Principals: 6 Men, 4 Women. Other roles have specific doubling requirement.
THE SOLDIER - twenties to early thirties; high contemporary baritone
THE NURSE - twenties; sop
THE COLLEGE BOY - college-age, early twenties; high baritone
THE YOUNG WIFE - late twenties to early thirties; mezzo
THE HUSBAND - forties; baritone
THE YOUNG THING - late teens, early twenties; high baritone
THE WRITER - early thirties; high baritone
THE ACTRESS - thirties to early forties; mezzo soprano to high G
THE SENATOR - forties to fifties; baritone to G
THE WHORE - ageless; mezzo
Hello Again can be thought of as a ballet with words. As
conceived by Graciela Daniele, who directed the New York production at Lincoln
Center Theater, the staging and choreography imbue each scene with an important
layer of subtext which complements and sometimes contrasts with the musical
subtext and dialogue. Which characters
play secondary roles (i.e. the Ship’s Steward in Scene 6, or the Swing Quintet
in Scene 3) is an important consideration, intrinsic to the score and its vocal
arrangements, as well as the psychology of the ballet. For instance, the
Whore’s appearance in Scene 1, Scene 5 (as the Young Wife’s reflection in the
mirror), and Scene 10 has a stronger and more mysterious impact, visually and
subtextually, then if she were to appear in other scenes.
The following is a breakdown of the secondary roles and what
characters play them:
Scene 1: An inebriated man: The Senator
Scene 2: Swing Trio: The Young Wife, The Young Thing, The
Actress
Swing Quintet: The Young Wife, The Young Thing, The Actress,
The Husband, The Writer
Scene 3: T.V. Reporter: The Senator
Scene 4: Patrons: The Soldier, The Husband, The Young Thing,
The Senator
Scene 5: Pop Singer: The Young Thing
Prima Donna: The Actress
Scene 6: Prima Donna: The Actress
Ships’s Steward: The Senator
Passengers/Disco Revelers: Company, except for The Whore
Scene 9: Music Videos: The Soldier, The Nurse
Company: all except The Whore