LAMDA Knowledge Grade 7

What is the intro for Wouldn’t It Be Loverly?

For my first piece, I will be performing Wouldn’t it be loverly by Alan Jay Lerner and Frederick Loewe, from the 1956 stage play My Fair Lady. Within this piece Cockney flower girl Eliza Doolittle expresses to her street friends her wish for a better life, and her hopes for her future self.

What is the intro for On My Own?

For my second piece, I will be performing On My Own by Claude-Michel Schönberg, from the musical Les Misérables, which premiered in France in 1980. In this piece, Eponine expresses her unrequited love for her best friend, Marius, and how she dreams of being at his side but knows his love is for Cosette and not for her.

What is the intro for The Lamest Place In The World?

For my last piece, I will be performing The Lamest Place In The World by Jason Robert Brown from the musical 13 in 2007. In this piece, the character Patrice expresses her feelings of frustration and isolation about her small town, Appleton, Indiana, which she considers dull and uninspiring.

What is the monologue for Wouldn’t It Be Loverly?

Oh, stop mocking me just because I don’t want to live in this dumb town and I’d rather live in Paris, it doesn’t mean that I’m any better than you. No, I don’t want to open up a castle in capri. I don’t even know where capri is. I just can’t stand staying here any longer and if that means finding a way to get myself out, I will. I’m not like you lot, spending everyday doing the same thing. I’ve refused for this to be my life. It’s just so boring. Every day the same. Seeing the same people and saying the same things and never feeling like there’s any hope. I just want a different life where I can have all that I dream of.

What is the monologue for On My Own?

(shivering, walking and looking around the stage) And now… I'm all alone again. Nowhere to turn, no one to go to, I don’t even have a home where I can return. What can I do? Without a friend or a face to say hello to. At night all I do is think about him, make believe that he is here. It’s…so cold. And dark. If only he were here. Did you know sometimes I walk alone at night? When everybody else is fast asleep, I think of him and then I'm happy with the company I'm keeping! The city goes to bed as the night falls and I’m free to live inside my head, and imagine all that could have been…

What is the monologue for The Lamest Place In The World?

Patrice: You’re from New York? That’s so cool. I’ve never been to New York before, although I’ve heard all about it. Have you heard of Alan Blakes? You have? Oh, it’s my dream to visit her house, I’ve heard it’s open at certain times of the year. pause YOUR BEST FRIEND LIVES THERE? Wow, what a coincidence! Did you know the author was murdered in the back room of the house? Gasp THAT IS HIS BEDROOM?! You don’t understand how exciting this is! I’ve been obsessed with her work for YEARS! One day, we’ll go there together – yes! That will be my escape. See, I’ve lived here all my life. I can show you around some time, but there’s not really much here. The best thing we have is the bookshop down the road. You’ll get around just fine, considering you’re from New York, the largest city in America!! What brings you here again? Oh yeah, your mum and dad…well I apologise in advance, because guess what, you’ve come to the lamest place in the world.

What is the character’s role within the musical as a whole for Wouldn’t It Be Loverly?

• Eliza is the protagonist and epicentre of the musical. And all the drama circulates around her.

• Her desire to escape her life is the catalyst of the action from the bet between Professor Higgins and Connell Pickering

• She is converted from a street seller to a lady, and with this she loses her identity. Without her the musical would be non-existent

What is the character’s role within the musical as a whole for On My Own?

• Eponine is a supporting character of the musical, she faces immense suffering due to her poverty, the loss of her child and the abuse she suffers from society and men. But she is vital.

• Though her role is deemed small it is significant within the story, Her character arc highlights the harsh realities faced by women in poverish circumstances during 19^th century France.

• Though her part is relatively short, she has a lasting impact on the audience. Her tragic story serves as a catalyst for themes such as hope, compassion and love throughout the musical.

What is the character’s role within the musical as a whole for The Lamest Place In The World?

• Patrice is a supporting character in the musical, and she befriends Evan in the opening scenes.

• She is seen as the moral compass of the play, and Evan’s disregard of their relationship is a running thread throughout the musical.

• Her character addresses issues such as friendship, loss and desire. And as an audience we root for Patrice more so than we do for Evan. As her unwavering loyalty stays the same throughout.

What is the work and influences on musical theatre of a composer for Wouldn’t It Be Loverly?

• Fredrick Lowe is a distinguished composer of Musical Theatre. He collaborated greatly with lyrist Alan Lerner in the early 1940’s and their partnership seen creations such as Brigadoon, The Day before Spring and their most successful hits were My Fair Lady and Gigi.

• His contributions to musical theatre were significant and influential.

• His music demonstrated a fusion of classical and popular styles, creating a unique sound that appealed to a wide audience.

• The enduring popularity of My Fair Lady has solidified his place as one of the great composers in the history of musical theatre.

What is the work and influences on musical theatre of a composer for On My Own?

• The composer of Les Miserables is Claude Michel- Schönberg. His influence on musical theatre extends beyond his own works. His use of lush orchestrations, soaring melodies, and emotionally charged storytelling has inspired many contemporary composers and writers.

• The impact of "Les Misérables" and "Miss Saigon" can be seen in the development of similar large-scale musicals that tackle grand themes and incorporate diverse musical styles.

• Schönberg's collaborations with Boublil helped popularize the concept of the "pop opera" in musical theatre, where contemporary and popular music styles are blended with theatrical storytelling.

• His powerful compositions, innovative storytelling techniques, and ability to convey emotions through music have shaped the genre and inspired future generations of composers and writers. Schönberg's contributions to musical theatre continue to resonate and captivate audiences around the world.

What is the work and influences on musical theatre of a composer for The Lamest Place In The World?

• Jason Robert Brown has had a significant influence on contemporary musical theatre, renowned for blending traditional Broadway styles with elements of jazz, pop, and classical music.

• His intricate harmonic structures, emotionally complex lyrics, and innovative storytelling techniques set him apart from other composers.

• Works like The Last Five Years and Parade demonstrate his ability to address deep emotional themes, often exploring complex human relationships and societal issues.

• Brown’s musicals, such as 13: The Musical, challenge traditional forms by incorporating modern pop influences and appealing to younger audiences, while still maintaining the emotional depth of more classic works.

• His distinctive style has inspired a new generation of musical theatre writers, including Lin-Manuel Miranda, and continues to shape the evolution of the genre.

What are the vocal techniques required to perform Wouldn’t It Be Loverly?

• For Wouldn’t It Be Loverly, it was important to understand how to support my breath, because it is a dynamic song and vocal control is necessary throughout the song

• I used exercises to strengthen my diaphragm and practiced articulation exercises to ensure that my vocal was crisp, and I could sustain my breath to the end of phrases

• We also practiced a lot of articulation exercises to produce the sound of a cockney accent which was crucial to the sing

• As the song is mainly in my head voice, I practiced higher scales before performance to ensure that I was thoroughly warmed up and to ensure I didn’t strain my voice

• There is many times I had to maintain solid breath and hold notes, making it necessary to sustain the duration of the note, maintaining pitch and tone without wavering

What are the vocal techniques required to perform On My Own?

• On my own, understood how to support the breath, because it is a dynamic song and vocal control is necessary throughout the song

• I used exercises to strengthen my diaphragm and practiced articulation exercises to ensure that my vocal was crisp, and I could sustain my breath to the end of phrases

• As the song is mainly in my head voice, I practiced higher scales before performance to ensure that I was thoroughly warmed up and to ensure I didn’t strain my voice

• There are many times I had to maintain solid breath

• Within this song there are many times where I have to sustain notes, making it necessary to sustain the duration of the note, maintaining pitch and tone without wavering

What are the vocal techniques required to perform The Lamest Place In The World?

• For The Lamest Place In The World, it was important to understand how to support my breath, because it is a dynamic song and vocal control is necessary throughout the song

• I used exercises to strengthen my diaphragm and practiced articulation exercises to ensure that my vocal was crisp, and I could sustain my breath to the end of phrases

• We also practiced a lot of articulation exercises to produce the sound of an American accent

• We practiced exercises to develop my chest voice,

• There are many times I had to maintain solid breath and hold notes, making it necessary to sustain the duration of the note, maintaining pitch and tone without wavering

How was the published/devised spoken dialogue was selected and developed for Wouldn’t It Be Loverly?

• For Wouldn’t It Be Loverly, I adapted the pre-set dialogue from the beginning into a monologue to provide more context to the song

• I also looked at the song lyrics and attained what the essence of the storyline was, pulled out the themes from there, acknowledged different lyrics to create a storyline

How was the published/devised spoken dialogue was selected and developed for On My Own?

• For On My Own, I adapted the pre-set dialogue from the beginning into a monologue to provide more context to the song

• I also looked at the song lyrics and attained what the essence of the storyline was, pulled out the themes from there, acknowledged different lyrics to create a storyline

How was the published/devised spoken dialogue was selected and developed for The Lamest Place In The World?

• For The Lamest Place In The World, I adapted the pre-set dialogue from the beginning into a monologue to provide more context to the song

• I also looked at the song lyrics and attained what the essence of the storyline was, pulled out the themes from there, acknowledged different lyrics to create a storyline