Peggy The Musical

You are listening to 4 demos from “Peggy The Musical.”

© Randy Scott Goldberg 2004, 2005 Music, Lyrics and Libretto

All Rights Reserved. Unauthorized duplication is a violation of applicable laws.

Arrangements and synthesized orchestrations by Wayne Abravanel.

Main Vocals by Dana Adkins.

Additional Vocals by Janet Hopkins, Larry Lazzaro, Derrik Lewis & Ben Reese.

Synopsis of the musical- Peggy Guggenheim (1898 – 1981)

Peggy The Musical is a brash and lively portrait of the extraordinary life of Peggy Guggenheim, the spirited daughter of one of the wealthiest families in the world at the turn of the Twentieth Century. Pushing aside her puritanical upbringing, Peggy lived and loved amongst the bohemian European modern artist community, and while fleeing the German invasion of Paris, began to assemble what is now one of the finest collections of modern art in the world.

From Peggy’s lusty parties in her mansion on Beekman Place, to her revolutionary museum and gallery in New York, to her famed Palace on the Grand Canal in Venice, where her magnificent collection of modern art exists today, Peggy forged her legacy with courage, passion and panache. And though besieged by scandal mongers, obsessed by her inability to find love, and haunted over her own personal insecurities, she never gave up hope, never lost her vision and ended her life in ultimate triumph.

A brief description of each song as to its plot placement-

A Picture A Day

© Randy Scott Goldberg 2005 All rights reserved/lyrics used by permission.

Plot Placement: About two-thirds of the way through the first act, Peggy puts her plans to open a museum for modern art in London on hold when England declares war on Germany. Instead, she decides to use the money she was going to spend to open up her museum to buy important works of art for her collection at bargain prices. Realizing that her time is severely limited, and while keeping just ahead of the German invasion of Paris, Peggy sends out word to all the panicky artists in Europe that she has lots of money and she plans to purchase one piece of art for her collection each day. This is the point in Peggy’s life where she began to purchase the bulk of her collection.

Scene Description: Peggy sings “A Picture a Day” backed by the entire chorus. There are numerous oversized picture frames of varying sizes positioned around the stage – representing artist studios. In each picture frame is a different artist at work. Peggy stops briefly at each “studio.” Peggy’s entourage continues to grow in numbers, helping her carry the paintings she acquires throughout the song. At the same time, the artists she has visited join in a dance that is growing center stage.

The Art Of Seduction

© Randy Scott Goldberg 2005 All rights reserved/lyrics used by permission.

Plot Placement: About half way through the first act, while living in England, Peggy spent a great deal of time in the company of artists and writers. While playing a game invented by the Surrealists, where everyone must tell the truth, the players tease Peggy about her number of sexual conquests and question her uncanny ability to attract any man she chose; even though they felt she wasn’t very attractive. The song is used to expound on Peggy’s playful, overactive libido and give insight into how Peggy used her position and her wealth as a powerful aphrodisiac.

Scene Description: While Peggy and her guests are playing the Truth Game in the living room of her rented manor in Devonshire England, 1933, Peggy begins singing “The Art Of Seduction.” She begins the song seated, but quickly stands and walks out of the scene towards center stage. At the same time, the only two men playing the game join her briefly in a dance. The previous scene goes black. By the time the song reaches its’ bridge, the two male players exit the stage and are replace by 4 dancers. The song and dance sequence continues to a lively climax.

Another Day In Venice

© Randy Scott Goldberg 2005 All rights reserved/lyrics used by permission.

Plot Placement: About 2/3 of the way through the second act, WWII ends and Peggy, who only moved from Europe to America to escape the Germans, closes her museum in New York and moves to Venice. Peggy’s arrival was thrilling to the members of the artist’s community; however, the cultural elite in Venice were appalled. The song is used to convey a sense of time and place and show the widely conflicting opinions the people in Venice held regarding Peggy’s choice for her new home.

Scene Description: Just as an emotional scene representing Peggy’s farewell party in New York fades to black stage right, this scene, stage left, illuminates to the Angelo restaurant, Piazza San Marco, Venice, Italy, late 1947. The music begins to a dark stage but quickly illuminates to a restaurant reeking of old Venice charm filled with customers eating and conversing. Peggy and her entourage enter the restaurant and are seated downstage. As “Another Day in Venice” is being sung, the restaurant activities go on as normal but without any amplification. The song is sung by the restaurant owner and waiters, an artist patron, a society matron and, eventually, everyone in the restaurant.

The Men I Bring Into My Life

© Randy Scott Goldberg 2005 All rights reserved/lyrics used by permission.

Plot Placement: A short time after the opening of the second act, Peggy realizes that her marriage to Max Ernst is coming to an end. Distraught over two failed marriages and a near constant barrage of meaningless love affairs, Peggy is feeling vulnerable, isolated and insecure. This song is used to show the dark side of Peggy’s ongoing promiscuity and the frustration she is feeling about her inability to find love. It also shows a stark contrast to an earlier song, “The Art of Seduction,” sung by Peggy in the first act, where she boasts about her provocative talent for attracting lovers.

Scene Description: To a dark stage. A spotlight slowly illuminates Peggy from the waist up. Peggy sings “The Men I Bring into My Life.”

Goldberg and Rosenthal, Inc.

Randy Scott Goldberg: Composer, lyricist, librettist

Ira Rosenthal: Business and Operations Management

Celebration

60 years of the Peggy Guggenheim Collection in Venice. Before you listen to the video remember to pause the musical soundtrack.

Max Ernst

1 of 3

Peggy's second husband. This is the first of three videos (taken from a series of 12 videos representing Max’s life) illustrating his years with Peggy Guggenheim told from Max’s perspective. Before you listen to the video remember to pause the musical soundtrack.

Max Ernst

2 of 3

This is the second of three videos (taken from a series of 12 videos representing Max’s life) illustrating his years with Peggy Guggenheim told from Max’s perspective. Before you listen to the video remember to pause the musical soundtrack

Max Ernst

3 of 3

This is the last of three videos (taken from a series of 12 videos representing Max’s life) illustrating his years with Peggy Guggenheim told from Max’s perspective. Before you listen to the video remember to pause the musical soundtrack.