nature boy

Tennessee Ernie Ford feat. Kay Starr & Les Paul - ‘You’re My Sugar’ (1951)

K: “Well next day I sent you neck ties; did ya like the ties you got?”

T: “How come you tied those neck-ties honey, like a hangman’s knot?”

K: “Huuuuuh?” 

Officially the opening song to my screwball comedy play.

The play itself is set in mid to late 16th century Milan (where the source material folktale originated from) but it’s pretty intentionally anachronistic with influences all over the place.

The lead in the play, Stella Diana, her dream is to join a Commedia dell’arte troup in-story and both her and the male lead, Basilio intentionally mirror Columbina and Arlequino (Harlequin) roles to some degree as instigators and assist the Innamorati (The Lovers) characters. There is a big scheme in act II that has them have to dress as Commedia personalities and put on a show.

The opening song between the two takes place before the actual narrative starts in Commedia costume and is more metaphorical, both alluding to their archetype and establishing the type of love-hate relationship they have as seen in the coming story. The hope is that it helps the audience figure out where they are.

I decided though as seen by my song choice, whenever there are characters dressed or actively “performing” Commedia dell’arte on stage they’re actually just performing 1950’s honky-tonk musical numbers. Inaccurate, but funny. I also want an electric slide guitar being used in a traditional madrigal performed in act I just as I also would want other Rennaisance era instruments implemented in this song too.

During intermission I want two smaller characters to hand out peanuts while singing the aptly named 1960’s Japanese duo The Peanuts’ song ‘Nankimame Uri’ a cover of the 1928 standard ‘El Manisero’ or ‘The Peanut Vendor’. That probably reveals way too much about my general creative state and what makes me happy though.