this winter, we look forward to the opening of

RETAIL!

a new musical

adapted from Il Mercante-Principe,

an unproduced opera formerly known as IL RIGATTIERE
with lyrics and stage directions by Dario Fo

Portions of scenes from this innovative form of musical art may appear on this blog from time to time, and the Producers hope that you will enjoy them.

We also hope that the Powers That Be in various entertainment media will take note.

the theatre darkens slowly. As the curtain rises, the Chorus, a single line of bandits, vagabonds, urchins, cutters, pressers, pattern makers, sample makers, fit models, showroom models, catalog models, packers, slowly moves across the stage and does not come back.

Chorus:

Preppies, mommies, chunkies, skinnies,

Listen as we tell it true:

Those who spend their money freely

Are not the many, but the few.

The curtain is up. Ominous machinery looms ominously in the ominous dim light, over a thin young girl, who starts to sing. As the machines grow quieter, we hear:

I dreamed a dream in seasons past,

when clothes were fine and shoes worth wearing

I dreamed that cashmere would be mine

When I walked by they'd all be staring.

Yes, I was young, a sample size,

my styles were shown and worn and restyled.

My bills could easily be paid, 

and my sketchbooks all compiled.

Then accountants came at night

with their pencils soft as thunder

and they ripped my styles asunder

as they tore my clothes apart. 

Three men in shirtsleeves and green eyeshades enter left and stand still, holding signs:

NO SAMPLE MAKERS NEEDED.   

NO PATTERN MAKERS NEEDED. 

NO FINISHERS NEEDED. 

A fourth enters right. His sign says  聘用 .

The song continues.

And still I dream that I will wear
the clothes I see behind my eyes
but there are dreams that cannot be
and styles I can't accessorize

I had a dream that I would find
a dress and separates worth the spending
So different now from pants unlined,
so far from things I'm always mending.

a tall man in corduroy slacks strolls by.

Man:  Why are you waiting here? It's so dark.
Girl:   I'm waiting for the sale to open
          I need a dress for my child's birthday
Man:   Why don't you just go to a store?
Girl:    I can't pay list price.
Man:    Maybe I can help.

In complete darkness, shouts, noises, siren. An Urchin pokes his head out from the wings:
Urchin: Was that an undercover cop?
Another Urchin: No, that was the accountant from HR.