Scene by Scene

Click on the GREEN song titles to download MP3 song samples from the 1997 production.

Act I: Scene 1

A party is in progress at the estate of Duke Orsino, and the revellers are escalating toward euphoria. The festivities grind to a halt when the love-sick Duke Orsino (in the guise of Elvis) arrives. He encourages the congregation to continue--"If music be the food of love, play on!"--and sings MY LOVE IS REAL.
Orsino orders everyone to leave. Columbine arrives to tell him that the Lady Olivia has refused to see her because she is mourning the death of her brother and Father, and that she will not hear Orsino's advances of love. Orsino is determined to overwhelm her with the strength of his love.

Act I: Scene 2

A Sea Captain (Bob Marley), a group of sailors and Viola (an Elizabethan maiden), are all washed ashore following a shipwreck. Viola fears that her brother, Sebastian, has drowned in the same wreck. The Sea Captain offers a spark of hope in his song TOSS & TURN, then tells her that they have landed in Dyleria, ruled by the noble Duke Orsino. Viola decides to don her brother's clothing, pretend to be a boy, and find employment with the Duke.

Act 1 Scene 3

Maria (Janis Joplin) berates Sir Toby Belch (Jake Blues) for his indiscrete behavior in the house of his niece, the Lady Olivia, and for bringing a foolish knight, Sir Andrew Aguecheek (Little Richard) to try to woo her. Sir Toby admits that he only keeps Sir Andrew around to spend his money. When Sir Andrew arrives, Sir Toby goads him into trying to seduce Maria, and Sir Andrew sings HORSEAROUND. When Maria deflects his advances, Andrew threatens to return home immediately, but Toby talks him into buying more drinks instead.

Act I Scene 4

Back at Orsino's, Viola has arrived disguised as "Cesario", the son of a nobleman. Orsino has found a true friend in the young "boy", and asks him to woo Olivia for him. Viola is reluctant, being attracted to Orsino herself. Orsino sings TELL HER, and is joined by Viola. The music they make together nearly breaks down the wall between them, but they resume their surface roles, and Viola leaves to do Orsino's bidding.

Act I Scene 5

Maria scolds Olivia's fool, Feste (John Lennon), for his indiscretions on the previous evening, which led to his present hangover and tardy arrival. She advises him to be witty in his excuse to Olivia.
Olivia (Madonna) enters with her steward Malvolio (a stuffy "Suit"). She is in a foul mood that Feste soon turns to mirth. Malvolio chides her for falling for Feste's tricks, and the two fall to a battle of insults. Maria announces that a young man is at the gates. Malvolio is sent to get rid of the lad, but returns perplexed by the youth's determination. Olivia relents and receives "Cesario", who tries to convince her that she should love Orsino. Olivia explains why that is impossible in NO DICE. Viola/Cesario expresses the fine qualities of Orsino's heart in WITH A HEART LIKE THIS, and Olivia falls for Cesario instead.
Olivia sends Malvolio after Cesario with a ring and demands it be returned to Orsino, with the understanding that Orsino should not sue for her affections again, but with instructions to send the youth back to her, to whom she will explain her mind.

Act II Scene 1

Sebastian (Viola's brother) didn't drown after all. He was saved by a young pirate, Antonio (Johnny Rotten) who, much to his own horror, has fallen in love with Sebastian and wants nothing more than to follow him around like a puppy dog. He tries to hide his love behind a wall of rage, singing I HATE THIS STINKING PLACE, but he can't help being obvious.
Sebastian, however, wants only to be left alone to grieve for his lost sister, Viola. Finally he tells Antonio that he is headed for Orsino's court, and Antonio follows.

Act II Scene 2

Malvolio confronts Viola with the ring, but she insists she didn't bring one. He drops it on the ground and leaves. Viola is puzzled, but in THE RING, comprehends that Olivia has fallen for Viola instead of Orsino, and that this is big trouble.

Act II Scene 3

Late at night. Sir Toby and Andrew sneak drunkenly into Olivia's house. Feste sings O WHAT FOOLS THESE LOVERS BE, then the three of them sing a doo-wop ditty, SHUT UP YOUR MOUTH, YOU FOOL. They are stopped by Maria, who warns that Olivia will throw them out if they don't stop their "caterwauling". "Caterwauling?" replies Sir Toby. "We'll show her caterwauling," and Sir Andrew sings GET UP AND DANCE, drawing everyone in a ten-mile vicinity to the party.
Malvolio enters and berates the congregation for ill behavior. Sir Toby sings ROCK & ROLL WITH THE PUNCHES torturing Malvolio in the process. Malvolio vows to get even. Sir Andrew decides to beat him, but Maria sings HOLD YOUR FIRE and lays out her own plan to make a fool of Malvolio.

Act II Scene 4

Orsino questions Viola (Cesario) about her experience in love, and she admits to loving someone of Orsino's height, age and complexion. He gives her sage advice, then Feste sings WAKE UP AND DREAM. Orsino tells Viola to try again to woo Olivia for him. Viola resists and Orsino and Viola sing HUNGRY AS THE SEA.

INTERMISSION

ACT II SCENE 5

Maria plants a phony love letter--supposedly written by Olivia to Malvolio--and Sir Toby, Sir Andrew and Feste hide in the bushes to watch. Malvolio dreams aloud of a romance with Olivia, then finds the letter and believes that all of his dreams are coming true. He sings THE LETTER and determines to follow all of the absurd instructions in the letter: smile, be rude and wear yellow stockings.

ACT III SCENE 1

Viola (Cesario) arrives at Olivia's house to woo Olivia, who does her own wooing, instead, singing EXPOSE YOUR LOVE TO ME. Viola swears to Olivia that no woman will ever receive her heart.

ACT III SCENE 2

Sir Andrew wants to go home because Olivia obviously likes Cesario more than him. Sir Toby insists that Olivia is just trying to make Andrew jealous, and Maria and Toby sing STAND UP, explaining that the best thing he could do to win Olivia's love is to beat the youth to a pulp. Sir Andrew, inspired, runs off to write a challenge.

ACT III SCENE 3

Sebastian arrives in town with Antonio and suggests a tour of the town. Antonio sings SORDID VISCIOUS MINDS, warning him not to trust anyone. He admits that he is a wanted man and mustn't be seen in the streets. But Sebastian wants to explore, so Antonio gives him his purse and tells him to meet him later at the hotel.

ACT III SCENE 4

Olivia is surprised when Malvolio appears as a glam-rocker and woos her brazenly with THE VOLUME OF MY LOVE. Thinking that Malvolio has flipped, Olivia instructs Maria, Feste and Sir Toby to "see to him".
Andrew returns with an absurd challenge for Cesario, and Sir Toby sends him off to the orchard to await his duel, then sets off to tell another tale to Viola/Cesario.
Olivia begs Viola/Cesario to take a trinket from her and to promise to come back again. Viola refuses, and Olivia flees in great distress.
Sir Toby announces that Sir Andrew demands satisfaction of Cesario for the wrongs done him. Viola is sure there has been a mistake, but Toby insists that Sir Andrew is incensed against him. He tells them both that the other is an expert swordsman, and, horrified, they finally take up swords against one another. But Antonio enters, seizes Viola's sword to fight for her (thinking she is Sebastian) and Sir Toby takes Sir Andrew's sword to take up the fight.
Some bouncers recognize Antonio, beat him and arrest him. He begs Viola to return his purse, but she doesn't know what he's talking about. Antonio accuses her of ingratitude, calls her Sebastian, and is hauled away to jail.
Viola, confused, wonders if Sebastian may not still be alive and follows.
Sir Andrew also follows to beat the coward Cesario.

ACT IV SCENE 1

Feste tells Sebastian that Olivia has called for him, but Sebastian has no idea what he is talking about. Sir Andrews enters and slaps Sebastian, who unexpectedly fights back and beats the crap out of Sir Andrew. Sebastian is set upon by Sir Toby. The fight is stopped by Olivia, who begs Sebastian to come to her house. Confused, but very pleasantly surprised by her passionate desire for him, he consents, much to Olivia's delight.

ACT IV SCENE 2

Malvolio has been imprisoned in his amplifier, and Feste, at the behest of Sir Toby, comes to him disguised as Sir Topas, the Curate, to torture him with faux-religious rhetoric, suggesting that Malvolio has gone mad because he has allowed the devil to possess him. Malvolio insists that he is sane, and finally convinces Sir Topas to bring him ink and paper and light, so he can send a letter to Olivia.

ACT IV SCENE 3

The next morning a bedraggled Sebastian, horrified by his own beastly behavior with Olivia the night before, sings OLIVIA, vowing to wander the world penniless and alone forever. Which lasts until Olivia shows up in a wedding dress, begging him to marry her. He consents.

ACT V SCENE 1

Orsino arrives at Olivia's house with Cesario and pays Feste to bring Olivia to him.
The bouncers bring in Antonio who recounts his experience with Orsino's "boy" in STICKS AND STONES, claiming he has spent the last three months with the lad. Orsino counters that Cesario has been with him for three months. Everyone is confused and sure that everyone else is crazy.
Olivia arrives and repulses Orsino's offer of love. Orsino vows to do injury to Cesario, and Viola follows willingly. Olivia pleads for her "husband" to stay with her, which stops Orsino in his tracks. Viola denies that she has married Olivia, but the priest verifies it. Orsino is enraged and denounces Viola.
Sir Andrew enters with a head injury and accuses Viola of having beaten him, which she denies. Sir Toby enters, also injured, and Maria, Toby and Andrew exit to seek medical assistance.
Sebastian enters, apologizing for beating his new wife's (Olivia's) friends and relatives, but swears it was only self defense.
Of course, with two identical siblings in identical clothing in the scene at the same time, everyone is more confused than ever. Soon Viola is revealed to be a woman, Orsino swears his love to her, and Olivia and Sebastian are united, even accepting Antonio into their menage a trois.
Olivia reads Malvolio's strange letter and orders that he be brought to her.
Orsino and Viola sing THE WAY I FEEL TONIGHT.
Malvolio accuses Olivia of cruelty, but she points out that the love letter was obviously forged. The truth of the plot comes out, and Malvolio goes ballistic, singing ELECTROCUTION, and, in fact, managing to electrocute himself in the guitar solo, vanishing into a cloud of smoke.
Orsino and the cast sing HEART LIKE A CADILLAC. All injured parties (including Malvolio, much changed after electro-shock therapy) return in the Cadillac to join in the celebration.
The party heads off to the creek, but Feste sticks around to sing THE WIND AND THE RAIN.