Work
Annie & Joshua
for two actor-singers and piano
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About
This story comes from Hotel, a collection of six short two-hander scenes written and directed by Thomas Sainsbury in 2010. I adapted the playscript into a libretto and set it to music for performance in Short+Sweet Song 2013, a festival of ten-minute musical theatre pieces.
Annie & Joshua won a number of awards in Short+Sweet 2013: the Judges’ Choice Award for S+S Song; the Stage Manager’s Prize across both Theatre & Song; Best Actor (across Theatre & Song) for Callum Blackmore; and the Wallace Arts Trust Emerging Artist Award (for S+S Song) to Callum Blackmore.
Synopsis:
Joshua is a hotel bellboy, bored and mucking around on the late shift. Annie, a hotel receptionist, enters. She has been away from her desk for some time, and it is visibly apparent that she has been crying. After repeated pestering from Joshua and repeated rebuffs from Annie, she opens up about her boyfriend who she has just broken up with.
Joshua reveals his undying devotion for Annie. Bit by bit, Annie gives into his advances and they plan their future together: where they’ll live, their children, their ski resort in the mountains, their pet dog. Joshua proposes, Annie accepts, and they schedule their wedding for three days’ time.
Everything is going perfectly until Annie raises the prospect of a prenuptial agreement. Joshua pulls away, and the two of them see a vision of their future: they’ll divorce in seven years, Joshua’s ski fields will turn tacky, Annie will become a school teacher and frequent internet dating. This vision ends with their respective deaths: Annie choking on a chicken roll in the school staffroom, Joshua wandering off into the mountain without a trace.
By mutual agreement, they decide it would be best not to pursue a relationship.
Difficulty note
Suitable for high school and tertiary students, musical theatre and/or opera courses for young people.
Text note
Libretto by Robbie Ellis based on the play by Thomas Sainsbury.
Performance history
11 Jun 2013: Performed by Bridget Costello (Annie), Callum Blackmore (Joshua), and Robbie Ellis (piano) at the Herald Theatre, in Auckland.
12 Jun 2013: Performed by Bridget Costello (Annie), Callum Blackmore (Joshua), and Robbie Ellis (piano) at the Herald Theatre, in Auckland.
13 Jun 2013: Performed by Bridget Costello (Annie), Callum Blackmore (Joshua), and Robbie Ellis (piano) at the Herald Theatre, in Auckland.
14 Jun 2013: Performed by Bridget Costello (Annie), Callum Blackmore (Joshua), and Robbie Ellis (piano) at the Herald Theatre, in Auckland.
15 Jun 2013: Performed by Bridget Costello (Annie), Callum Blackmore (Joshua), and Robbie Ellis (piano) at the Herald Theatre, in Auckland.
30 Jun 2013: Performed by Bridget Costello (Annie), Callum Blackmore (Joshua), and Robbie Ellis (piano) at the Herald Theatre, in Auckland.
19 Jul 2013: Performed by Bridget Costello (Annie), Callum Blackmore (Joshua), and Robbie Ellis (piano) at the Rose Centre, Belmont, in Auckland.
Performed by Bridget Costello (Annie), Callum Blackmore (Joshua), Robbie Ellis (piano). Studio recording made 29 August 2013, Opera Factory, Auckland.
Produced, engineered, edited and mixed by Robbie Ellis, with production and engineering assistance from Andrew Grenon.