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 SHOES, AN ORIGINAL COMICAL MUSICAL Jordan Margolis © 2001 Book and Lyrics by Jordan Margolis; Music by John W. Cooley 
Click image to view full-sized flyer for the upcoming performance of Shoes! Read what they're saying about Shoes: > Click here to read the article from the Pioneer Press - Evanston Review > Click here to read the article from the Chicago Jewish News Listen to the Shoes promotional CD: > Click here to listen to "Getting Stuck" > Click here to listen to "Trading Places" Imagine seven people being stuck in a hospital elevator. Would you ever expect them to willingly trade places in life after they're rescued? Well if you can imagine that, you probably know the rest of the play. If not, keep checking this website for theater production information. SHOES begins in a Hospital Elevator where seven people, who otherwise would not want to be caught dead with each other, are stuck. The characters include a wheelchair bound Personal Injury attorney and his attorney daughter, a surgeon, a clown, a homeless man, a rich widow who owns a cookie factory, and a bike messenger. ACT ONE takes one hour in the elevator, which takes up one third of the stage. Inside the elevator, the characters are openly hostile to one another. Songs are sung, outside the elevator, as background thoughts, so the audience learns more about the characters than they reveal to each other. The elevator is blacked out and the actors frozen during the songs. After a while, the characters open up a bit to each other, each admitting that their lives are lacking. Eventually, just before they are rescued from the elevator, they agree to help each other experience another perspective on life, by trading places. ACT TWO provides the opportunity to walk a mile in someone else's shoes. The four scenes are set at the Circus; in a Courtroom; at a Hospital; and on the Streets. All of the characters facilitate the role switching of the others. Secret or suppressed yearnings are realized, as relationships develop, both romantic and friendships. ACT THREE takes place as a Reunion in the Hospital Garden six months later. With lessons learned, the characters confirm that their lives were stuck BEFORE they got on that fateful elevator, and now they're pointing their own shoes in a new direction. They also come to appreciate the fire of new love, and the soulful warmth generated by helping another. The surgeon and the female lawyer fall in love, as do the widower lawyer and the rich widow. The clown, homeless man and bike messenger all benefit from the assistance of the group. As the play ends, another elevator on the outside of the renovated hospital gets stuck, and the audience is left to wonder how well this new set of shoes will deal with their dilemma; as a misfortune or as an opportunity. THE SONGS 1. SO MANY SHOES TO CHOOSE (CAST - about making the right impression) 2. SOME BATTLES (PI ATTORNEY - about the nobility of representing helpless victims) 3. NO, NO IPO! (WIDOW FACTORY OWNER - about her son's desire to go public) 4. DO YOU SEE ME NOW? (CLOWN, HOMELESS MAN, BIKE MESSENGER (about being invisible in the community) 5. DON'T TELL DADDY (ATTORNEY DAUGHTER/SURGEON - about father being there for clients instead of her, and the need to speak up for oneself as an adult) 6. SHOES (CAST - about walking a mile in someone else's shoes) 7. JUST FOR LAUGHS (PI ATTORNEY/CAST - at the Circus) 8. HOMELESS (WIDOW/CAST - in the Streets) 9. FEEL DA WHEEL (HOMELESS MAN/CLOWN/BIKE MESSENGER/CAST - in Court) 10. LOSING PATIENTS (SURGEON/ATTORNEY DAUGHTER/CAST - in a Hospital) 11. LET ME BE (CAST - about becoming comfortable as yourself) 12. TAKE TIME TO SMELL THE FLOWERS (ATTORNEY/WIDOW - romantic duet) 13. SHOES - REPRISE AND FINALE (CAST - about rejoicing with self esteem) |
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