The Light in the Piazza Actor’s Packet
Ithaca College, Fall 2011
Dramaturg: Morgan Goldstein
Assistant Dramaturg: Sammy Panzarino
Table of Contents
Map of Italy
Production History
Adam Guettel and Craig Lucas
Life in the 1950s- America
The Cult of Mommyhood
Life in the 1950s- Italy
Travel to Italy in the 1950s
Italian Art
Glossary
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Map of Italy
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Production History
The Light in the Piazza was first developed in 2003 at the
Intiman Playhouse in Seattle. It was further developed at the
Goodman Theatre in the winter of 2004, before opening (after
thirty-six previews) on April 18, 2005 at the Lincoln Center. It
was directed by Bartlett Sher and choreographed by Jonathan
Butterell. It closed on July 2, 2006 after five hundred and four
performances. Before closing, the show was broadcast on PBS’
Live from Lincoln Center.
The national tour began in August 2006 at the Orpheum
Theatre in San Francisco, and ended in Chicago on July 2007.
Its opera house premiere was in 2008 at the Piedmont Opera
House in Winston Salem (where Roy, Margaret, and Clara are
from!). Regionally, the show opened at the Covina Center for
Victoria Clark & Kelli O’Hare in the
the Performing Arts in Covina, CA in January 2009. Other
Broadway Production
notable productions include the Arena Stage production in 2010 and Guettel’s re-configured chamber piece
version at the Weston Playhouse Theatre Company in Weston, Vermont in 2008, as well as Ithaca College alum
Joe Calarco’s 2009 production at the Philadelphia Theatre Company.
Internationally, The Light in the Piazza has
notably been produced in Japan (December
2007), Australia (one night-only concert
presentation in August, 2008), Canada
(Lethbridge, Alberta [October 2009], and
Toronto [January 2010]), and England
(Leicester, May 2009).
Acting Upstage’s (Toronto) production of The Light in the Piazza.
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Adam Guettel
Adam Guettel was born December 16, 1964 on the
Uppper West Side of New York City, where he
was raised. Guettel is the son of composer Mary
Rodgers, and the grandson of Richard Rogers.
Despite this pedigree, “Guettel's house was often
silent, because his mother found other music too
distracting when she was working on her own.”
(Winters) As a young boy, Guettel sang opera, but
turned from performance to composition at the age of thirteen.
After graduating from Yale University in 1987, Guettel, with his friend Tina Landau, wrote an adaption
of A Christmas Carol. It was performed in 1991 at the Trinity Repertory Theatre in Providence, Rhode Island.
The producing director for the American Theatre Festival saw the production and commissioned Guettel to
write a musical for the festival. Guettel again partnered with Landau and began work on what would become
Floyd Collins. The musical received critical acclaim.
In his late twenties, Guettel found himself struggling with his mediocre success – in comparison to his
family. In response, he wrote the 1998 song cycle Myths and Hymns, originally known as Saturn Returns.
Myths and Hymns combines Christian and Ancient Greek imagery and stories, and concerns the relationship of
the gods and humanity, the past and the present, and the astrological concept that one’s life can change every
twenty-nine years; Guettel was twenty-nine years old when he began work on the cycle.
Guettel’s most recent work, The Light in the Piazza, opened on Broadway in 2005. Although it met
mixed reviews, the musical was nominated for multiple Drama Desk, Outer Critics Circle, and Tony Awards,
and ultimately won five Drama Desks, two Outer Critics Circles, and six Tonys.
After the success of …Piazza, Guettel began work on a musical adaptation of The Princess Bride, but
abandoned the project due to financial disagreements. He is currently said to be working on an adaptation of
the Danny Boyle film Millions, as well as an adaptation of Rip Van Winkle.
Craig Lucas
Craig Lucas was born April 30, 1951 and adopted at the age of
eight months. He graduated from Boston University in 1973
with a B.A. in theatre and creative writing. He moved to New
York City to try to become a playwright, although he at first
worked as an actor in musicals including Sweeney Todd,
Shenandoah, and Rex. Lucas met collaborator Norman René in
1979. Their most commercially successful work, Prelude to a
Kiss, which was produced in 1990, was eventually made into a
film starring Meg Ryan and Alec Baldwin. Lucas continued to
write for the stage, as well as wrote and directed film adaptations
of his works.
Lucas has won several Obie Awards for both directing
and writing, as well as the 2003 New York Film Critics Circle
Award for Best Screenplay for The Secret Lives of Dentists. His
plays Prelude to a Kiss and The Dying Gaul have been
nominated for the Pulitzer Prize for Drama.
Lucas’ most recent play, Prayer for My Enemy, made its New York premiere at Playwrights Horizons in
2008.
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Life in 1950s America
With the end of World War II, thousands of American servicemen returned home, and life in the United
States underwent a drastic change. Much of this change was in direct reaction to the turmoil of the previous
twenty years – the Great Depression through World War II. Industry expanded at a never-before-seen rate,
creating new jobs and new commodities. In 1955, Dr. Jonas Salk discovered the polio vaccine, essentially
eradicating a major cause of childhood death and disability. Americans, no longer hindered by economic
distress or war rationing, flocked to buy the newest and best items out there, further developing a consumer
culture. On the surface, the 1950s were the best of times; unemployment was low, the economy was developing
well, and the troops were coming home safely.
However, not everything was perfect in 1950s America. The 1950s also marked a return to “traditional
values.” The return of the troops from Europe and the Pacific Theatre meant that women, who had previously
been working in virtually every industry, and were keeping the country running, were forced back into the home
and into the role of the mother and homemaker. Segregation was rampant, as the Civil Rights movement was
only in its infancy. For the first part of the decade, the United States was also at war with Korea; fighting ended
in 1953.
Although the 1950s was a new page in American history, there was certainly a dark side to it. With the
return to traditional values came an intense need to conform. To look, think, or act “differently” was to put
oneself at risk of alienation, and, in some cases, political consequences. The House Committee on UnAmerican Activities sought to identify and investigate citizens of influence suspected of association with the
Communist Party. The investigations and activities resulted in numerous trials and convictions, as well as,
notably, the blacklisting of over 300 people in the entertainment industry. Suspicion alone could prove
devastating. Only around ten percent of those blacklisted were able to rebuild their careers. Most people tried to
blend in; homogeneity was far safer.
Family Life
The nuclear family in the 1950s was not only
important as a unit of support, but was often seen as a
sign of anticommunism, and healthy, American life.
Families spent much of their time together. It was not
uncommon for a family to have dinner together every
night, and weekends were often spent on family outings.
Vacations were also spent as an entire unit, with
national parks and amusement parks, like the newlybuilt Disneyland, designed to be family friendly.
Families were also responsible for reinforcing
the values of the decade. Gender roles were strongly
enforced, with mothers teaching their daughters to cook and keep house from a young age, while fathers spent
time with their sons teaching them manly skills that ranged from developing good business sense to playing
sports.
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The Cult of Mommyhood
The following advertisements demonstrate the focus on the mother-homemaker, or the Cult of Mommyhood, in
1950s America.
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Fashion
Fashion in the 1950s reflected the push to return to
traditional values and to get women back into the role of
homemaker/mother instead of breadwinner/worker.
Emphasis on a small waist and dresses/skirts that flared at
the hips replaced the boxy silhouette of the 1940s. On a
subliminal level, this replaced the masculine, straight
silhouette, with a feminine, curved one.
Just as women’s fashion became more and more feminine, men’s fashion veered further towards clean-cut,
conservative, and masculine. Both suits and leisure clothing was simple and kept a straight silhouette.
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Music, Film, and Television
Although rock n’ roll is the first genre of music to come to mind
when thinking of the 1950s, there was more to popular music than
Elvis and Jerry Lee Lewis. “Crooners” like Frank Sinatra and Nat
King Cole were also very popular. Popular types of music did
tend to be divided along generation lines: rock n’ roll was much
more popular with “rebellious” teenagers, while the older
generation preferred the smooth sounds of the Crooners.
Elvis Presley
Film in the 1950s saw the rise of the anti-hero, a character that
lashed out against the conservative society that people were currently
living in. Stars like Marlon Brando, James Dean, and Paul Newman took
on these roles and embodied the struggle the younger generation was
feeling.
The 1950s also saw the rise of the science fiction film. These
films portrayed a town, city, country, or even entire world about to be or
being destroyed by strange creatures – either from outer space, or,
more often, created by freak science accidents. Science fiction films, while being entertaining, often served as a
way to deal with a country’s fears about nuclear technology, the Cold War, and space travel, or simply the fear
of being seen as different or foreign.
In the 1950s, television became the dominant form of mass media.
As television sets became more affordable, no happy home was
complete without one. What the American public saw on
television (which reflected the traditional values of the time) was
accepted as normal and ideal. In 1954, programs began to be
broadcast in color, bringing a whole new dimension to the
television-watching experience. Popular programs included
Father Knows Best, I Love Lucy, and The Ed Sullivan Show.
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Politics
In 1953, decorated WWII general Dwight D. Eisenhower
was inaugurated as President of the United States. Eisenhower’s
presidency is often remembered by his policy on racial issues.
Under Eisenhower, racial discrimination was declared a national
security issue, meaning that the Communists were using it in
propaganda attacks on America. The Communist Party was in
support of civil rights, a stance that was a major reason behind
people’s decision to join. Eisenhower proposed and signed into
law the Civil Rights Acts of 1957 and 1960, which created a
permanent office of civil rights in the Justice Department and
established federal inspection at voter registration and voting
sites, respectively.
President Dwight D. Eisenhower
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Life in 1950s Italy
In 1950s Italy, people were experiencing a time of happiness, freedom, and financial relief having just
emerged from years of a dictatorship and war. Italians at this time were more laid back, and just wanted to enjoy
the sweet life dubbing those years “La Dolce Vita.” Italy was bursting with new industries in fashion,
technology, film, music, and art.
Family Life
Family is, and was, the key value in Italian culture. Italian families rely on each other for emotional and
financial support. In the 1950s, families primarily lived together and worked in the same businesses. Although
in the 1950s Italy transitioned form a mostly agricultural society to an industrialized one, many families worked
on farms, especially outside of large cities. Within the cities, it was common to see families working together in
a shop or business. Most women worked in the house and cared for the children. However, a group effort
contributed to labor. In some families, the father would travel far to send money back to his family in Italy.
Families in the south tended to have more children than those in the north.
With the Vatican located in the city limits of Rome, the Roman Catholic Church had great influence
over the Italian people. Most Italians were practicing Catholics, and family life followed the rules and
traditions of the Church. Divorce was illegal; in fact, divorce was not made legal in Italy until 1971. Also
illegal were adultery and birth control. Although adultery was practiced in Italy (as referenced in the script), a
double standard was in place. While adultery committed by men was ignored and even considered normal,
women who behaved in the same manner were shamed and often shunned by their communities and families.
Although they had more physical freedom than women in 1950s America, women in Italy were often trapped
into marriages by the religious rules of their country.
Fashion
There was a fashion rebirth in post-war Italy when Italian clothing became
experimental and trendy. Films had a huge impact on style in the fashion world.
Italian women chose a polished and casual look including capri pants, low-cut
blouses, and hoops earrings. They combined this with short dark hair. The Italian
gentlemen wore silk suits, shirts, scarves, and glasses.
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Music, Film, and Television
After World War II, Italians were relieved of the harsh rule that had plagued them for many years by exploring
new kinds of music brought from across the Atlantic. People were itching to
sing, dance, and have a good time. Starting in the mid-1940s, much of the new
music that was introduced was mainly that of American style, intertwined with
Italian. During the 1950s, Italians used this time of reconstruction, and
economic growth to open their minds up to the world. They invited new forms
of jazz and swing which opened the doors for syncopation and rhythm in Italian
music.
Ferdinando Buscaglione influenced a new kind of
performing for many Italian musicians that took away the
standard singer-at-the-microphone style. He toyed with
different music styles, humor, and new personas.
Italian films in the 1940s were produced to make political statements about the war. The Cinecitta’ was a huge
film studio in Rome that was created by Mussolini. During the 1940s, the Cinecitta’
was occupied by refugees, forcing film sets to move outdoors into the defeated country.
Italian films tended to portray the many struggles of life such as cruelty,
unemployment, and political oppression while directors managed to balance out the
politics and art. Ladri di Biciclette (The Bicycle Thieves) of 1948 is an example of a
popular character-driven film that explores the devastating effect WWII had on the
Italian people. In the 1950s, the development of Italian comedy began to unfold with
the help of Italian comic Peppino De Filippo, accompanying a new sense of freedom
and desire for relaxation.
The television was brought to Italy in 1954. Television provided the country a feeling of unity, because in
addition to broadcasting the same program throughout the country, television was a major tool in the
development and distribution of a unified Italian language. Until then, in every area of Italy, a different dialect
of Italian was spoken.
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Politics
After WWII, Italy was in a state of political turmoil with strikes,
assassinations, and resistance groups. In June of 1945, a government
made up of members of various political parties took over Italy, but
was soon overturned by the Italian constitutional referendum. A new
parliamentary democracy was established, electing 556 members of
the Constituent Assembly, with 207 Christian Democrats, 115
Socialists, and 104 Communists. In 1947, Italy began to build the
framework for the democratic government that it has today. Part of
building this framework involved removing all Communists from
government. As Italy approached the 1950s, there was a great economic boom, which led to a dramatic change
in Italian lifestyle.
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American Travel to Italy
As Italy shifted from the totalitarian government of
the 1930s and 1940s to the democratic government of
the 1950s, it became a prime destination for American
tourists. High powered politicians, movie stars, and
other celebrities flocked to Italy for business and
vacation, and average Americans soon followed. In
addition to the draw of “La Dolce Vita,” Italy’s rich
history, fine art, and architecture provided numerous
attractions for American vacationers.
Advertisement for LAI (Italy’s airline), 1953
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Italian Art
The paintings on this page will be flown in for the Uffizi scene.
Michelangelo’s Sacra Famiglia
Fra Filippo Lippi’s Madonna and Child with Angels
Leonardo da Vinci’s Annunciation
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More paintings found in the Uffizi:
Caravaggio’s Amor Vincit Omnia (Love Conquers All)
Botticelli’s Birth of Venus
Titian’s Venus and Cupid
Tintoretto’s Leda and the Swan
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Glossary of Terms from the Script
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Italian
Piazza- square
Italia- Italy
Firenze- Florence
Roma- Rome
Cicatrice- scar
Si- yes
No-no
Giornali- newspapers
Andiamo!- Lets go!
(Mille) grazie- (many) thanks
Prego- you’re welcome
Signora- Madame, Mrs.
Signor(e)- Mister
Signorina- Miss
Mi dispiace- I’m sorry
Mi scusi- excuse me
Capisce?- Do you understand?
Capisco- I understand
Non capisco- I don’t understand
Pronto- ready, hello (when answering phone)
In bocca al lupo- Good luck
Certamente- certainly
Buon Giorno- Good Morning
Buon Pomeriggio- good afternoon
Buona Sera- good evening
ciao- hello/goodbye
arrivederci- goodbye
Zitto!-Shut up!
Cameriere- waiter
Aiutami- help me
Baciami- kiss me
Alla bellezza della vita!- To the beauty of life!
Una passeggiata- a walk
Buona notte- good night
Aperitivo- aperitif
Sono felice- I am happy
Come va?- How’s it going?
Come stai?- How are you?
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Other terms
Baedeker- German publisher of world travel guides
Arno- river that flows 241 km. through the Tuscany region of Italy
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Cappella Tornabuoni- Famous Italian chapel in Florence, famous
for its Fresno cycle on the walls.
Fra Filippo Lippi (c. 1406-1469)- Famous Florentine painter from the 15th century.
Girolamo Savonarola (1452 –1498)- Italian friar who was burned at the stake for political activism. A
plaque still stands in Florence to commemorate the location of his death.
Famiglia de’ Medici- A wealthy Italian family that gained prominence during the ruling of Cosimo in
14th century Italy.
 Arco di Settimio Severo- Triumphal Arch of
Septimus, built in AD 203 to honor the victories
of Septimus Severus.
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Van Johnson- An American actor and dancer who is famous for working on dozens of American
movies, television shows, and theatre from the mid-1930s to his death in 1992.
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Domenico Ghirlandaio (1449-1494)- Florentine painter famous for his work that can still be seen in
modern day Italy including the Apotheosis of St. Zenobius in the Palazzo Vecchio. Michelangelo
happened to be one of his many apprentices.
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