The Divine Madness

The Divine Madness, a comedic theater piece for six players in five scenes by Randall Snyder (1996) the players (in order of appearance) a middle-aged composer, dressed in 19th century costume an impresario, speaks with W.C.Fields accent, dressed in a Dickensian style the cast (chorus) of the Willy-Nilly Traveling Opera-Circus Troupe: a flamboyant soprano, an aging diva, colorfully dressed an alto, a timid musicologist, dressed as a college co-ed a tenor, a jazzer, dressed in a pin-striped zoot suit, wearing sun-glasses a bass, a bitter old man, speaks with a German accent, wearing shabby clothes stage audience including a critic, and crew place five days in the present sets a garret and the backstage of a theater contents Scene One- The Commission: composer, Impresario Scene Two- The Company: entire cast Scene Three- The Composition: composer Scene Four- The Premier: entire cast Scene Five- The Review: composer, impresario synopsis A composer is looking at slides of famous composers and comes to the realization that he will never be able to compose great music and achieve greatness. He decides to do away with himself, but is interrupted by an impresario who commissions him to write an opera that will be premiered in five days. The composer agrees and meets the cast and orchestra. The opera is written but the premier is less than successful and the composer again contemplates suicide