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The Gig

Full-Length Musical, Dramatic Comedy  /  3w, 8m

By Douglas J. Cohen
Based on the motion picture The Gig by Frank D. Gilroy

A used car salesman, a dentist, a real estate agent, a financial advisor, a deli owner and a music teacher get together once a week to play jazz. When one answers an ad and gets a two-week gig in the Catskills, they shed their ordinary lives and begin an adventure that reveals truths about friendship, the joy of music and the importance of dreams.

The Gig

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  • Cast Size
    Cast Size
    3w, 8m
  • Duration
    Duration
    120 minutes (2 hours)
  • SubGenre
    Subgenre
    Adventure, Adaptation (Stage & Screen)
  • Audience
    Target Audience
    Adult, Senior
Accolades
Accolades
  • Winner! 2015 Inaugural Noël Coward Prize and Richard Rodgers Award 
    Winner! 2015 Mainstreet Award
    Winner! Five 2014 New York Musical Theatre Festival Awards for Excellence
    Douglas J. Cohen is the recepient of the Fred Ebb Award for Musical Theatre Songwriting

Details

Summary
A used car salesman, a dentist, a real estate agent, a financial advisor, a deli owner and a music teacher get together once a week to play jazz. It is the highlight of their lives. When one answers an ad and gets a two-week gig in the Catskills, they shed their ordinary lives and begin an adventure that reveals truths about friendship, the joy of music and the importance of dreams. The gig is not what they expected and each returns from the Catskills changed by the experience. This winner of the 1994 Richard Rogers Grant was inaugurated at the Manhattan Theatre Club’s New Musicals in Concert at City Center and was developed at the O’Neill Music Theatre Conference and the Goodspeed at Chester.
History

Originally developed at the O’Neill Music Theatre Conference, The Gig received further development at the Manhattan Theatre Club after receiving the Richard Rodgers Award. A showcase at Goodspeed-at-Chester followed before culminating with the world premiere production at Sacramento Music Circus, where it received unanimous raves.

Keywords
Performing Groups
MARTY – 35-55 years old; Gregarious self-appointed leader of the band and the one who gets the idea to book the group at a Catskill resort. A used car salesman who puts his hot air to good use playing trombone. Although he has a rocky relationship with his son and his second wife, he is extremely loyal to his friends. Baritone.
JACK – 35-55 years old; Works on Wall Street and plays piano in the band. Very uptight, educated, afraid of being open with his wife regarding his musical passion. Follows in his father’s footsteps and is unfulfilled. Baritone.
GIL – 35-55 years old; Once a pro trumpet player but married into wealth and works for his father-in-law’s real estate firm. Ladies man who lacks the inner fire to stick with music on a serious level. High baritone.
AARON – 35-55 years old; Teaches clarinet for a living but fancies himself a pro, although his talent is limited. In contrast to Gil, he’d kill for a chance at the big time and has tremendous passion for music. Second Tenor.
ARTHUR - 35-55 years old; A dentist who lives with his ailing mother and has a non-existent social life… until Paradise Manor. Modest, naïve and charming. He plays drums. First or Second Tenor.
*GEORGIE – 35-55 years old; Owner of a deli/convenience store and the bass player. Forthright, down-to-earth, a realist. For reasons later disclosed, he’s unable to go to the Catskills. High Baritone.
MARSHALL – 35-55 years old; Georgie’s replacement on the gig. A Black bass player who is a pro, and played with the greatest jazz musicians ever. He is well-read, worldly, and a recluse: he’s not happy being among amateurs. Bass-Baritone.
ABE – Early 50s-mid 60s; Abe Mitgang is the owner and proprietor of Paradise Manor, as well as being a frustrated stand-up comedian. Basically a decent guy… until his back is up against the wall. Baritone. Can be played by a character actress to expand female roles.
MISS RICKI VALENTINE – Ricki is a fading songstress who is hoping to make a big comeback at Paradise Manor. Although she appears to be attractive and personable from afar, a closer examination reveals she’s hard and insecure. Mezzo with good belt.
*VINCE AMATI – Ricki’s shady manager and boyfriend. He should be physically threatening. Doesn’t sing.
LUCY – Waitress at Paradise Manor. Not nearly as seasoned in the game of love as she is at waiting tables. Younger than Donna (28-35) and less aggressive. Mezzo-soprano.
DONNA – Waitress at Paradise Manor. Not nearly as seasoned in the game of love as she is at waiting tables. Mezzo.

*Can double if necessary

Abe Mitgang, a character man, can be played by a character woman. The actors need not play instruments; they mime performances.

  • Time Period 1980s, 1970s
  • Setting New York City and the Catskills. August 1975.
  • Additional Features Audience Participation/Interactive, Local Celebrity Cameo, Play with Music
  • Duration 120 minutes (2 hours)
  • Cautions
    • Alcohol
    • Mild Adult Themes

Media

“A winning musical… steeped in the tradition of old-time, goodtime musical comedy.” – The New York Times

“I love a good musical, and especially the rare ones that not only entertain me but make me feel something. The Gig is one of those rare musicals.” – Sheldon Harnick, two-time Tony and Pulitzer Prize Winner

“A funny and touching new musical.” – The Boston Globe

“A rich look at ‘regular guys’... Excellent. Four stars.” –  Sacramento Bee

“A great show.” – National Public Radio

“Instantly engrossing… Cohen, as in No Way to Treat a Lady, is a keen and clever composer/lyricist, with an offbeat sense and a penchant for sly surprises.” – Playbill

“Crackling with energy that is a wonderfully rewarding mix of cleverly bright banter and genuine human feeling is the score for The Gig. This smartly crafted show has a mission and serves it superbly: it looks with a clear but sympathetic eye at the lives and dreams of some men approaching or past middle age. That can be felt in the characterizations that are just-right and down-to-earth and not hammy or precious or sentimentalized in performance or writing by the gifted composer-lyricist Douglas J. Cohen… The songs are the model of character-driven writing, with their specificity to situation and relationships and personality revelation like the peeling of an onion. This is a musical for grown-ups with little flash and lots of feeling, but also laced liberally with humor and sarcasm, mirroring real-life friendships where people bristle and blend and blubber and bond. The late Michael Gibson’s orchestrations… are spot on. The buoyant and snappy jazz and snappy patter are a perfect counterpoint to the more intense feelings brought up (without being a spoiler, mortality is an issue here) and so... The Gig is indeed bittersweet. But that's better than ‘sweet.’” – Talkin' Broadway

Music

Music Samples

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“Opening Sequence: Farewell Mere Existence, Hello Jazz” – Marty, Jack, Georgie, Aaron, Gil, Arthur
“Four Hours Away from Paradise/Time Out” – Marty, Georgie, Arthur, Aaron, Gil, Jack
“Departures” – Jack, Marty, Arthur, Aaron, Gil
“A Real Nice Trip, Part 1” – Marshall, Marty, Gil, Jack, Aaron, Arthur
“A Real Nice Trip, Part 2” – Abe with Marty, Jack, Marshall, Aaron, Gil, Arthur
“Play Nice” – Abe with Marshall, Marty, Jack, Aaron, Gil, Arthur
“Drifting” – Marty, Jack, Gil, Marshall, Aaron, Arthur
“Benny Goodman” – Aaron with Guys
“Drifting (Reprise)” – Marty with Aaron, Georgie, Marshall, Gil, Jack, Arthur

Act II

“Biff-Bam-Bang!”– Marty with Jack, Arthur, Marshall, Gil, Aaron, Abe
“Beautiful”– Arthur, Lucy, Gil, Donna
“Time Out” (Reprise)” – Georgie
“Beautiful (Reprise)”– Marty
“Ricki Is Back in Town!/Me and Mr. ‘G’” – Ricki Valentine
“Time to Put the Toys Away” – Donna & Lucy
“Choices” – Marshall
“I Can’t Live Without Your Horn” – Marty, Jack, Gil, Aaron, Arthur
“Biff-Bam-Bang! (Reprise)” – Marty, Jack, Gil, Aaron, Arthur

  • Musical Style Classic Broadway, Jazz
  • Vocal DemandsModerate
  • Orchestra Size Medium
  • Chorus Size No Chorus

Licensing & Materials

  • Licensing fees and rental materials quoted upon application.

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Authors

Douglas J. Cohen

Douglas J. Cohen

Douglas Cohen received the 2010 Fred Ebb Award and two Richard Rodgers Awards for No Way To Treat A Lady (150 productions globally; Off-Broadway productions at Hudson Guild and York Theatre; Ghostlight Records on iTunes), and The Gig (workshops/readings: O’Neill, MTC Stage II ...

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