A Musical

## Plot Point

Thomas Nostradamus explains to Nick what a musical is.

## Lyrics

[Spoken: NICK]

What the hell are musicals?

[Spoken: NOSTRADAMUS]

It appears to be a play where the dialog stops and the plot is conveyed through song!

[Spoken: NICK]

Through song?

[Spoken: NASTRADAMUS]

Yes!

[Spoken: NICK]

Wait, wait, wait, so an actor is saying his lines and then out of nowhere he just starts singing?

[Spoken: NOSTRADAMUS]

Yes

[Spoken: NICK]

Well that is the-

[Intro: NICK]

Stupidest thing that I have ever heard!

You're doing a play, got something to say,

So you sing it?

It's absurd!

Who on Earth is going to sit there

While an actor breaks into song?

What possible thought

Could the audience think

Other than "This is horribly wrong?"

[Spoken: NOSTRADAMUS]

Remarkably, they won't think that.

[Spoken: NICK]

Seriously? Why not?

[Spoken: NOSTRADAMUS]

Because-

[Chorus 1: NOSTRADAMUS]

It's... a... musical!

A musical,

And nothing's as amazing as a musical!

With song and dance

And sweet romance

And happy endings happening

By happenstance!

Bright lights, stage fights,

And a dazzling chorus.

You wanna be great, then you gotta create

A musical!

[Spoken: NICK]

I don't know, I find it hard to believe people would actually pay to see something like this.

[Verse 1: NOSTRADAMUS]

Let's just say it's a Saturday night

And you wanna go out on the town.

Got a lady to flatter who might

Give it up if you don't let her down

You could go see a tragedy,

But that wouldn't be very fun .

Or a play from Greek mythology,

See a mother have sex with her son! (

[Spoken: NICK]

Eeeewww!

[Verse 1: NOSTRADAMUS]

You could go see a drama

With all of that trauma and pain

Or go see something more relaxing

And less taxing on the brain.

[Chorus 2: NOSTRADAMUS]

Go... see... a... musical

A musical!

A poppy piece releasing all your Blues-icals Where crooners croon

[ENSEMBLE]

Ahh

[NOSTRADAMUS]

A catchy tune

And limber-legged ladies thrill you

Till you swoon

Ooh's, ahh's, big applause,

And a standing ovation

[NOSTRADAMUS and ENSEMBLE]

The future is bright if you could just write

A musical

[Verse 2: NOSTRADAMUS]

Some make you happy

Some make you sad

Some are quite big

Some quite small

Some are too long

Some are just plays with song

Some musicals have

No talking at all

[Spoken: NICK]

No talking at all?

[Verse 3: NOSTRADAMUS]

That's right, there's no talking

All of the dialog is sung in a very dramatic fashion

[Spoken: NICK]

Um, really?

[NOSTRADAMUS]

Yes, really!

[Spoken: NICK]

There's no talk-

[NOSTRADAMUS]

There's no talking

And they often stay on one note for a very long time

So that when they change to a different note

You notice

And it's supposed to create a dramatic effect

But mostly you just sit there asking yourself,

"Why aren't they talking?"

[Spoken: NICK]

Sounds miserable.

[Nostradamus]

I believe it's pronounced "Misérables"

[Spoken: NICK]

And people actually like this?

[Spoken: NOSTRADAMUS]

No! They love it! And what's not to love?

[Refrain: NOSTRADAMUS]

It's such a delight,

There's nothing quite like

A musical!

[Spoken: NOSTRADAMUS]

Ooh! Another vision!

I haven't even told you the best part yet!

[Verse 4: NOSTRADAMUS]

Feel that fascinating rhythm

Move into your feet

[Spoken: NICK]

Uh, what is that?

[NOSTRADAMUS]

Feel your ass gyrating

To that titillating beat

[Spoken: NICK]

Oh, are you OK?

[NOSTRADAMUS]

You slap your lap

Then finger-snap

That's when you know it's time to tap!

[Spoken: NICK]

What the hell are you doing now?

[Spoken: NOSTRADAMUS]

It's called a dance break!

Apparently this happens in musicals as well.

People on stage just burst into spontaneous dance!

[Spoken: NICK]

Why? Does it advance the plot?

[Spoken: NOSTRADAMUS]

No.

[Spoken: NICK]

Advance character?

[Spoken: NOSTRADAMUS]

Not necessarily!

[Spoken: NICK]

Then why do it?

[Spoken: NOSTRADAMUS]

Because it's entertaining!

5-6-7-8!

[Dance Break]

[Spoken: NOSTRADAMUS]

Another vision!

[Verse 5: NOSTRADAMUS]

It's a musical

What do you talk?

What do you talk?

It's a musical!

A Seussical?

No, a musical with girls on stage

[ENSEMBLE]

A musical!

[Spoken: NOSTRADAMUS]

We've got snappy repartee

And the women are risqué

And the chorus boys are kinda gay

[ENSEMBLE]

A musical

[NOSTRADAMUS]

A true, blue, new Musical

[Verse 6: NOSTRADAMUS]

Stand back!

It's a musical!

Some musicals are very serious

A big, glittering

[ENSEMBLE]

Musical, a musical

It's a mu-si-cal for us

[NOSTRADAMUS]

A big and shiny, mighty fine-y

Glitter, glitz, and chorus line-y

Bob your head and shake your heiney Musical!

[Verse 7: NOSTRADAMUS]

It's a musical

[ENSEMBLE]

It's a musical

[NOSTRADAMUS]

It is a musical

[ENSEMBLE]

It's a musical

[Spoken: NICK]

Yes! I get it now!

[Chorus 3: NICK]

We'll... do... a... musical!

[Spoken: NOSTRADAMUS]

No kidding!

[NICK]

A musical

What could be more amazing than A musical?

With song and dance

And sweet romance

And with a musical we might have

Half a chance

[NICK and NOSTRADAMUS]

Ooh's, ahh's, big applause

With everyone cheering for us

[Verse 8: NOSTRADAMUS]

And for some unexplainable reason

The crowd goes wild every time

When dancers kick in unison

In one big wonderful line

[Chorus 4: ALL]

And then you got yourself a musical

A musical

A la-la-la-la-la-la-la Palooz-ical

With flashy style

And a big, fake smile

A snazzy band, some jazzy hands

I swear that I'll

Cross my heart, hope to die

If it isn't a doozy

[Outro: NOSTRADAMUS]

Take it from me

They'll be flocking to see

[ALL]

Your star-lit

Won't quit

Big hit

Musical

A big hit musical

## Characters

* Nick Bottom
* Thomas Nostradamus

## Trivia

* There are several references to different musicals in this song.
	+ When Nostradamus sings the first "It's a musical", the melody is similar to one from the song "Wonderful", from *Wicked.*
	+ The phrase "out on the town" may be a reference to *On the town*.
	+ "Some are quite big" references *Avenue Q*.
	+ "Some musicals have no talking at all", and the lyrics after it, mainly references *Les Miserablés,* although many other musicals have no dialogue outside of songs.
	+ "Fascinating rhythm" is a song from *Lady, Be Good*.
	+ Counting "5-6-7-8" is a way of starting dances. It may also be a reference to "I Hope I Get It" from *A Chorus Line.*
	+ "It's a musical What do you talk? What do you talk? It's a musical!" references "Rock Island" from *The Music Man*.
	+ *Seussical* is a musical based on the works of Dr Seuss.
	+ "We've got snappy repartee/And the women are risqué/And the chorus boys are kinda gay" references "There Is Nothing Like A Dame" from *South Pacific*.
	+ The line "A true, blue, new musical" is backed by the tune of "All of that Jazz" from *Chicago*.
	+ "Stand Back! It's a musical!" references "Buenos Aires" from *Evita*.

* The Greek play referenced by Nostradamus is *Oedipus Rex*, a tragedy that ends with the title character dying from suicide after he finds out he has married his mother.