assassins-script-sondheim-pdf
Assassins Script Sondheim PDF: A Review of the Musical Libretto
If you are a fan of musicals, history, or politics, you might be interested in reading Assassins, a musical libretto written by John Weidman with music and lyrics by Stephen Sondheim. Assassins is a darkly comedic and provocative exploration of the lives and minds of nine people who killed or tried to kill a president of the United States. In this article, we will review the script of Assassins and discuss its characters, songs, structure, and style.
Introduction
Assassins is a musical that premiered off-Broadway in 1990 and was revived on Broadway in 2004. It won five Tony Awards, including Best Revival of a Musical. The musical is based on an idea by Charles Gilbert Jr., who wrote a play called Assassins in 1979. Gilbert's play was inspired by a book called The Assassination Bureau, Ltd., which was written by Jack London and Robert L. Fish.
The plot of Assassins is nonlinear and episodic, spanning from 1865 to 1974. It follows nine historical figures who assassinated or attempted to assassinate a president of the United States: John Wilkes Booth, Charles Guiteau, Leon Czolgosz, Giuseppe Zangara, Lee Harvey Oswald, Samuel Byck, John Hinckley Jr., Lynette \"Squeaky\" Fromme, and Sara Jane Moore. The musical also features a fictional character called the Balladeer, who acts as a narrator and a foil to the assassins.
The themes of Assassins include the American dream, fame, violence, disillusionment, democracy, and madness. The musical challenges the audience to empathize with the assassins and to question their own beliefs and values. The musical also examines how history is shaped by individuals and by collective memory.
Reading the script of Assassins is a rewarding experience for anyone who wants to appreciate the musical's witty and powerful lyrics, its complex and diverse characters, its clever and creative structure, and its rich and nuanced style. The script also provides some insights into the historical context and background of each assassin and their actions.
The Characters and Their Motivations
The characters of Assassins are not portrayed as one-dimensional villains, but as human beings with their own personalities, histories, and motivations. The musical does not justify or condone their crimes, but it does try to understand them and to show their similarities and differences.
The assassins are united by their dissatisfaction with their lives and their society, and by their desire to make a difference or to make a statement. They are also influenced by various factors, such as mental illness, ideology, love, fame, or revenge. Some of them act alone, while others have accomplices or followers. Some of them succeed in killing their targets, while others fail or are thwarted. Some of them die for their deeds, while others survive or are imprisoned.
The Balladeer is the voice of reason and the voice of the people. He sings the stories of the assassins and comments on their actions. He represents the mainstream view of history and the American dream. He tries to persuade the assassins that they are wrong and that they can achieve their goals in other ways. However, he also acknowledges that the assassins are part of the American fabric and that they have a place in history.
The Songs and Their Meanings
The songs of Assassins are varied and eclectic, reflecting the different musical styles and influences of each era and each character. The songs range from folk ballads to ragtime to rock to pop. The songs also serve different functions, such as advancing the plot, developing the characters, expressing the emotions, or conveying the messages.
The opening song, \"Everybody's Got the Right\", introduces the main theme of the musical: the right to pursue happiness and to be different. The song is sung by the Proprietor, who sells guns to the assassins at a carnival shooting gallery. The song is ironic and cynical, as it suggests that killing a president is a way to achieve happiness and to express one's individuality.
The closing song, \"Something Just Broke\", is sung by an ensemble of witnesses who react to the news of each assassination. The song is somber and poignant, as it shows how each assassination affects the nation and its people. The song also contrasts with the opening song, as it implies that killing a president is not a way to achieve happiness or to express one's individuality, but a way to break something that cannot be fixed.
The other songs in between explore the specific motivations and emotions of each assassin or group of assassins. For example, \"The Ballad of Booth\" tells the story of John Wilkes Booth, who killed Abraham Lincoln because he believed he was saving the South from tyranny. \"Unworthy of Your Love\" is a duet between John Hinckley Jr. and Lynette \"Squeaky\" Fromme, who tried to kill Ronald Reagan and Gerald Ford respectively because they were obsessed with Jodie Foster and Charles Manson. \"Another National Anthem\" is a group number that expresses the anger and frustration of the assassins who feel ignored and betrayed by their country.
The Structure and The Style of the Script
The structure of Assassins is unconventional and inventive, as it does not follow a chronological or linear order. Instead, it jumps back and forth in time and space, creating connections and contrasts between different events and characters. The structure also allows for some creative staging and transitions, such as using a time warp device or a magic bullet.
The style of Assassins is also original and distinctive, as it mixes realism and fantasy, comedy and tragedy, history and fiction. The style also uses various literary devices, such as humor, irony, symbolism, allusion, foreshadowing, repetition, rhyme, and wordplay. For example, the script uses humor to lighten the mood or to create contrast with the serious subject matter. The script also uses irony to highlight the contradictions or the absurdities of the situations or the characters. The script also uses symbolism to represent ideas or themes, such as using guns as symbols of power or freedom.
Reading the script of Assassins has some advantages and disadvantages compared to watching the musical. One advantage is that reading allows one to appreciate more fully the nuances and details of the lyrics and the dialogue. Another advantage is that reading allows one to imagine one's own interpretation or visualization of the scenes and the characters. One disadvantage is that reading does not capture the full effect of the music and the performance. Another disadvantage is that reading does not convey some aspects of the staging or the direction that might enhance or clarify the meaning or the mood.
Conclusion
Assassins is a musical libretto that offers a fascinating and challenging perspective on a controversial topic