Photo of Elizabeth Stentholt, Sharriese Hamilton, Jack Ball, and Stephen Schellhardt by Michael Brosilow.
Synopsis
Falsettosis a sung-through musical, meaning that there there is little to no dialogue that is not sung to music. Check out this synopsis—fair warning, it does contain spoilers!
The show opens with the four male characters—Marvin, his son Jason, his psychiatrist Mendel, and his boyfriend Whizzer—arguing. Marvin explains that he recently left his wife, Trina, for his lover, Whizzer, and the adults, along with his son Jason, are trying to navigate their new life and remain a close family. Meanwhile, Mendel is falling in love with Trina, who starts seeing him to cope with her divorce. Marvin wants more than anything for his whole family—including Whizzer, Trina, and Jason—to be close.
We see a series of therapy appointments between Marvin and Mendel, where Marvin talks about his relationship with Whizzer, how he met Trina, and his struggles to connect with Jason. All of the adults convince Jason to try therapy.
Marvin and Whizzer fight about their roles within their relationship. Marvin wants Whizzer to play housewife and be monogamous, and Whizzer does not agree. Meanwhile, Trina feels like she is losing her mind worrying that Whizzer is taking her place within the family. Later, Mendel proposes to her.
As Trina deals with her frustrations towards masculinity and the men in her life, the adult men (Whizzer, Marvin, and Mendel) sing “March of the Falsettos,” matching the pitch of Jason’s prepubescent voice and thus illustrating their immaturities.
Marvin tries to teach Whizzer about chess, but it leads to them breaking up. Mendel moves in with Trina, and they sing about making a home together. The characters are all going through the motions as they tangle with the undercurrent of dissatisfaction that they feel. Meanwhile, Whizzer sings about his newfound resolve to not allow himself to be manipulated and used by men.
Marvin is enraged after learning about Trina and Mendel’s engagement; he slaps her. The characters all sing about the pain that comes with loving others.
Marvin shares a loving moment with Jason as Act I concludes.
It’s now 1981, and Nancy Reagan is in the White House. Two lesbians have moved next door to Marvin: Dr. Charlotte, an internist, and Cordelia, a non-Jewish kosher caterer. Marvin is maintaining his relationship with Jason, co-parenting with Trina, and missing Whizzer. Trina and Marvin discuss plans for Jason’s bar mitzvah, which Mendel thinks is getting out of hand. Dr. Charlotte and Cordelia come over to discuss catering.
Jason has recently realized that he likes girls, and he contemplates which ones to invite to his bar mitzvah as he plays baseball. The adults watch him play. Whizzer comes to the game at Jason’s invitation. He and Marvin realize that they still have feelings for one another, even after two years apart.
Life settles in. Mendel complains about his job, while Trina complains that Marvin is back with Whizzer. Dr. Cordelia and Charlotte chat after work. Whizzer and Marvin play racquetball together. Jason sees how everyone is so worked up about his bar mitzvah, but he doesn’t even want one. Mendel informs him that everyone hates their parents at some point.
Marvin reflects on his relationship with Whizzer while Whizzer is asleep next to him. He is happy in this new iteration of their love as they figure out their relationship day by day.
Dr. Charlotte sings about young, sick men coming into the hospital. Something bad is happening, but no one understands it yet.
Whizzer and Marvin play racquetball again. Whizzer seems to have lost his edge, and he eventually collapses. Marvin takes him to see Dr. Charlotte at the hospital. Trina acknowledges that she is worried about Whizzer and cares about his well being.
Everyone gathers in Whizzer’s hospital room, but only Jason will be honest with him about how sick he looks. Mendel and Trina tell Jason that Whizzer may not get better, and they tell him that he can cancel his bar mitzvah.
Cordelia and Dr. Charlotte come to see Whizzer and Marvin, and they sing about their “unlikely” love and commitment to each other. Jason tries to bargain with God, saying that he will celebrate his bar mitzvah in exchange for Whizzer getting better. Meanwhile, Dr. Charlotte intimates to Marvin that he might get sick too. Whizzer sings about his death as his condition deteriorates and he is determined to approach his death with dignity.
Jason decides to celebrate his bar mitzvah in Whizzer’s hospital room. During the traditional naming ceremony, the non-traditional makeup of this family is cemented by including Mendel and Whizzer as Jason’s parents. Whizzer collapses and everyone leaves, leaving Marvin alone to wonder how his life might have been if he had not loved Whizzer. When Whizzer’s spirit appears, Marvin affirms that if he could, he would do it all over again. Marvin’s friends and family reenter, and he cries.
Act I of Falsettos takes place in 1979 in New York City, and Act II takes place in 1981. A large part of the second act takes place in the hospital, as the AIDS crisis is rapidly increasing in severity.
A Note for Teachers Falsettos is a show about love, romance, and all the complications they bring. As such, there are select scenes in the show that include suggestive romantic content, including moments with characters in their underwear. We ask that you be mindful in preparing students to see this show with maturity and respect.
