HOME | The Musical Of Music

JOIN Exeter College for a delightfully quirky look at all things musical in The Musical of Musicals (the musical!) A story of landlords, unpaid rent, love, friendship and a healthy dose of satire told in the style of the five masters of the musical theatre world, including Sondheim, Lloyd Webber, Kander and Ebb, Herman, and Rodgers and Hammerstein. Performed by first and second year students from Exeter College on the UAL Musical Theatre Performing and Production Arts course. Performances in May, ticket prices £8 matinee and £13 evening.

Tickets available at https://www.exeternorthcott.co.uk/.

Some Easter Eggs from the show....

Can you spot what musicals these props are from?

The musical features four characters who reprise similar melodramatic roles in each section.
The villain- Jitter- the evil landlord who demands the rent be paid
The hero, Billy, who is the leading man and love interest who offers to pay the rent despite not being able to.
June - the leading lady who cannot pay her rent.
The matron, Abby -the older woman who June turns for advice, always with the words "Thank you Abby, that was so helpful!"

Plot synopsis

Corn is set in the style of musicals by the composing pair Rodgers and Hammerstein. 'Oklahoma,' 'Carousel,' 'The Sound of Music,' 'The King and I,' 'Cinderella,' 'Flower Drum Song,' and 'South Pacific' are all parodied and referenced in this section. It's August, and Jitter threatens June with forcing her to marry him if she can't pay the rent. Mother Abby tells June to follow her dream, which leads to a dream ballet and a happy conclusion. Big Willy is split between his desire to marry her and his desire for a corn filled lifestyle, while Mother Abby advises June to follow her dream.

A Little Complex is set in the style of Stephen Sondheim's musicals, and references 'Into the Woods', 'Company', 'Sweeney Todd', 'A little night of music' and 'Sunday in the Park with George'. Jitter is a psychotic artist/landlord who plots to murder his tenants; including bird-obsessed indecisive Jeune, deep-thinking composer Billy, and gloomy alcoholic Abby, for putting his artwork out with the trash in a New York apartment complex filled with neurotics. He succeeds in his dastardly plan, after many unnecessarily convoluted lyrics and dissonant music.

Dear Abby is set in the style of Jerry Herman's work, including 'Mame', 'Hello, Dolly!', 'La Cage aux Folles,' and 'Dear World'. Aunt Abby is a quirky Manhattan socialite who is adored by her neighbours and whose wise counsel cures all of their issues. Abby manages to matchmake her nephew William and her geeky friend Junie-Faye in between costume changes, as well as persuade the stuffy landlord Mr. Jitters to accept his true nature and become a drag queen.

Aspects of Junita is set in the style of Andrew Lloyd Webber, including references to 'The Phantom of the Opera,' 'Evita', 'Jesus Christ Superstar,' 'Sunset Boulevard', 'Cats', 'Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat', 'Song and Dance' and 'Starlight Express'. Junita dreams that being famous, despite her lack of talent, will allow her to avoid paying her rent to the mysterious Sir Phantom Jitter in this sung-through pop opera. Junita falls under Phantom Jitter's spell, only for an errant chandelier to bring things literally crashing down to a spectacular climax. Meanwhile her boyfriend, Bill, bemoans their lack of communication (due to the fact that they literally cannot talk), and fading diva Abigail von Starr advises her to go over the top.

Speakeasy is set in the style of John Kander and Fred Ebb's work, including references to 'Chicago', 'Cabaret,' 'Kiss of the Spider Woman', and 'Liza with a Z.' Fräulein Abby advises Juny to turn to prostitution to pay her rent in a speakeasy in 1930s Chicago. Her boyfriend, Villy, gay and in jail, and can't help. The activity is overseen by the scary MC/landlord Jütter. Everyone sings about how terrible life is and how rent can be paid.

Joanne Bogart and Eric Rockwell are the composers and lyricists of the show.
For The Musical of Musicals (The Musical!) they were honored with a 2004 Drama Desk nomination for Best Musical, as well as individual nominations for Best Music and Best Lyrics. The show also received a 2004 Lucille Lortel nomination for Best Musical and a 2005 Drama League nomination for Best Musical.