Chances (1998) ...Quayle should be genuinely applauded for his incredible musical and lyrical composition skills. It is difficult for an Oberlin student to not feel under-accomplished in comparison to Quayle's assertions of talent and enthusiasm. Quayle sharpens the edge of theater by combining traditional musical theater with classical opera in a similiar way that the once-revolutionary Tommy meshes rock and opera.
A large part of the appeal to Chances is the very fact that it cannot be categorized. The play's unfoldings are not predictable, in that Chances style is practically unprecedented. Quayle defies the exasperation invoked by frequent reincarnations of classical and canonized works of theater and exemplifies the talent with which Oberlin is credited.
---Rumaan Alam and Alisa Heiman, The Oberlin Review
(full review here)
Chances (1998) Music, lyrics and book by Matthew Quayle
Premiered by the Oberlin Musical Theater Association, November 19, 1998 in Wilder Hall, Oberlin College. 1 hour.
Recorded December 1998.
Additional performance by music theater students of the Cincinnati College-Conservatory of Music, 2001.
The idea for this show materialized slowly over a period of years while I was a student at Oberlin. I was dining in the student cooperatives, where the palatable was political and a discussion over meat policy could rage on for hours. The carnivores and vegetarians eyed each other like Montagues and Capulets, tensely and suspiciously. It was obvious that such a conflict was the stuff of great drama. I conceived of a plot in which a young couple was torn apart over irreconcilable dietary choices. But something was missing until Fall 1996, when I was watching afternoon television and it all became clear. These two star-crossed lovers needed someone to watch over them, and that goddess was Oprah Winfrey.
Chances (Tenor & the Quartet)
Dear Oprah (Greg)
The Vicarious Life (Quartet)
Waiter's Entrance and Song of Doom (Waiter, Greg, Quartet)
Pizza Parlor Love (Michelle, Greg, Quartet)
Oprah's Song: Love In This Word (Oprah)
The Ode to Happy Thoughts
Synopsis
A quartet of two middle-aged couples, who will be commentating on the action as we move along, enters and sets the scene (CHANCES).
We begin in Greg's parents' living room in the mid-afternoon. Greg is a twenty-two year old college grad who lives with his parents and works the night shift at the local 7-11 convenience store. Insecure and unmotivated, he spends his days watching his idol, daytime talk show host Oprah Winfrey. Greg has a date scheduled later that afternoon with his short-term girlfriend, Michelle. Greg write a letter to Oprah (DEAR OPRAH) describing his feeling of impending doom. But thinking of Oprah peps him up a bit and he exits with optimistic anticipation.
Later that afternoon, Greg sits in the pizza parlor waiting for Michelle. The quartet is seated at a nearby table, watching Greg closely, looking for a little gossip (THE VICARIOUS LIFE). Suddenly, Michelle barges in (MICHELLE'S ENTRANCE). She is a hip, confident, femi-eco-lacto-ova twenty-two-year-old. Annoyed that she was caught behind a school bus, she vents for a while (HEART OF GOLD). Greg apologizes for having to work the night shift. He proposes that she spend the night with him at the 7-11 (TIMES LIKE THESE). She acquieses and leaves to use the restroom. The waiter enters and Greg orders a pizza with pepperoni. The onlookers gasp and sing a dramatic SONG OF DOOM, revealing at the end the reason for their agitation: Michelle is a vegetarian! He has barely had time to grasp the gravity of the situation when the waiter returns with the pizza. Greg valiantly tries to prevent the tray from reaching the table, but he is outsmarted by the crafty waiter (WAITER'S SEQUENCE). The pizza, offensive topping and all, lands on the table just as Michelle returns. She is just taking a bite when she notices the pepperoni. She screams and furiously denounces PIZZA PARLOR LOVE before storming out, leaving Greg with the bill.
That night, Greg is behind the counter at the 7-11 working THE NIGHT SHIFT. He is depressed and suicidal, contemplating the banality of his existence. A woman comes in to buy gas and cigarettes. Greg tries in vain to slit his wrist with an electric razor, but is interrupted by the customer returning to purhcase a Twinkie. In another futile attempt, he tries to knock himself out with the drawer to the cash register, having failed to win anything by scratching off all the lottery tickets. The customer returns again to announce that there is no cream in her Twinkie. She warns him that it is dangerous to have rat poison on the counter. Inspired, he waits for her to leave and puts the poison in his Snapple (SUICIDE SONG). He is about to drink it when a robber bursts in and holds up the store. Greg distracts him by throwing a Twinkie across the room and knocks the gun out of his hand with the Snapple. They engage in a vicious BATTLE OF CONVENIENCE STORE GOODS. They duel furiously with three-liter bottles! Popcorn is flung wildly around the store! The quartet shows up to lend moral support. The fight ends with Greg knocking out the villain with a large beverage. Then Greg collapses, his head having incurred a similar blow.
Soon after, Greg is awakened by Michelle in the hospital. She tells him that the news of his deed is on the TV and in the newspapers. He is a national celebrity! Michelle apologizes for her reaction earlier that day and says she wants to give him another chance. As they embrace tenderly, the phone rings (THE PHONE CALL). It is Oprah Winfrey! She has heard the news and wants Greg to appear on her show. The couple celebrates with a SONG OF HAPPINESS.
The next day, Greg and Michelle are seated on the stage of Oprah Winfrey's studio with the quartet in the audience. Oprah enters like a radiant goddess. She gives the audience pleasant visions of hope for a better world (LOVE IN THIS WORLD). Greg explains his personal discovery of life and love (A BEAUTIFUL THING). Michelle joins in, followed by Oprah and the quartet. Oprah bids everyone farewell and leaves them in blissful euphoria. The tenor of the quartet gives a closing spiel (CHANCES - REPRISE), and the orchestra launches into the irritating ODE TO HAPPY THOUGHTS, which is repeated ad nauseum.
Original Oberlin Cast:
Greg..........................................Dustin Budish
Michelle.....................................Jumee Park
Quartet -- Bass...........................Seth Fruiterman
Tenor........................................Josh Mason
Soprano.....................................Ariadne Votava
Alto...........................................Sarah Wolfman-Robichaud
Oprah Winfrey............................Rashida Bryant
Waiter/Robber/Announcer............Matt Baxter
Waitress/Customer.....................Eve Udesky
Director.....................................Greg Pierce
Music Director...........................Timothy Heavner
Assistant Director......................Ariel Carr
Stage Manager..........................Levke Haas
Costume Design........................Ariel Carr, Levke Haas, Lauren Maurand
Lighting Design..........................Annie Frasier
Lighting Assistant......................Dave McClelland
Scenic Designer........................Greg Pierce
Props Coordinator......................Dan Fortune
Technical Assistant...................Nicole Jaspar
Production Coordinators.............Lavell Blackwell, Karalee Poschman
Original Cast Recording (1999)
Produced by Dan Fortune
Pizza Parlor Productions
Recorded mixed and mastered by Zachary Williamson
at the Oberlin Conservatory TIMARA Studios, December 1998
Cover Illustration by Kevin McShane
Cast photos by Ariel Carr
