John & jen
Encyclopedia
John & Jen is a musical
with music by Andrew Lippa
, lyrics by Tom Greenwald, and a book by Lippa and Greenwald. It is a two person show about the relationships first between a brother and sister, John and Jen, and then, after John is killed, between Jen and her son, also named John.
The show played off-Broadway
at the Lamb's Theatre
from June 1, 1995, to October 1, 1995. It starred Carolee Carmello
as Jen and James Ludwig as John.
Six-year-old Jen Tracy welcomes her newborn brother John into the world, with a warning about the way things work and a promise to protect him from Dad. As they grow, Jen does her best to shield John from life's disappointments, including a painful Christmas Eve fight between their parents. Not long after John's seventh birthday, Jen discovers a bruise on his face. "It was my fault," he tells her, "I broke a glass." Jen vows that Dad will never hurt John again, and she and John make a deal to always be there for each other.
As the pair grows older, sibling rivalry crops up when John is forced to attend Jen's high school basketball finals. But when it's time for Jen to go off to college, John begs her not to leave him alone. Jen is determined to break free, however, deal or no deal. "I can't hold your hand forever," she tells John. "Grow up".
Jen embraces the world of the '60s in groovy New York City, where she blossoms into a drug-experimenting hippie while John's life goes in the opposite direction. Without Jen there to protect him, John falls under his father's influence and decides to join the Navy.
When Jen returns home from New York, she and John see how much they've changed and how far apart they've grown. Learning of Jen's plans to move to Canada with her draft-dodging boyfriend, John accuses her of rejecting everything he and Dad stand for, and they part in anger. After John leaves, Jen unfurls an American flag, drapes it over a coffin, and we learn that John has been killed in Vietnam. "I'm sorry, little brother," she whispers as Act I ends.
Act II (1972-1990)
Now living in Canada, 26-year-old Jen is the mother of a newborn whom she names John. But this John is not the naïve child of the '50s his mother expects him to be. When Jen moves back to the United States, leaving her failed marriage behind, she prepares to spend Christmas alone with seven-year-old John. Her gift to her son is an old baseball glove, which she proudly tells him belonged to his uncle. But John rejects the gift, complaining, "I'll be the only kid in school with a crappy old glove!"
Jen gets her son to play his uncle's favourite sport, but her obnoxious behavior at games only succeeds in mortifying him. Visiting her brother's grave on what would have been his 32nd birthday, Jen remarks on the similarities between the two Johns and vows that she won't fail her son. But when it's time for the 12-year-old to go off to camp, Jen finds herself barely able to say goodbye.
In a montage spanning John's high school years, John and Jen take turns as mock talk show hosts covering topics that reveal Jen's growing dependence on her son and John's struggle for freedom. Later, when John discovers that his mother has hidden his acceptance packet from Columbia University, it becomes clear that Jen is terrified that she'll lose John "again," and she is no longer able to differentiate between her brother and her son.
Finally realizing how desperately his mother needs him, John decides to forgo Columbia in favour of a local community college. Disturbed to see him throwing away his future on her account, Jen ridicules his decision. John is deeply hurt by his mother's reaction, and he bitterly mocks her influence on his life. As their argument escalates, Jen slaps her son.
Shaken by the parallels to her abusive father, Jen retreats to her brother's grave, where she finally accepts that it's time to move on. John joins his mother at the cemetery, where Jen asks his forgiveness. Jen is finally able to let her son go, and they take their first steps into the world on their own.
Musical theatre
Musical theatre is a form of theatre combining songs, spoken dialogue, acting, and dance. The emotional content of the piece – humor, pathos, love, anger – as well as the story itself, is communicated through the words, music, movement and technical aspects of the entertainment as an...
with music by Andrew Lippa
Andrew Lippa
Andrew Lippa is an American composer, lyricist, book writer, performer, and producer. He is a resident artist at the Ars Nova Theater in New York City.-Biography:...
, lyrics by Tom Greenwald, and a book by Lippa and Greenwald. It is a two person show about the relationships first between a brother and sister, John and Jen, and then, after John is killed, between Jen and her son, also named John.
The show played off-Broadway
Off-Broadway
Off-Broadway theater is a term for a professional venue in New York City with a seating capacity between 100 and 499, and for a specific production of a play, musical or revue that appears in such a venue, and which adheres to related trade union and other contracts...
at the Lamb's Theatre
Lamb's Theatre
Lamb's Theatre was an Off-Broadway theater located at 130 West 44th Street, New York City inside the Manhattan Church of the Nazarene, near Times Square in New York City. It seated approximately 350 and specialized in musical productions...
from June 1, 1995, to October 1, 1995. It starred Carolee Carmello
Carolee Carmello
Carolee Carmello is an American actress best known for her performances in Broadway musicals.She made her Broadway debut in a small role in City of Angels...
as Jen and James Ludwig as John.
Synopsis
Act I (1952-1971)Six-year-old Jen Tracy welcomes her newborn brother John into the world, with a warning about the way things work and a promise to protect him from Dad. As they grow, Jen does her best to shield John from life's disappointments, including a painful Christmas Eve fight between their parents. Not long after John's seventh birthday, Jen discovers a bruise on his face. "It was my fault," he tells her, "I broke a glass." Jen vows that Dad will never hurt John again, and she and John make a deal to always be there for each other.
As the pair grows older, sibling rivalry crops up when John is forced to attend Jen's high school basketball finals. But when it's time for Jen to go off to college, John begs her not to leave him alone. Jen is determined to break free, however, deal or no deal. "I can't hold your hand forever," she tells John. "Grow up".
Jen embraces the world of the '60s in groovy New York City, where she blossoms into a drug-experimenting hippie while John's life goes in the opposite direction. Without Jen there to protect him, John falls under his father's influence and decides to join the Navy.
When Jen returns home from New York, she and John see how much they've changed and how far apart they've grown. Learning of Jen's plans to move to Canada with her draft-dodging boyfriend, John accuses her of rejecting everything he and Dad stand for, and they part in anger. After John leaves, Jen unfurls an American flag, drapes it over a coffin, and we learn that John has been killed in Vietnam. "I'm sorry, little brother," she whispers as Act I ends.
Act II (1972-1990)
Now living in Canada, 26-year-old Jen is the mother of a newborn whom she names John. But this John is not the naïve child of the '50s his mother expects him to be. When Jen moves back to the United States, leaving her failed marriage behind, she prepares to spend Christmas alone with seven-year-old John. Her gift to her son is an old baseball glove, which she proudly tells him belonged to his uncle. But John rejects the gift, complaining, "I'll be the only kid in school with a crappy old glove!"
Jen gets her son to play his uncle's favourite sport, but her obnoxious behavior at games only succeeds in mortifying him. Visiting her brother's grave on what would have been his 32nd birthday, Jen remarks on the similarities between the two Johns and vows that she won't fail her son. But when it's time for the 12-year-old to go off to camp, Jen finds herself barely able to say goodbye.
In a montage spanning John's high school years, John and Jen take turns as mock talk show hosts covering topics that reveal Jen's growing dependence on her son and John's struggle for freedom. Later, when John discovers that his mother has hidden his acceptance packet from Columbia University, it becomes clear that Jen is terrified that she'll lose John "again," and she is no longer able to differentiate between her brother and her son.
Finally realizing how desperately his mother needs him, John decides to forgo Columbia in favour of a local community college. Disturbed to see him throwing away his future on her account, Jen ridicules his decision. John is deeply hurt by his mother's reaction, and he bitterly mocks her influence on his life. As their argument escalates, Jen slaps her son.
Shaken by the parallels to her abusive father, Jen retreats to her brother's grave, where she finally accepts that it's time to move on. John joins his mother at the cemetery, where Jen asks his forgiveness. Jen is finally able to let her son go, and they take their first steps into the world on their own.
Songs
- "Welcome To the World"
- "Think Big"
- "Dear God"
- "Hold Down the Fort"
- "Timeline"
- "It Took Me A While"
- "Out of My Sight"
- "Run and Hide"
- "Old Clothes"
- "Little League"
- "Just Like You"
- "Bye Room"
- "Talk Show"
- "Smile of Your Dreams"
- "Graduation"
- "The Road Ends Here"
- "That Was My Way"
- "Every Goodbye is Hello"
External links
- john & jen at the Lortel ArchivesLortel ArchivesThe Lortel Archives, or the Internet Off-Broadway Database is an online database that catalogues theatre productions shown off-Broadway.The archives are named in honor of actress and theatrical producer Lucille Lortel.-See also:...
- John & Jen on Musical Theatre International
- "John & Jen" (guidetomusicaltheatre.com)