A Little Night Music (Musical) Plot & Characters

Overview

Synopsis

In turn of the century Sweden, trysts abound. Lawyer Fredrik Egerman has married the virginal 18-year-old Anne, with whom Fredrik’s son, the melancholy academic Henrik, has fallen in love. Desiree Armfeldt, a stage actress of great beauty (and a reputation for taking on as many lovers as she does theatrical roles) is involved with the buffoonish Count Carl Magnus Malcolm, the husband of the cynical and wryly comedic Countess Charlotte Malcolm. When Desiree spots her old flame Fredrik Egerman in the audience of her most recent production, however, her interest in him is immediately rekindled. All parties meet for a “Weekend in the Country” at Desiree’s mother, Madame Armfeldt’s, estate, where the tangled web of romantic involvements continues to surprise us with its twists and turns. Featuring the classic song “Send in the Clowns” and a beautiful, lush score, A Little Night Music is a story of love, nostalgia, regret, and the magic of music on a summer’s night.

Show Information

Book: Hugh Wheeler

Music: Stephen Sondheim

Lyrics: Stephen Sondheim

Based on the Play/Book/Film: Smiles of a Summer Night, film by Ingmar Bergman

Category: Musical

Age Guidance: Thirteen Plus (PG-13)

Number of Acts: 2

First Produced: 1973

Genres: Comedy, Romance

Settings: Multiple Settings

Time & Place: late nineteenth-early twentieth century, sweden

Cast Size: large

Orchestra Size: Large

Dancing: Musical Staging

Licensor: Music Theatre International

Ideal For: College/University, Ensemble Cast, Large Cast, Professional Opera, Professional Theatre, Regional Theatre, Star Vehicle Female, Mostly Female Cast, Includes Adult, Mature Adult, Late Teen, Young Adult, Elderly, Child, Early Teen Characters

Lead Characters

Desiree Armfeldt

Lead, Female, Mezzo-Soprano

A Little Night Music

2

Fredrik Egerman

Lead, Male, Baritone

A Little Night Music

1

Henrik Egerman

Lead, Male, Tenor

A Little Night Music

1

View all characters in A Little Night Music

Context

A Little Night Music opened at the Shubert Theater on February 25, 1973, and played 601 performances before closing on August 3, 1974. The original production was directed by Harold Prince and starred Glynis Johns, Len Cariou, and Hermione Gingold. The first national tour began on February 26, 1974 and closed on February 13, 1975.

The musical has enjoyed several UK productions, premiering on the West End on April 15, 1975 (a production which ran for over 400 performances and featured

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Plot

ACT ONE

A quintet of Liebeslieder Singers enter, vocalizing at first, and then beginning a nostalgic musical waltz that blends fragments of the later score (“Night Waltz”). The curtain opens on the main characters dancing a surrealistic waltz of their own, their partners frequently changing. Fredrika Armfeldt, thirteen years old, sits with her grandmother, the elderly Madame Armfeldt, who is playing solitaire and has instructed Fredrika to watch for the “night to smile”. The night smiles

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Characters

Name	Part Size	Gender	Vocal Part
Desiree Armfeldt	Lead	Female	Mezzo-Soprano
Fredrik Egerman	Lead	Male	Baritone
Henrik Egerman	Lead	Male	Tenor
Count Carl-Magnus Malcolm	Lead	Male	Baritone
Countess Charlotte Malcolm	Lead	Female	Mezzo-Soprano
Anne Egerman	Lead	Female	Soprano
Madame Armfeldt	Supporting	Female	Alto
Fredrika Armfeldt	Supporting	Female	Alto
Petra	Supporting	Female	Mezzo-Soprano
Frid	Featured	Male	Spoken
Mr. Lindquist	Ensemble	Male	Baritone
Mr. Erlanson	Ensemble	Male	Tenor
Mrs. Nordstrom	Ensemble	Female	Soprano
Mrs. Anderssen	Ensemble	Female	Soprano
Mrs. Segstrom	Ensemble	Female	Mezzo-Soprano
Malla	Ensemble	Female	Silent
Bertland	Ensemble	Male	Silent
Osa	Ensemble	Female	Silent

Songs

ACT ONE

Night Waltz – Company
Now – Fredrik
Later – Henrik
Soon – Anne, Henrik, Fredrik
The Glamorous Life – Fredrika, Desiree, Madame Armfeldt, Mrs. Nordstrom, Mrs. Segstrom, Mrs. Anderssen, Mr. Lindquist, Mr. Erlanson
Remember? – Mr. Lindquist, Mrs. Nordstrom, Mrs. Segstrom, Mr. Erlanson, Mrs. Anderssen
You Must Meet My Wife – Desiree, Fredrik
Liaisons – Madame Armfeldt
In Praise of Woman – Carl-Magnus
Every Day A Little Death – Charlotte, Anne
A Weekend in the Country – Company

ACT TWO

The Sun Won’t Set – Mrs. Anderssen,, Mrs. Segstrom, Mrs. Nordstrom, Mr. Lindquist, Mr. Erlanson
It Would Have Been Wonderful – Fredrik, Carl-Magnus
Perpetual Anticipation – Mrs. Nordstrom, Mrs. Segstrom, Mrs. Anderssen
Send in the Clowns – Desiree
The Miller’s Son – Petra
Finale – Company

A song with an asterisk (*) before the title indicates a dance number; a character listed in a song with an asterisk (*) by the character's name indicates that the character exclusively serves as a dancer in this song, which is sung by other characters.

Monologues

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Scenes

All scenes are the property and copyright of their owners. Scenes are presented on StageAgent for educational purposes only. If you would like to give a public performance of this scene, please obtain authorization from the appropriate licensor.