Free to Be… You and Me

A CONCORD THEATRICALS TITLE

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Concord Theatricals

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Cast Size

2w, 2m, 6any gender (adult)
Subgenre

Adaptation (Literature)
Target Audience

Appropriate for All Audiences, Children (Age 6-10)

Accolades

Winner! 1974 Primetetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Children’s Special
Winner! 1974 Peabody Award for Distinguished Achievement in Television

Details

Summary

Marlo Thomas conceived a children’s book that, instead of telling boys and girls who they should be, would open them to the possibilities of who they could be. She gathered many of her supremely talented friends from various worlds of the arts and the remarkable result is highly regarded as a modern classic of children’s literature. Life-enhancing themes are imaginatively blended with music and humor to expand children's personal horizons, enabling them to invent their own futures without limitation, while dispelling some old constraints and worn-out conventions in the process. Parents, teachers and other grown-up friends will delight in sharing this extraordinary and memorable experience with the children in their lives.

History

Free to Be… You and Me debuted as a record album and illustrated book in November 1972. Conceived and created by Marlo Thomas, the album featured a number of celebrities, including Alan Alda, Rosey Grier, Cicely Tyson, Carol Channing, Michael Jackson, Roberta Flack, Shirley Jones, Jack Cassidy and Diana Ross. An ABC television special, also created by Thomas, premiered in March 1974. The show won an Emmy and a Peabody, the book was #1 on the New York Times bestseller list, and the record sold over 10 million copies.

Cast Attributes

Roles for Children

Performing Groups

VICKIE – Strong-willed, centered and demanding.
JANET – Kind-hearted and a loyal friend to William.
RICHARD – Reluctant to change and afraid to display his emotions.
WILLIAM – Sensitive and open.

ENSEMBLE – Singing/dancing ensemble of 6. Can be expanded to include a chorus, babies, tigers, racers, people of the kingdom, etc.

Time Period Contemporary
Setting Unit set. Scrims, props and platforms can be used to suggest various locations.
Features Contemporary Costumes/Street Clothes

Media

“Entertaining... A nimble, fast-paced show.” – Chicago Reader

“A nimble, fast-paced show... one of the most entertaining for adults and children as well... [the book] revolutionized children’s literature.” – Chicago Reader

Music

Music Samples

1. “Boy Meets Girl” – William & Janet
2. “Let’s Hear It for Babies!” – Company
3. “When We Grow Up” – Janet & William
4. “William’s Doll” – Janet, William & Richard
5. “My Dog Is a Plumber” – William & Janet
6. “Parents Are People” – Janet & William
7. “The Pain and the Great One” – Vickie & Richard
8. “Glad to Have a Friend Like You” – William, Janet & Company
9. “Ladies First” – William, Vickie & the Company
10. “It’s All Right to Cry” – William, Vickie, Richard & Company
11. “Atalanta” – Company
12. “No One Else” – Company
13. “Free to Be… You and Me” – Company

Full Orchestration

Keyboard (Piano, Celesta, Organ)
Reed I (Flute, Piccolo, Alto Sax)
Reed II (Flute, Tenor/Alto Sax)
Reed III (Clarinet, Baritone Sax)
Horn
Trumpet I
Trumpet II
Trombone I
Trombone II
Guitar/Bass
Violin I
Violin II
Cello
Drums
Trap Set
Ratchet
Wood Block
Tom Toms
Sand Paper
Triangle
Cow Bell

Percussion
Bells
Vibraphone
Casaba
Clave
Conga
Marimba
Xylophone
Tambourine

Musical Style Classic Broadway, Pop/Rock
Dance Requirements Moderate
Vocal DemandsModerate
Orchestra Size Large
Chorus Size Medium

Licensing & Materials

Licensing fees and rental materials quoted upon application.

Music Rentals

Concord offers a full suite of resources to help you put on the show of a lifetime!

1 Piano-Vocal
10 Libretto-Vocal
1 Reed 1
1 Reed 2
1 Reed 3
1 Horn
1 Trumpet 1
1 Trumpet 2
1 Trombone 1
1 Trombone 2
1 Keyboard
1 Guitar/Bass
1 Drums
1 Percussion
1 Violin 1
1 Violin 2
1 Cello
1 Logo Pack

1 Piano-Vocal
10 Libretto-Vocal
1 Logo Pack

Scripts

Available Formats:

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Add-Ons

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Authors

Marlo Thomas

Marlo Thomas is an award-winning actress, author and activist whose body of work continues to impact American entertainment and culture. She has been honored with four Emmy Awards, the Peabody, a Golden Globe and a Grammy, and has been inducted into the Broadcasting Hall of F ...

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Judy Blume

Dan Greenberg

Carol Hall

Carol Hall's first recorded song was a lullaby called “Jenny Rebecca,” initially recorded by Mabel Mercer and then by Barbra Streisand. Subsequently, her songs were performed by Tony Bennett, Barbara Cook, Chita Rivera, Reba McIntyre, Cyndi Lauper, RuPaul, Steven Lutvak, Fred ...

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Sheldon Harnick

Sheldon Harnick (1924-2023) was born in Chicago. Following his service in World War II, he earned a Bachelor of Music Degree at Northwestern University, majoring in violin. After working as a professional musician in and around Chicago, he moved to New York in 1950 to pursue ...

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Bruce Hart

Edward Kleban

Edward Kleban (1939-1987) was the lyricist of A Chorus Line, for which he won the 1975 Tony Award, the Pulitzer Prize and the Drama Desk and Olivier Awards. His score for the musical A Class Act, produced posthumously, was nominated for the 2001 Tony and Drama Desk Awards and ...

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Elain Laron

Stephen Lawrence

Betty Miles

Shelley Miller

Carl Reiner

Carl Reiner was born in New York, NY in 1922 and has had success as an actor, writer, director and producer. As an actor he has appeared on stage in Call Me Mister and Inside U.S.A. and on film in It's a Mad, Mad, Mad, Mad World, The Russians are Coming, the Russians are Comi ...

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Mary Rodgers

Mary Rodgers (1931-2014). An accomplished author, screenwriter and composer, Mary Rodgers' earliest professional credits included serving as Assistant to the Producer of Leonard Bernstein's New York Philharmonic Young People's Concerts.

Her Broadway career began as composer of ...

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Shel Silverstein

Peter Stone

Peter Stone (1930-2003) was the first writer to win the Tony, the Oscar and the Emmy. With 15 Broadway productions to his credit, he received Tony Awards for his books to 1776, Woman Of The Year, The Will Rogers Follies and Titanic (all four also winning the Tony for Best Mus ...

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Free to Be… You and Me