A Little Night Music

By Hugh Wheeler (book), Stephen Sondheim (music and lyrics)

Suggested by the film Smiles of a Summer Night by Ingmar Bergman

Cast: 7 males, 11 females
Major Characters: FREDRIK EGERMAN (mid30s?) married to Anne but falls in love with ex-
girlfriend Desiree, ANNE EGERMAN (18) married to Fredrik, very beauty, but still young and
naive, DESIREE ARMFELDT (mid30s?) a performer; loves Fredrik, has a daughter named
Fredrika, HENRIK(19) enrolled at seminary school, in love with Anne, COUNT CARL-MAGNUS
MALCOM a man although is married, is having an affair with Desiree

Setting: This is set in Sweden at the turn of the century.

Synopsis:
A Little Night Music opens with a musical number. MADAME ARMFELDT and FREDRIKA talking
about a summer night smiling. A lawyer named FREDRIK EGERMAN who is married to the young
virgin, ANNE. FREDRICKs son HENRIK is near the same age as ANNE and is madly in love with
her. FREDRIK becomes very confused with emotion when he is reunited at a play with an old
fling, DESIREE ARMFELDT who is performing in it. The love connections become more complex
when DESIREEs lover COUNT CARL-MAGNUS MALCOM becomes aware of FREDRIK and is in a
jealous rage of their relationship. DESIREE asks her mother MADAME ARMFELDT to host a party
with FREDRIKs family. This get out of control when COUNT and COUNTESS show up at the party
uninvited. Chaos unwinds, but in the end, HENRIK and ANNE are together, DESIREE ends up
with FREDRIK, COUNT and COUNTESS are happily back together, and MADAME ARMFELDT is
left talking with FREDRIKA, DESIREEs daughter, about the night smiling. MADAME ARMFELDT
dies in the last moments.

Themes:
Love, Sexual Desire, Fidelity in marriage

WTPN:
We are putting this production on next year because it is a wonderful period piece that is a fun,
yet comforting musical that explores all aspects of love. Because of Stephen Sondheim, this
show will bring in a lot of people that simply just love Sondheim. This musical features the
popular song, Send in the Clowns. A large majority of the audience will be older people
because it isnt a very new and current show. But that doesnt mean that younger generations
arent going to want to come see this! It is a very relatable musical because it covers every up
and down of love.
MAINSTAGE # 6
THEATER:
OPENS: April 12, 2015
CLOSES: May 3, 2015