Ian Cook & Ian Newton | Musical | Full-length | Principals: 4m, 4f Support: 6m, 2f, 2m/f
Short synopsis
Written specifically to appeal to amateur groups with a well-balanced cast and has potential for simple staging and costuming. The plot is based around the pupils of Class 5D at Grangebourne Secondary Modern who are celebrating their last days at school. It’s a story of unrequited love, honour and sacrifice, recollection and reminiscence, betrayal and forgiveness, all played out against the backdrop of the class being re-united through a tragedy over 20 years later, together with a reunion of another sort entirely.
Synopsis
Characters
Reviews
Act One:
It’s the long hot summer of 1976 and the pupils in class 5D at Grangebourne Secondary Modern are arriving for their last week in school before leaving to follow their dreams into the adult world of work and reality.
Debbie hopes to study medicine after graduating at Cambridge; Susan dreams of being an actress; Harry, a professional footballer and Tom, is, well, just Tom a cheeky, kind and gentle young man whose dream of being an explorer is really just that. Tom admires his elder brother John, who has just been accepted into the Marines, and is the pride and joy of both Grangebourne School and the Green family.
On the night of the school leavers disco Tom discovers, that his brother’s careless behaviour whilst out celebrating, may seriously jeopardise his future. Without giving thought to the repercussions, Tom takes both the blame and consequences for John’s fatal mistake... a decision which has devastating and life changing consequences for himself and his ‘hoping to be’ girlfriend, Debbie.
Act Two:
At the beginning of the long, dark, cold, winter of 1999, some 23 years after our cast have left school to reap the rewards or otherwise of their youth, the ex-pupils are brought together at the funeral of their favourite and much loved form teacher.
This ignites nostalgia from the past and a desire to know where their friends have gone, and what life has brought them. Harry and Susan decide to organise a school reunion and set about bringing the class of 76 back together for an evening at the school to catch up. For some, life did indeed follow the path set down in their formative years, for others, though their aspirations to achieve were successful, are they happy?
And Tom and Debbie… what were the consequences for them following the events of that fateful night in 1976? Did they get to dance and build a life together, as was always expected by their peers?
The story features both laugh-out-loud scenes and heart-rending moments, with songs to match. The show features 19 musical numbers, 8 of which feature the entire company and a further 8 which involve smaller groups. The songs feature a mixture of harmony parts so there is plenty for the entire ensemble to get their teeth into.
Principals (4m, 4f)
Debbie James - 16 (& 39), a quiet studious young girl, lacks confidence
Tom Green - 16 (& 39), a cheeky likeable ‘heart of gold’ young man from a good working-class family.
Harry Machin - 16 (& 39), a sporty working class lad, Tom’s best mate
Susan Pye - 16 (& 39), brash, brassy and ‘in yer face’, working class background
Dick Littleworth- 16 (& 39), a ‘mother’s boy’, the product of an over-protective parent, friends with Tom and Harry
Laura Smith- 16 (& 39), a female version of Dick, friends with Susan and Debbie
Mr Grey- 40s (& 60s), the school's Careers Officer, secretly dreams of being a dancer
Miss Jolly- 30s (& 50s),the Domestic Science Teacher, a matronly spinster, obsessed with romance
Support(6m, 2f, 2m/f plus chorus)
Mr (or Miss) Ogillvy – late 30s (& 50s), a traditional ‘old school’ Head Teacher
Mr Powell - 30s (& 50s), the school's PE Teacher, thinks he is God’s gift to women
Miss (or Mr) Davies – mid 40s, 5D's Form Teacher (appears in Act One only)
Geoffrey Drain - a stereotypical School Caretaker, hates kids
John Green - 18 (&41), the older brother of Tom
Malcolm Simmons - 16 (& 39), a bully at school, returns as a fully fledged Catholic priest
Steph Barber - 16 (& 39), a wannabee hairdresser, friendly with Debbie and Laura but mainly Susan’s friend
Bob Watson - 16 (& 39), forever eating, his dad owns the local fish & chip shop, returns as a lot more healthy
Margaret James – 35-45 (& 55-65), Debbie’s mother, a stereotypical housewife of the time
Kenneth James – 40-50 (& 60-70), Debbie’s father, a social climber, lower middle class but aspires beyond this
Chorus to suit the scenes, supplying cameo roles of:
Tony the DJ (ages from 16 to 39);
Gym Instructor (female aerobics teacher, very flexible and energetic);
Priest; the 'other woman';
Waiter/Waitress;
2 x Police Officers;
Tap-dancing Nuns (female ensemble act)
"Congratulations to the two Ians on a well scripted musical that delivered. It had the feel-good factor and the capacity audience loved it. " - Cheryl Barrett, Sardines, April 2013
If you require any additional information regarding this script, please don’t hesitate to contact us here.
Songs
1) Waiting For The Bell To Ring - Company
2) We're Gathered Here - Company
3) Next! - Mr Grey, Tom, Susan, Harry & Debbie
4) We Mean Nothing To YouDebbie, Mr Grey & Pupils
5) Next!(Reprise) - Mr Grey & Pupils
6) The Joys Of Baking - Miss Jolly, Debbie & Pupils
7) Fat Bob's - Tom & Chorus
8) Between Me And YouTom & Chorus
9) Mister Right - Laura, Susan, Debbie & Girls Chorus
10) Waiting Round The Corner - School Staff & Chorus (with the Principal Pupils)
11) I'll Never Know Your Love - Debbie
~~ Interval ~~
12) Waiting For The Bell To Ring(Reprise) - Priest & Chorus (with the Principal Pupils)
13) Take A Look At Us Now - Harry, Susan & Chorus
14) Letters Home - Tom, John & Debbie
15) The Body Beautiful - Harry & Male Chorus
16) I'll Never Know Your Love (Reprise) - Debbie & Tom
17) You Can Always Trust An Animal - Dick, Laura & Chorus
18) Our Time - Company
19) Waiting Round The Corner(Reprise) - Company
20) Curtain Calls - Company
21) Playout - Orchestra
Information for Production Administrators
Here's a list of all the supporting material available and some other information you might need. Pricing for the production materials is supplied automatically with a Perusal Set. Royalty pricing can only be provided as a formal quotation.
Available now (see below)
Perusal Set
These are availableto bona-fide producing organisations onlyto request free of charge. The set contains ...
Printed Libretto
Printed Piano/Vocal Score
Cast Recording
Performance Video
Available after Perusal
Libretti/Vocal Scores
Available to purchase as a Rehearsal Master Set on a Data CD (Cast). This contains the script and piano vocal score for your cast and crew provided as A4 pdf files. No problem about possible loss of deposit, as they are yours to print out and mark up as required. The price includes a multiple copying licence allowing you to copy the Data CD itself (enabling you to give or sell copies to your cast for them to make up their own rehearsal books) or to make multiple prints of the pdf's on the Data CD for your production company to organise and provide to your cast or crew.
Please note that we do not sell printed copies of the libretti, nor do we hire sets of printed rehearsal libretti or scores.
Available after Rights Obtained
Backing Tracks
For use during performances. Not entirely suitable for rehearsals as the melody lines are missing.
Orchestrations
These are available for a 7 piece orchestra as below, for hire to production companies only, who hold a valid, unexpired, licence to perform.
Keyboard 1
Piano /Keyboard 2
Bass
Tenor Sax
Trumpet
Trombone
Drums
We have secured the rights to video productions of this title from the Author, and we manage them on his behalf. Once a 'Licence To Perform' has been granted, and then on payment of a fee, we will be able to issue a 'Licence To Record'. There are some strings attached to this, but these are far outweighed by the benefits.
Record one or more live performances and mix down to a single video
Give or sell copies to your cast and crew
Sell copies to your audiences (take advance bookings on the night)
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All our musicals are included in our perusal service. Under this, representatives of producing organisations can request a USB Stick of Perusal Material which comprise the script/libretto and piano/vocal score as pdf files; a Cast (or Studio) Recording as mp3 files and (where available) an mp4 file video of either the premiere production or of a subsequent production.
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The simple answer is, yes.
Under the international laws of copyright, you must be in possession of a valid, unexpired, licence before performing any piece of theatre unless the owner or managers of the copyright has waived their rights. (See 'Copyright Questions' below).
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