was so passionate about
making it a success and felt very strongly that they had to get this one right and not rush the process. Many of
the key pieces were falling into place, but the puzzle was not fully complete. Part of completing this puzzle was
to assemble anew music team. Finding what we felt was the correct sound for our show proved to be a very
difficult and long process," said Shor. “Ben Toth was introduced to me through my attorney in New York
during our exhaustive search for a new music department, and we decided to go forward with him as our
composer. Ben then introduced us to a lyricist he had been working with, Sam Forman, and with the addition of
Larry Blank, David O and Michael Starobin, we had what I feel is an ‘A-Team’ that has captured the sound we
had been seeking for nearly seven years.”
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“This show has been such a thrilling ride
since the very first moment Ben Toth and I
came onboard to write the score,” added
lyricist Sam Forman. “I'm so proud of
everyone on this incredible creative team –
they've all done extraordinary work – and
we can't wait to share this heartfelt, moving,
funny, timeless story with audiences. I've
always been a big fan of Sleepless in Seattle
-- and the opportunity to adapt it for the
stage, and to work with this inspiring group
of theatre artists, has truly been a dream
come true.”
The underlying themes of Sleepless in
Seattle all relate to fate, dreams and
believing in love. “And it was definitely fate
that the Artistic Director of The Pasadena
Playhouse, Sheldon Epps, was destined to
Book Writer Jeff Arch in rehearsal.
become the director of our show,” said Shor.
“I always knew The Pasadena Playhouse
was the perfect home for this show to begin its life, and to have Sheldon at the creative helm is such a pleasure
and an honor. The Playhouse has come to be a second home, and their staff a second family. I can never thank
them enough for the dedication and expertise they have invested as we transformed this timeless story from
paper to stage. To quote a lyric from one of the songs in the show: ‘life can astound you, once fortune’s found
you.’
QUESTIONS IN CONTEXT:
What else do you think could inspire
the creation of a play or musical?
Think about your favorite stories,
movies, or television shows. Do a little
research and see if you can find out
where the creator’s original inspiration
came from. Was it something from his
or her own life? A loved one’s life?
Another piece of writing or work of
art?
Composer Ben Toth and Musical Director David O. in rehearsal
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Creative and Design Team
Sheldon Epps – Director
Theatre directors are responsible for creating a
vision of a playwright’s script; they lead the cast and
crew in the process from the page to the stage. They
direct the actors in the rehearsal process and oversee
the other creative elements of the play.
Lurie Horns Pfeffer & Nate Genung – Stage
Manager & Assistant Stage Manager
Assistant Stage Manager Nate Genung, with actress Sabrina Sloan in rehearsal.
The stage manager of a production is involved with
every part of the production process.
He or she schedules and runs rehearsals, coordinates
the stage crew, calls cues and entrances during a
performance, and oversees the whole show each
time the play is performed.
John Iacovelli – Scenic Designer
A scenic designer designs the overall look of the set of a play to reflect the original script and the director’s vision for the
specific production.
Brian Gale – Lighting & Projection Designer
Did you know…?
Collaborates with the set designer and director to create the
“look” of the play using the lighting.
There are many, many people doing different jobs to put
on a show, some of them you might never see onstage.
Meet Kristen, the Operations Manager at The
Pasadena Playhouse!
Carl Casella – Sound Designer
Designs the “soundscape” of the play, including sound
effects and music required in the script.
Spencer Liff – Choreographer
The choreographer creates, designs, and teaches the dancing
and other movement to music in a performance.
Kate Bergh – Costume Designer
Design the clothes and accessories of each character in the
play to faithfully reflect the script and the director’s vision
of the characters.
“For this production of Sleepless in Seattle, I am the
Company Manager. For the Playhouse, I am the
Operations Manager. As Company Manager, my
favorite part is getting to know the actors and the run
crew. I assist actors with flights, housing, transportation,
comp tickets, etc. I hang out with everyone during tech
so you really get to bond on the production since you're
at the theatre for 10-12 hours a day. As the Operations
Manager, I handle some of the logistics for the
Playhouse. I enjoy this position because I can be sure
that everything flows smoothly and I do my best to see
that everyone has the necessary information which can
make their work life a little easier.”
Thanks, Kristen!
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A Conversation with the creative team
How did you approach your work on this play?
John Iacovelli, Scenic Desginer: I knew the movie from when it came out in
1993. I went to watch it again and I had forgotten how good it was and how
many good actors were in it in small roles. I read our script (now very
different) The director Sheldon Epps and I met and then I did some brown
paper sketches. Designing is a process and rarely is the first idea the one you
stick with. Sheldon, the director, and I have done several shows together here
at the Playhouse: Les Liaisons Dangereuses, The Importance of Being
Earnest, Blues for an Alabama Sky and Intimate Apparel. We have developed
a style or a "look" that is about "stripping away:” stripping away artifice and
extraneous details. It is why I most like working in the theatre because you
can do things you cannot do in TV or film because in TV and Film you have
to be very realistic.
Kate Bergh, Costume Designer: I did research on the costumes by watching
popular tv shows and movies from 1993, including, of course, Sleepless in
Seattle [the movie]. The clothes back then are not very attractive to our eyes
right now so we decided just to reference the period instead of copying
specific styles.
David O, Musical Director: When musically directing, I always am
conscious of two major influences. The first is the composer's intent. How
do the pitches, rhythms, and other musical instructions work together to create
One of Kate Bergh’s costume design boards for the color
a complete musical picture? When working on a new musical, such as this
palette of Sleepless in Seattle.
one, I have the luxury of working directly with the composer, in this case Ben
Toth, to find out specifically how he means the music to sound. The second major influence for me is the story, including the work of
the actors. How can the performance of the score be best used to tell the story, to express the characters' wants and needs? Interpreting
these two influences is my main job as Musical Director.”
Tell us a little about your collaboration with the creative team on this show.
John Iacovelli: Sheldon and I looked at my sketches and worked on the play, meeting once or twice a week for a month. As we went I
realized there was way too much scenery in the show. This was partly because the script moved effortlessly between many locations
and I didn't want us to wait for scenery to be changed. It also felt "heavy." We added our collaborator Brian Gale, the lighting and
projection designer and this help free up our look. We said, let's not do what you can do in film, let's not make a film. We decided to
focus on the characters and establish each location with almost nothing, just a notation. So the Seattle houseboat became a couple of
deck chairs and a table. The hotel room in Asia for Walter became a suitcase on a folding luggage rack, things like this. Sheldon then
said that he would like the whole show to look like the characters were floating and that is how we came up with a great look.
Kate Bergh: I work closely with the other designers in deciding what direction to take. This is guided by the head creative, the
director. Colors, spacing, lighting -all has to work together to form a cohesive look and attitude for each show. I work very closely
with the wig and makeup designer on wigs and hairstyles to get the correct feeling of the period.
David O: I have particularly enjoyed working with the Director, Sheldon Epps, who maintains a strong artistic vision and demands
high standards of his collaborators while managing to remain kind and respectful of everyone in the room
What makes your job fun, or, what's something no one would ever guess that your job includes?
Kate Bergh: Working with fun, creative people and making something unique that no one has seen before.
David O: One of the things I think most people would find surprising is how much labor goes into creating a musical moment. From
the Composer and Lyricist to the Orchestrator and Copyist to all the Singers and Musicians and Conductor, there are dozens of manhours of work put into each second of music that the audience hears. Every beat of music is carefully crafted by multiple artists to
create a complete performance.
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John Iacovelli: What makes my job fun is collaborating with all the craftsman and artisans that work at the Pasadena Playhouse. I ask
them what they think, and their good ideas always improve my set design, I welcome their helpful collaboration. I like to do a lot of
research and this period is difficult. 1993 is just not that long ago. I did some research of the Empire State Building and they have
these really cool art deco styled door for the elevators and I used that research for our elevator doors so they match the real place.
Years ago when I lived New York, I called my mother and I said, "Guess where I am calling you from?" and she said, "The top of the
Empire State Building." And it was true.
What do you want audience members to come away with after seeing this play?
Kate Bergh: Don't settle for anything but the best because that's what each of us deserves.
David O: I would most love for audience members to have experienced the score of this musical as a cathartic expression of the
power of trusting one's own deepest intuitions and longings.
John Iacovelli: Pure joy. David O, our conductor, said "at the end of this show every kid will want to be Jonah, every woman will
want to be Annie and every guy will want to be Sam." I think this is true.
QUESTIONS IN CONTEXT:
1) Which design job would you like to do?
2) Write a letter to your favorite design team member. Did
you like the lighting design the best? The set? Let that person
know what you liked, ask them how they did it, and what you
would have done.
3) Advertising is also an important part of a play production.
Take a look at the image to the right, used in the advertising
for Sleepless in Seattle – The Musical. What would you think
this play is going to be about just based on this image? What
do you think needs to be communicated through the
advertising of a play, so that the audience will want to come
see it?
4) Look at the picture of John Iacovelli’s set
design for Sleepless in Seattle – The Musical, on
the left. How does it compare to the actual set
you see in the show?
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Understanding the Genre: Romantic Comedy
Sleepless in Seattle, the movie, was voted one of the Top Ten Romantic
Comedies of all time by AFI, the American Film Institute. What defines a
romantic comedy?
Romantic comedies are required to strike a balance between expectation (the
formula) and yearning (the fantasy). We all "know" that boy and girl will end up
together, but we go to the movies to see what it is that makes a specific story
special. We expect to go through the motions of meet-lose-get, but at the same
time we hold our breath in anticipation of the unpredictable bumps on this
particular ride. We want the same, but different.
Successful romantic comedies teach us that we tend to root for a romantic hero
who is:
Endearingly Vulnerable: 'Bud' in The Apartment, Howard in What's Up, Doc?,
Dave in Dave.
Self-Deprecatingly Funny: Alvy in Annie Hall, Elliot in The Goodbye Girl,
Harry in When Harry Met Sally.
A Jerk, but Redeemable: Michael in Tootsie, Phil in Groundhog Day, Linus
in Sabrina.
In much the same way, we expect a romantic heroine to be:
Smolderingly Sexy: Loretta in Moonstruck, Annie in Bull Durham, Tess in Working Girl.
Endearingly Vulnerable: Paula in The Goodbye Girl, Sabrina in Sabrina, Lucy in While You Were Sleeping.
Gutsy and Feisty: Hildy in His Girl Friday, Lucy in The Ghost and Mrs. Muir, Rita/Susan in Educating Rita.
Traditional romantic comedy usually employs
two auxiliary character functions that
represent antagonistic and supportive forces to
the love story. They are respectively
the Antagonist (i.e. the significant but
unsuitable other) and the Best Friend.
The Antagonist is not necessarily "a bad guy".
More often than not, he is just an ordinary
bloke: solid, solvent, and dull. Female
Antagonists are presented as treacherous,
stiflingly uptight, or quite benevolent but not
too bright. The Antagonist is an opposing
force to the course of the central romance. He
or she exists to obstruct the main love story, to
pose challenges for the protagonists to
overcome, and to highlight the itch that only
Can you tell who the hero and heroine, best friend and antagonist are in these pictures from the
the other half, the right half, can scratch. If
original movie Sleepless in Seattle?
the Antagonist is an opposing force, the Best
Friend is a dependable supportive force. It is
the sounding board for the protagonists' concerns, the sympathetic ear for when they need to vent, the friendly hand that
passes the Kleenex. Best Friends (mates, allies, pals) are always there. In a genre that needs to continuously slalom its
way around static expository situations, Best Friends elicit background information, explore motivations, and move the
story forward.
(Adapted from Romantic Comedy: Traditional Roles and Expectations, from Yahoo.com)
11
Top Ten Romantic Comedies
The American Film Institute published their
list of the top ten romantic comedies of all
time. Can you put them in the correct order
from 1-10?
“I like watching people fall in love onscreen so much that I can
suspend my disbelief in the contrived situations that occur only
in the heightened world of romantic comedies. I have come to
enjoy the moment when the male lead, say, slips and falls right
on top of the expensive wedding cake. I actually feel robbed
when the female lead’s dress doesn’t get torn open at a
baseball game while the JumboTron camera is on her. I regard
romantic comedies as a subgenre of sci-fi, in which the world
operates according to different rules than my regular human
world. For me, there is no difference between Ripley from
“Alien” and any Katherine Heigl character. They are equally
implausible. They’re all participating in a similar level of fakey
razzle-dazzle, and I enjoy every second of it.”
-Mindy Kaling, author/writer/actress (“The Office,” “The
Mindy Project”), on how much she loves romantic comedies in
her book Is Everyone Hanging Out Without Me?
QUESTIONS IN CONTEXT:
1) What characteristics of the romantic comedy genre
do you see in Sleepless in Seattle – The Musical?
How would you describe the romantic hero? The
romantic heroine?
2) How do the best friend characters help the hero
and heroine get together?
#____ Sleepless in Seattle
#____ Roman Holiday
#____ The Philadelphia Story
#____ It Happened One Night
#____ City Lights
#____ When Harry Met Sally
#____ Annie Hall
#____ Harold and Maude
#____ Adam’s Rib
#____ Moonstruck
(Answers on page 14)
3) Who are the antagonists and how do they present
obstacles that could keep the hero and heroine
from each other?
12
After the Show …
1. Each character has a dream or a desire, and something that stands in the way of it. What are they? How are they
different and similar for each character?
2. Were the actors believable? Describe how they did or did not accomplish this.
3. Did the production have a unifying theme? Describe how the different elements of the performance (directing, acting,
design elements, music, etc.) were or were not unified.
4. What was communicated to the audience by the character’s costumes? Did their costumes match their personalities,
their social status, etc.?
5. How did the music tell the story? How was it used to communicate each character’s personality, desires, and how they
related to each other? How did the music contribute to creating the world of the play, i.e. the setting, the themes?
6. How would the play change if it were written as a drama instead of a romantic comedy? What do you think makes a
story better suited for one genre over another?
7. This musical was based on a movie. Do you think this play would work well as a TV show? A novel? What would you
change or keep in a different medium?
8. Does the setting of the play matter? How would this play be different if it were set in another country? Another part of
the U.S.? Another era? How would the relationships change?
9. In what ways are the characters connected to each other (circumstances, desires, loves, etc.)? How do each character’s
actions and words affect the others?
10. Did any of the characters change over the course of the play? In what way?
11. Whose story is this: Sam? Annie? Jonah? Another character? Several?
12. What do you think will happen to these characters after the play’s ending point?
13. If you could rewrite the story, would you? Would you make it happier, sadder, etc.? Would you add other characters?
14. How would you describe this play to a friend? What would be the 3 most important things you think you should
mention?
15. What do you think are the themes of this play?
13
Answer Key to “Top Ten Romantic Comedies”on page 12: #1 City Lights, #2 Annie Hall, #3 It Happened One Night, #4 Roman Holiday, #5 The
Philadelphia Story, #6 When Harry Met Sally, #7 Adam’s Rib, #8 Moonstruck, #9 Harold and Maude, #10 Sleepless in Seattle
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