Alonso High School Theatre Department

I Love You Because

A Musical in 2 acts. Music by Joshua Salzman; Book and Lyrics by Ryan Cunningham after Pride and Prejudice by Jane Austen

Synopsis

The story begins with Austin Bennet, a young greeting card writer who has his whole life planned out, preparing for a date with his long term girlfriend Catherine. Arriving to her apartment Austin finds Catherine in bed with another man. Dejected, Austin goes to his local bar, where his brother, Jeff, the eternal bachelor, tries to cheer Austin up by telling him the best way to win a woman back is by being completely indifferent to her.

Meanwhile, Marcy, a flighty photographer, pours her heart out to her best friend, Diana, about her difficulty in finding the perfect man. Diana, an actuary, tells Marcy that the best way to find the perfect man is to find a man who is absolutely wrong, which she proves through a series of calculations.

Jeff sets up a double date for himself and Austin, where Austin meets Marcy for the first time. In an attempt to be indifferent to Catherine, he tries to win over Marcy. Austin tries to tell Marcy of his sensitive side, but continually ambushes himself by bringing up his ex-girlfriend. Jeff's courtship of Diana goes notably better until Jeff injures his back in a bedroom accident and is rushed to the hospital. Marcy is convinced that Austin would make a perfect rebound man, and after trying to track down Austin for many weeks, Marcy finally corners him at the coffee shop across from the hospital, where Austin sits writing. Marcy discovers that Austin is now trying to win Catherine back by writing her the perfect poem. Marcy tries to keep Austin from writing a cliché laden greeting card poem. She shows him that the lack of romance in his ordered and mannered way of life is evident.

Austin calls Catherine, and when her response is all that Marcy predicted it would be Austin agrees to let Marcy help him. Marcy tries to teach Austin the difference between the clichéd romance of a greeting card and the honest romance of a poem. He learns well, but Marcy tells him not to send the poem for six months. However, Jeff accidentally sends the poem early. The response from Catherine comes on a post card that Marcy intercepts. She takes Austin out for dinner so that she can break it to him gently. Austin has a bit too much to drink and finally grasps all of Marcy's lessons of saying what you honestly feel. He explodes at the waiter when he tries to charge Marcy too much for dinner. Austin feels liberated, and Marcy feels like someone actually stood up for her. They both feel a way they haven't before, and they tell each so. However, just as they are about to to a kiss, Marcy breaks the news about Catherine to Austin. Crushed, Austin blames the failure on Marcy, who turns on Austin and yells that the reason for his failure is his insistence on having a completely ordered and structured life. This fight ends with the two sleeping together.

Meanwhile Jeff and Diana come to an understanding. After sleeping with Marcy, Austin runs home and tells Jeff that he might be in love with Marcy. Jeff warns Austin that he is letting his emotions get the better of him, and that he should keep his feelings to himself. Austin wonders what he should. Ultimately Austin runs off and tells Marcy how he feels, but she is not ready to feel the same way, and she tells Austin so. Austin returns home to find Catherine waiting for him.

Marcy wanders the streets of New York thinking about what she has done. The ensemble appears and helps Marcy convince herself that she is better off alone. Diana tires of her and Jeff's "friends with benefits" situation, and asks Jeff to become exclusive. Jeff warns her that becoming exclusive will only end in heartache. Marcy decides that she does return Austin's affections even though he is so wrong for her. She tells him so. Austin, now back with Catherine, still hurt by Marcy's earlier rejection, and reeling from her tactless attempt to apologise, sends her away. Austin, Marcy, Diana, and Jeff, all deal with their heartache. Marcy and Diana go to the bar where the Bartender and Cocktail Waitress sympathise with them. Austin returns home and finds Diana and Jeff making up. They convince him that Marcy is the woman for him.

Before running to Marcy, Austin takes a moment to say goodbye to his old lifeand runs off to find Marcy, and tells her that she is completely wrong for him, and he is completely wrong for her, and he doesn't love her anyway. He loves her because of their differences.

Characters

• Austin Bennet (25; tenor to A): greeting card writer.
• Jeff Bennet (28; baritone to G [optional A]): pedi-cab driver.
• Marcy Fitzwilliams (24; soprano, strong mix to F, belt to D): photographer.
• Diana Bingley (27; alto to D): actuary.
• Cocktail Waitress
•  Barristers
•  Neighbour 
• Chinese Food Restaurant Manager
• NYC Woman
• Bartender
•  Barista 
• Waiter 
• Chinese Food Restaurant Waiter
• NYC Man 

Music & Lyrics by Robert Lopez and Jeff Marx. Book by Jeff Whitty. Based on an original concept by Robert Lopez and Jeff Marx

SYNOPSIS

ACT 1

At the opening we meet Princeton, in a graduation cap and gown, who wonders what he is now going to do after graduation.

On a dilapidated street in an outer-outer borough of the city, Brian and Kate Monster both agree that life is not treating them fairly. He is unemployed; she is single. Joining in the chorus are embattled room-mates, Nicky and Rod; Brian's Japanese fiancée, Christmas Eve; and finally Gary Coleman — yes, that Gary Coleman — who's the neighbourhood's superintendant. He helps new arrival Princeton get an apartment.

Nicky swears he'd stand by Rod though Rod protests he's not gay. Meanwhile, Princeton decides to find his role in life. He runs into Kate Monster, who declares that her purpose is to open a school devoted to Monsters. Princeton makes a racist statement about Monsters, and he and Kate explore the notion that everyone's a little bit racist.

Princeton asks Kate for a date that night. They go to a club, where Brian warms up the crowd. Chanteuse, Lucy  then sings that she can make anyone feel special. The trouble-making Bad Idea Bears get Kate and Princeton drunk.

Meanwhile, a sleeping Rod dreams that Nicky is in love with him; in real life, Kate expresses her fondness for Princeton and he gives her a lucky penny.

Brian and Christmas Eve get married. At the reception, Nicky suggests that Rod is gay. Rod overhears and defensively brags about his girlfriend in Canada. He kicks Nicky out of the apartment. Princeton realises he's forgotten his purpose in life, and he breaks up with Kate, who recognizes the fine line between love and a waste of time.

ACT 2

A few weeks later, Princeton is in a funk. In the city, Princeton hooks up with Lucy. Kate Monster sees them together and gets upset, so Christmas Eve helpfully explains the hatred that arises. Kate writes Princeton a note asking him to meet her on top of the Empire State building. Lucy reads the note and destroys it.

Meanwhile, Nicky has no place to live, and asks Gary for help. Gary explains the concept of taking pleasure in other people's pain.

Kate waits in vain for Princeton atop the Empire State Building. She throws his lucky penny off the side, and it lands in Lucy's skull 102 stories below. Princeton, Nicky, and Kate all remember a simpler time.

Meeting homeless Nicky on the street, Princeton decides to help Kate open her Monster school, and they enlist others to help raise money. Falling very short, they turn to Trekkie Monster, who saves the day. A thrilled Kate gets her school. Rod appears and comes triumphantly out of the closet. He asks Nicky to move back in, and in return Nicky brings out someone who looks just like himself: a boyfriend he found for Rod! Meanwhile Kate, touched by Princeton's generous action, agrees to try a relationship again.

A newcomer to the street makes Princeton finally realiSe his purpose: to put on a show about struggling through your twenties! Everyone agrees that it's a bad idea. Seeing his sadness and frustration, his friends console him, teaching him that everything in life, good and bad, is only for now.

• Princeton, a fresh-faced kid just out of college
• Brian, a laid-back guy engaged to Christmas Eve
• Kate Monster, a kindergarten teaching assistant
• Rod, a Republican investment banker with a secret 
• Nicky, a bit of a slacker, who lives with Rod 
• Christmas Eve, a therapist who moved here from Japan
• Gary Coleman, Yes, that Gary Coleman, superintendent 
• Bad Idea Bear #1, snuggly, cute teddy-bear type 
• Bad Idea Bear #2, snuggly, cute teddy-bear type 
• Trekkie Monster, a reclusive creature obsessed with the Internet 
• Lucy, a vixenish vamp with a dangerous edge
• Mrs. T, Kate's ancient boss 
• Newcomer, a fresh-faced kid just out of college