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James Elliot Lapine

JAMES ELLIOT LAPINE  (1949 - )

 Nationality:    USA
email:    n/a     Website:    n/a

Literary Agent:    n/a


Born in Mansfield, OH on January 10, 1949. BA. from Franklin and Marshall College and M.F.A. from California Institute of the Arts. Worked as a Graphic Designer and Photographer prior to his involvement in the Theater. His interest began when he was worki

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below is a list of James Elliot Lapine's plays - click on a Play Title for more information

 Dirty Blonde         Falsettoland         Fran's Bed         Into the Woods         Into the Woods Jr         Little Miss Sunshine         Luck, Pluck And Virtue         Moment When, The         New Brain, A         Passion         Photograph         Sondheim On Sondheim         Sunday In the Park With George         Table Settings         Twelve Dreams

Dirty Blonde

Synopsis:
Mae West reincarnated and swaggering downstage, taking the sexual upper hand as she plays the hussy with ballsy humour

Notes:
Written by Claudia Shear; Conceived by Claudia Shear And James Lapine; Music Arranged by Bob Stillman

1st Produced:
Helen hayes Theatre, NY    2000

Organisations:
-

1st Published:
-   -

Music:
-

To Buy This Play:
If Publisher (above) is underlined then the play may be purchased by direct click from the Publisher, otherwise (below) are AbeBooks for secondhand, signed & 1st eds and other Booksellers for new copies

Booksellers:

Genre:
Comedy

Parts:
Male:  2            Female:  1            Other:  doubling

Further Reference:
-

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Falsettoland

Falsettoland
a plump Jewish matron sits in the stands watching her son play baseball, then looks over in consternation at a new arrival in the crowd and croons to herself, ''Just what I wanted at a Little League game -- my ex-husband's ex- lover. Isn't that what every mother dreams of?'' In that moment, actually among the funniest and happiest of an off-Broadway musical set in the early months of the aIDS epidemic, Falsettoland expresses its edgy wit, cockeyed charm and matter-of-fact acceptance of a world Norman Rockwell never painted. Handsome men in sports clothes and sweatbands play racquetball, snorting like stags in battle, then sing love songs to each other. a female doctor and her lover, a would-be inventor of nouvelle kosher cuisine, cheerily introduce themselves as ''the lesbians from next door.'' the matron's husband, and surrogate father to her son, is the ex-husband's ex-psychiatrist. the shrink and the boy do a vaudeville-inspired soft-shoe number called everyone Hates His Parents. the mother probably speaks for a whole generation or two when she describes her occupation in life as ''holding to the ground as the ground keeps shifting.''

Notes:
music and lyrics by William Finn; book by James Lapine And William Finn. Originally produced off-Broadway As two separate shows. "March of the Falsettos" And "Falsettoland".

1st Produced:
Playwrights Horrizons, New York    08 Jun 1990

Organisations:
-

1st Published:
-   -

Music:
Original cast recording: DRG (CDSBL 12601) 1990

To Buy This Play:
If Publisher (above) is underlined then the play may be purchased by direct click from the Publisher, otherwise (below) are AbeBooks for secondhand, signed & 1st eds and other Booksellers for new copies

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Genre:
Musical One act. - - Gay/Lesbian, musical

Parts:
Male:  4            Female:  3            Other:  -

Further Reference:
-

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Fran's Bed

Synopsis:
Fran's Bed asks the question "What constitutes a life?". as Fran lies comatose in a hospital room, her husband, Hank, and two daughters, Vicki and Roberta, are forced to decide her fate, but in so doing, discover things about her and about themselves that they might have preferred to leave unexamined. Fran comfortably sits to the side and watches as her family tries to understand how this seemingly normal middle-aged housewife has come to her current situation. their efforts to deal decisively with Fran's future are complicated by her devoted nurse, Dolly, who brings a different perspective to the matter of death and what our responsibilities are to those who can't speak for themselves. the play, told with wit and compassion, does not simplify the intellectual, political and emotional issue of a person's right to life.

Notes:
-

1st Produced:
-    -

Organisations:
-

1st Published:
Dramatists Play Service, NY, 2007   -

Music:
-

To Buy This Play:
If Publisher (above) is underlined then the play may be purchased by direct click from the Publisher, otherwise (below) are AbeBooks for secondhand, signed & 1st eds and other Booksellers for new copies

Booksellers:

Genre:
Play/Drama

Parts:
Male:  2            Female:  5            Other:  -

Further Reference:
-

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Into the Woods

Into the Woods
Winner of 3 1988 Tony awards, this brings to musical life favourite characters from children's fairy-tales, such as Cinderella, Little Red Riding Hood & Jack and the Beanstalk

Notes:
Music by Stephen Sondheim; Lyrics by Stephen Sondheim; Book by James Lapine

1st Produced:
Martin Beck Theatre, NY    05 Nov 1987

Organisations:
-

1st Published:
theatre Communications Group 1990
Simon and Schuster,    978-0930452933

Music:
Original cast recording: RCa (6796) 1987

To Buy This Play:
If Publisher (above) is underlined then the play may be purchased by direct click from the Publisher, otherwise (below) are AbeBooks for secondhand, signed & 1st eds and other Booksellers for new copies

Booksellers:

Genre:
Musical

Parts:
Male:  13            Female:  9            Other:  -

Further Reference:
-

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Into the Woods Jr

Into the Woods Jr
Little Red Riding Hood, Jack of the Beanstalk and Cinderella are pursued by a Witch in the woods

Notes:
Music and lyrics by Stephen Sondheim; book by James elliot Lapine. Youth version of "Into the Woods"

1st Produced:
-    -

Organisations:
-

1st Published:
Hal Leonard   -

Music:
-

To Buy This Play:
If Publisher (above) is underlined then the play may be purchased by direct click from the Publisher, otherwise (below) are AbeBooks for secondhand, signed & 1st eds and other Booksellers for new copies

Booksellers:

Genre:
Musical

Parts:
Male:  -            Female:  -            Other:  -

Further Reference:
-

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Little Miss Sunshine

Synopsis:
On lifes twisty road, sometimes you need to pull over and change direction. When the coveted title of Little Miss Sunshine is unexpectedly within her reach, young Olive Hoover convinces her family to make the 800-mile trek to the pre-teen pageant of her dreams. Along the way, a series of mishaps threatens to derail the groups quest for the crown, until they realize a young girls far-fetched goal may actually hold the key to the familys happiness. From the Tony Award-winning team of James Lapine and William Finn comes Little Miss Sunshine, a new musical comedy about one modern familys unexpected route to brighter days.

Notes:
book by James Lapine, music and lyrics by William Finn. based on the film Little Miss Sunshine by Michael Arndt

1st Produced:
Second Stage Theatre
305 West 43rd Street, New York, NY 10036    15 Oct 2013

Organisations:
-

1st Published:
-   -

Music:
-

To Buy This Play:
If Publisher (above) is underlined then the play may be purchased by direct click from the Publisher, otherwise (below) are AbeBooks for secondhand, signed & 1st eds and other Booksellers for new copies

Booksellers:

Genre:
musical

Parts:
Male:  8            Female:  8            Other:  -

Further Reference:
-

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Luck, Pluck And Virtue

Synopsis:
-

Notes:
Music by Allen Shawn; lyrics by ellen Fitzhugh; book by James elliot Lapine

1st Produced:
Linda Gross Theater, New York    1995

Organisations:
-

1st Published:
-   -

Music:
-

To Buy This Play:
If Publisher (above) is underlined then the play may be purchased by direct click from the Publisher, otherwise (below) are AbeBooks for secondhand, signed & 1st eds and other Booksellers for new copies

Booksellers:

Genre:
Musical

Parts:
Male:  -            Female:  -            Other:  -

Further Reference:
-

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Moment When, The

Moment When, The
the MOMeNT WHeN follows five people as their lives intertwine and separate. Steven, an artist, meets the writer alice at a fashionable New York party hosted by Paula, a legendary literary agent. Paula's young assistant, Dana, introduces herself to alice and Steven, and the courses of the next fifteen years of their lives are set in motion. the play marks those moments in our lives that may pass unnoticed but determine who we become. the MOMeNT WHeN, while tracking the successes and failures of career, marriage, parenthood and friendship, also charts the life of Dana and Steven's son, Charley, who begins his own trajectory towards fulfillment and loss.

Notes:
-

1st Produced:
-    -

Organisations:
-

1st Published:
Dramatists Play Service, NY, 2007
in Plays From Playwrights Horizons, Volume 2, Broadway Play Pub; first edition (October 1, 2010)   978-0881453713

Music:
-

To Buy This Play:
If Publisher (above) is underlined then the play may be purchased by direct click from the Publisher, otherwise (below) are AbeBooks for secondhand, signed & 1st eds and other Booksellers for new copies

Booksellers:

Genre:
Play/Drama

Parts:
Male:  2            Female:  3            Other:  1 man or woman (1 of the men is a teenager):

Further Reference:
-

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New Brain, A

New Brain, A
the story, which is loosely autobiographical, begins with composer Gordon Schwinn working at his piano, irritable because he's up against a deadline. He's supposed to write a song about spring for his boss, a dictatorial children's TV star named Mr. Bungee (he's a frog). Gordon goes to meet his friend Rhoda for lunch, passing a tart homeless woman on the way. at the restaurant, Gordon suddenly clutches his head in pain, falls face-forward into his pasta, and then collapses. at the hospital, Gordon learns that he has a rare condition called arteriovenous malformation, which causes fluid to build up on his brain. an operation is needed, but it's potentially dangerous; there's a significant chance that Gordon could die, or never recover his faculties. Surrounded by his tiny but supportive family--Rhoda, his mother, and his lover Roger--Gordon nonetheless must face this crisis alone. and what haunts him the most are the songs that he fears he will never write if he doesn't survive. and so--from his hospital bed, from his wheelchair, from the depths of an MRI, and even while comatose--Gordon writes them. they flow out of his imagination and his subconscious breathlessly and uncontrollably. Little remembered snatches of reality crop up surreally in these weirdly magical musical numbers: the homeless lady, for example, keeps appearing, and when Gordon's doctor mentions just before surgery that he has tickets to see Chicago that night, the spirit of that dark, brittle show pervades a long nightmarish sequence that Gordon hallucinates (dreams?) while in a coma.
nytheatre.com

Notes:
book by William Finn And James Lapine; music And lyrics by William Finn

1st Produced:
Mitzi e Newhouse Theatre, New York    18 Jun 1998

Organisations:
-

1st Published:
-   09026-63298-2

Music:
Original cast recording: RCa (09026 63298 2) 1998

To Buy This Play:
If Publisher (above) is underlined then the play may be purchased by direct click from the Publisher, otherwise (below) are AbeBooks for secondhand, signed & 1st eds and other Booksellers for new copies

Booksellers:

Genre:
Gay/Lesbian, musical

Parts:
Male:  6            Female:  4            Other:  -

Further Reference:
-

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Passion

Passion
Giorgio is a lusty officer in the Italian army, transferred to a remote outpost under the watchful eye of Colonel Ricci. Ricci's ward, Fosca, is a sickly and unattractive girl, who falls heavily in love with Giorgio at first sight. This is a love so compelling that she gradually wins the young officer over - but at what cost?

Notes:
Music by Stephen Sondheim; Lyrics by Stephen Sondheim; Book by James Lapine; Based on the film "Passione d'amore" directed by ettore Scola

1st Produced:
Plymouth Theatre, NY    1994

Organisations:
-

1st Published:
theatre Communications Group, USA   978-1559360883

Music:
Promotional recording only 2010

To Buy This Play:
If Publisher (above) is underlined then the play may be purchased by direct click from the Publisher, otherwise (below) are AbeBooks for secondhand, signed & 1st eds and other Booksellers for new copies

Booksellers:

Genre:
Musical

Parts:
Male:  11            Female:  3            Other:  -

Further Reference:
-

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Photograph

Synopsis:
-

Notes:
-

1st Produced:
Open Space Theatre, NYC    1977

Organisations:
-

1st Published:
-   -

Music:
-

To Buy This Play:
If Publisher (above) is underlined then the play may be purchased by direct click from the Publisher, otherwise (below) are AbeBooks for secondhand, signed & 1st eds and other Booksellers for new copies

Booksellers:

Genre:
adaptation

Parts:
Male:  -            Female:  -            Other:  -

Further Reference:
-

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Sondheim On Sondheim

Synopsis:
He brought us Into the Woods, Company, Sweeney Todd, a Little Night Music, Sunday in the Park with George, a Funny Thing Happened On the Way To the Forum, West Side Story, and Gypsy (to name a few). By writing songs that reflect the complexity of his characters, he has changed the way we define a great musical. But even though millions of fans know his songs by heart, few know much about Stephen Sondheim himself. Until now. Roundabout presents Sondheim On Sondheim, an intimate portrait of the famed composer in his own words. . . and music. Through the use of exclusive interview footage, you'll get an inside look at Sondheim's personal life and artistic process. an ensemble cast of Broadway's best will perform brand-new arrangements of over two dozen Sondheim tunes, ranging from the beloved to the obscure. Directed by frequent Sondheim collaborator James Lapine, this unique experience will take you inside the life and mind of an ordinary New Yorker. . .with an extraordinary talent.
- nytheatre.com

Notes:
Created And Directed By James Lapine; Music And Lyrics By Stephen Sondheim

1st Produced:
Studio 54, NY    22 Apr 2010

Organisations:
Roundabout Theatre Company

1st Published:
-   -

Music:
-

To Buy This Play:
If Publisher (above) is underlined then the play may be purchased by direct click from the Publisher, otherwise (below) are AbeBooks for secondhand, signed & 1st eds and other Booksellers for new copies

Booksellers:

Genre:
Musical

Parts:
Male:  4            Female:  4            Other:  -

Further Reference:
-

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Sunday In the Park With George

Sunday In the Park With George
Setting: act I: a series of Sundays from 1884 to 1886; a park on an island in the Seine just outside of Paris and George's studio. act II: an American art museum and on the island in 1984.

Notes:
Music by Stephen Sondheim; Lyrics by Stephen Sondheim; Book by James Lapine

1st Produced:
Booth Theatre, NY    1986

Organisations:
-

1st Published:
Contained in: Word Plays Five: New American Drama published by PaJ Publications 1 Jun 1986    978-1555540074

Music:
-

To Buy This Play:
If Publisher (above) is underlined then the play may be purchased by direct click from the Publisher, otherwise (below) are AbeBooks for secondhand, signed & 1st eds and other Booksellers for new copies

Booksellers:

Genre:
Musical

Parts:
Male:  -            Female:  -            Other:  -

Further Reference:
-

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Table Settings

Table Settings
three generations of a Jewish family with the Jewish mother to end all Jewish mothers

Notes:
-

1st Produced:
Playwrights Horizons, NYC    1979

Organisations:
-

1st Published:
Samuel French Inc, New York, 1980   978-0573617263

Music:
-

To Buy This Play:
If Publisher (above) is underlined then the play may be purchased by direct click from the Publisher, otherwise (below) are AbeBooks for secondhand, signed & 1st eds and other Booksellers for new copies

Booksellers:

Genre:
Comedy

Parts:
Male:  3            Female:  3            Other:  1 voice

Further Reference:
-

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Twelve Dreams

Twelve Dreams
Inspired by an actual case history denoted by Carl Jung, the play traces the story of a little New england girl, emma, who makes a booklet of her dreams which she gives to her psychiatrist father, Charles Hatrick, for Christmas. Still numbed with grief over the death of his wife, Dr. Hatrick is unable to make sense of these amazing dreams and passes the book along to his mentor, the Professor, who is visiting from abroad. the structure of the play sets the daily life of emma against the re-creation of these dreams, which are enacted by the individuals who inhabit her world: her governess-housekeeper, Jenny; her best friend, Rindy; a rich neurotic whom Dr. Hatrick is treating, Dorothy Trowbridge; emma's ballet teacher, Miss Banton; and a young protege of Dr. Hatrick's, Sanford Putnam. the dreams, which are disturbing and phantasmagoric, are described by the Professor as those of an older person, one who is facing death. as the events of the play gather force, we learn that the young girl is in fact fatally ill-a tragic destiny which her father, for all his erudition and experience, is helpless to understand or avert. TWeLVe DReaMS is ultimately a meditation on love and loss, and the forces of life and fate.

Notes:
-

1st Produced:
Lenox Arts Center, Ma    1978

Organisations:
-

1st Published:
Dramatists Play Service, NY,    978-0822215066

Music:
-

To Buy This Play:
If Publisher (above) is underlined then the play may be purchased by direct click from the Publisher, otherwise (below) are AbeBooks for secondhand, signed & 1st eds and other Booksellers for new copies

Booksellers:

Genre:
Play/Drama

Parts:
Male:  3            Female:  2            Other:  2g (revised version 3m 3f 2g)

Further Reference:
-

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