Show History

History

Inspiration

Make Me a Song is a revue that features the music of Tony-winning composer, William Finn (A New Brain, Falsettos, The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee).  Two song cycles of the composer had been released previously (Infinite Joy and Elegies: A Song Cycle). However, Make Me a Song is the first to be conceived by someone other than Finn; it was put together by Rob Ruggiero, a Connecticut-based theatre director.

Ruggiero constructed the revue in three parts: the first part is sort of a pastiche of the various styles of Bill Finn's music and storytelling, the second part is the "Falsetto Suite" and the third part is the emotional center of the piece, including a section called "Finn's Cycle of Life."

Productions

Rob Ruggiero mounted the premiere of Make Me a Song at the Hartford theatre company, Theatreworks (where he served as associate artistic director), in the summer of 2006. The musical then moved to New York City for an Off-Broadway run at New World Stages, playing from October 30, 2007, to January 6, 2008, with 54 performances under its belt. Shortly thereafter, Make Me a Song moved across the pond to the New Players Theatre in London, where it ran from March 6, to April 6, 2008.

Trivia

• The licensing for Make Me a Song includes casting for the original production: two male singers, two female singers, and a pianist who also sang. However, in London, the musical expanded its casting to three male singers, three female singers and a pianist who was much less of a performer.