SONG ANATOMY: preparing the role (MT, OPERETTA, OPERA)

Studio: Kristen Hedberg

SEE SCHEDULE FOR DEADLINES
Due via email to: yellowcatspeaksrussian@gmail.com No hard copies.
*Song/AriaTitle
Im your Man

*Character Ann Mitchell

*Composer
Andrew Gerle

*Work
Meet John Doe

*Premiere
New York Musical Theater Festival 2004

*Librettist/Book Writer
Eddie Sugarman

1. Give a brief summary of the plot.

Anne Mitchell loses her job in the Depression, and writes a fake letter from a man named John Doe. He
protests how society is and says he will commit suicide by jumping off of the Brooklyn Bridge on Christmas Eve. It
becomes a big hit, and they find a ballplayer John Willoughby to pretend hes John Doe. He becomes famous and a
love triangle forms. They get too deep into the lie and eventually have to tell the truth about John Doe.
2. On what is the work based? A play, novel, historical figure?
The musical is based off of the Meet John Doe 1941 film.
3. Explain the origin or the story, noting the differences and similarities between it and the musical/opera.
4. Give a brief description of the composers historical background.
Andrew Gerle is a prodigy made by Marilyn Neeley and Robert Gerle. He started his career by playing
classical piano in Baltimore. He went to Yale University and won the Yale Symphonys concerto competition.
5. Describe the composers style. What does that require of the singer? How does that relate to you?
6. How does the accompaniment/orchestra relate to the vocal line?
7. Describe the character. Give a complete description including age, personality, occupation, nationality, marital
status, education level, economic and social status, condition of health, relationship to other characters and basic
physical traits.
8. Discuss the characters perceived posture. Relate it to your own.
How does your character fidget?
9. What journey does the character take in the story? How different is he/she at the end of the story as compared to
the beginning?
10. Describe the location of the story in general.
11. Research and describe the social customs of the place and time in which the musical/opera the story - is set.
Assume you are in a traditional production.

12. List famous authors/poets and visual artists from the time period in which the work was composed. What
conclusions can you draw about other art forms being created when this work is created? Are there any similarities?
13. What was happening in history when the work the composer was writing this work? Wars, philosophical
movements, religious movements, etc (What is really happening in the world outside the walls in which the
COMPOSER lives and works?)
14. Answer the same question again and relate it to the time period in which the piece is set if it is different from the
time period of the composer. (What is really happening in the world outside the walls in which the CHARACTER
lives and works? How might this affect your characters responses to environment, other people, pressures,
conflicts, etc?
15. Describe the situation of the character in each scene. (You will need to understand the entire story to accurately
answer this question.)
16. What is the characters main goal/purpose/objective in each scene? In other words, what does the character
want? Take some time to think about this one. Does the character get what he/she wants? What new objective is
created for the scene following?
17. If you were the director of this production, what would you say in your program notes that would entice your
audience excite your audience that might take away intimidation, boredom, or any barrier that audience members
feel when they are in newer territory? This is important for the future of our art form, and for competing with the
shortened attention spans of todays audience members and their addictions to TV and phone screens, rather than
live theatre.

*Write out all all lines of your song, leaving an extra line under each printed line. Underneath each printed line,
write the subtext. What is the character really saying? For example, someone saying Your hair looks good today
could mean a variety of things: You look like you need a compliment. Wow, what a copycat. I wish I had the
nerve to ask you out. Your hairdo is really a hair dont.
Line 1 Original Text
Line 2 Subtext: What the character really means
(Note that if the song is in a foreign language, you will have three lines for this exercise. The first line will be the
original text; the second the translation of the text; and the third line being the subtext or deeper meaning of the
poetry)
Be sure to consult the Tips for Doing Research form for scholarly web sources. Notice that wikipedia is not
one of them.
At the end of each song anatomy, list the sources from which you found your information. I may go back to
them and check for accuracy. Be sure to write information in your own words and use your own thoughts.
What you think matters. I am interested in those thoughts, assuming they are in harmony with the factual
reality of the work.
This research is crucial to understanding and building character. Find your authentic version of this
character while staying respectful to the writers truths and clues.