The Thing About Men

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Cast Size

2w, 3m
Duration

120 minutes (2 hours)
Subgenre

Romantic Comedy
Target Audience

Adult

Details

Summary

Tom is cheating on his wife Lucy (with several women). Lucy is cheating on her husband Tom (with Sebastian). Tom moves out on Lucy and, in disguise, moves in with Sebastian. These are the circumstances that set the mood of hilarious intrigue in this often moving – but always lighthearted – musical about men.

Cast Attributes

Reduced casting (Doubling Possible)

Keywords

Performing Groups

PRINCIPALS
2 Women (1 woman plays multiple roles; see list below)
3 Men (1 man plays multiple roles; see list below)

CHARACTERS
Tom Ambrose - A middle-aged, middle class, overworked husband who struggles to stay faithful to his wife
Lucy Ambrose - Tom's wife, who turns to Sebastian upon learning of Tom's infidelity
Sebastian - Lucy's lover, a poor artist
Woman - Jessica (Tom's colleague with whom he's having an affair); a Mother; Okasana (Sebastian's roommate); a Bar Fly; Edith, Sebastian's Neighbor; Janice, a Gym Employee; Cindy, a Model; Juke Box Singer; a Sushi Deliverywoman; a Stylist; Vivian, a Secretary
Man - Darryl, Tom's Assistant; Manuel, a Taxi Driver; a Grunge Teenager; a Bartender; a Priest; Bernard, a Maitre D'; Lance, a Waiter; Another Bartender; a Sushi Deliveryman; a Stylist

Time Period Contemporary
Setting Various locations in an American city and its suburbs. Summer.
Features Contemporary Costumes / Street Clothes
Duration 120 minutes (2 hours)
Cautions
- Mild Adult Themes

Media

“A serious musical comedy, aimed squarely at adults, and brimming with the wry sophistication of a show that knows it can succeed while taking the high road.” – TalkinBroadway.com

“An uproarious musical.” – The New Yorker

“The Thing About Men could quite possibly be just what you're waiting for.... robust enough musically, comedically, and dramatically to take the sting out of late summer malaise, and keep you grinning straight into the fall. It's a cheerful but sobering reminder not only of life, love and friendship but what can - and must - be done to maintain them and keep them all in top working order.” – TalkinBroadway.com

“Smart and funny!” – The Wall Street Journal

“There's a Sondheimian hue to one of the best numbers, the second-act ‘Me, Too’: a paean to dating rituals and the thrill of the first kiss.” – Matt Wolf, Theatre.com

“The book and lyrics by DiPietro are very funny and the music by Mr. Roberts is quite appealing. The Thing About Men makes a great ‘date musical,’ if such a thing exists. I guarantee you will be laughing the whole way through.” – Claudia Perry, AisleSay

“A quirky, clever musical about infidelity and male friendship and the unusual bisection of the two as a cuckolded husband (who was philandering himself) bonds with his wife's new lover.” – Mark Shenton, The Stage

“Musicals as fresh and cleverly written as The Thing About Men are few and far between... well worth a ticket.” – David Crofts, AussieTheatre.com

Music

Music Samples

1. "Oh, What A Man (Opening)" - Man, Woman, Tom, Lucy
2. "No Competition For Me" - Tom, Manuel, Lucy, Sebastian
3. "Opportunity Knocking" - Tom, Sebastian
4. "Free, Easy Guy" - Sebastian, Tom
5. "Free, Easy Guy (Reprise)" - Tom
6. "Take Me Into You" - Sebastian, Lucy
7. "Because" - Tom, Lucy
8. "No Competition For Me (Reprise)" - Tom
8.1. "The Confession" - Priest
9. "The Greates Friend/Downtown Bohemian Slum" - Sebastian, Tom, Female Drunk, Male Drunk, Woman, Man, Lucy
10. "Restaurant Sequence" - Maitre D', Tom, Sebastian, Cindi, Waiter
11. "Take Me Into You (Reprise)" - Lucy
12. "Highway Of Your Heart" - Woman
13. "The Better Man Won" - Tom
14. "The Road To Lucy" - Sebastian, Tom, Lucy, Delivery Man/Woman
15. "Make Me A Promise/" - Young Lucy, Tom, Sebastian, Woman Stylist, Man Stylist
15.5. "New, Beautiful Man" -
16. "What Men Will Do For Love" - Tom
17. "Time To Go Home" - Tom, Sebastian
18. "Because/Back At The Office" - Tom, Lucy, Darryl, Vivian
19. "Finale Act II" - Lucy, Tom, Sebastian, Man, Woman,

Full Orchestration

Piano Conductor (Doubling on Synthesizer)
Reed (Flute, Clarinet, Bass Clarinet, Tenor Sax and Soprano Sax)
Violin (Doubling on Cymbal (with brush, stick and triangle beater)
Cello (Doubling on Bell Tree, Mark Tree and Wood Block (with stick and pencil))

Musical Style Contemporary Broadway
Dance Requirements Minimal
Vocal DemandsModerate
Orchestra Size Small/Combo
Chorus Size No Chorus

Licensing & Materials

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Music Rentals

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The Thing About Men takes place in an American city and its suburbs during the summer. The original New York production employed a unit set. Smaller units and additional pieces were used to suggest the following

SPECIFIC LOCATIONS
Tom and Lucy's Home
Tom's Office
A Taxi Cab
A Park Outside Sebastian's Apt. Bldg.
Blue Bar (a downtown dive)
Sebastian's Apartment (a loft)
A Gym
A Way Too Trendy Restaurant
A Country Bar

7 Libretto-Vocal
1 Piano-Conductor
1 Reed
1 Violin
1 Cello
1 Logo Pack

7 Libretto-Vocal
1 Piano-Conductor
1 Logo Pack

Scripts

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Authors

Joe DiPietro

Joe DiPietro has won two Tony Awards, a Drama Desk Award and three Outer Critics Circle Awards. Broadway: Diana (also on Netflix), Nice Work If You Can Get It starring Matthew Broderick and Kelli O'Hara (10 Tony nominations, including Best Book and Best Musical), Memphis (4 T ...

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Jimmy Roberts

Jimmy Roberts composed the music for I Love You, You're Perfect, Now Change, the second longest-running Off-Broadway musical in New York theater history. Written with playwright Joe DiPietro, I Love You received both the Drama Desk and Outer Critics Circle nominations as Best ...

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The Thing About Men