Show Synopsis:
Margaret Johnson and her daughter Clara are revisiting the sites of Clara's parents' honeymoon in Italy from America when Clara meets an Italian boy named Fabrizio. Margaret begins to reflect on how her own marriage has gone sour while she watches their love blossom, but then tries to prevent their engagement. She hides Clara's mental impairment from Fabrizio's family, who does not detect it because of the language barrier, but eventually concedes to them getting engaged because she believes Italy has made Clara more mature. Her husband opposes the engagement, and Margaret realizes that they have grown apart permanently. Fabrizio's father has to be persuaded to let his son marry a woman six year older than him, but Fabrizio and Clara become married in the end. Margaret realizes that she has believed a lot of things that are untrue about love, but Clara and Fabrizio should have a chance to be married to each other.
Character:
Margaret Johnson, a self-assured and elegant wife and mother in her late 40s who likes being safe; very protective of Clara since she did not protect her well enough when she was a child; become stronger and more confident in herself as an individual throughout the musical. Clara Johnson, a beautiful young American woman; naive and trusting, much like a child.
Song Context:
Margaret is thrilled to be sharing the site of her honeymoon with her daughter, and wants to show her everything that she remembers. She loves that the statues and the history of the city is the same, even when her life and outlook have changed so much, and Clara is excited to learn what she can.
Fun Facts:
1. Victoria Clark won a Tony Award, a Drama Desk Award, an Outer Critics Circle Award, and the Joseph Jefferson Award for originating the role of Margaret at the Goodman Theatre in Chicago and on Broadway.
2. In an interview with Talkin' Broadway, Clark described Margaret as a woman who "can't express. She feels so much, but it's much more layered underneath."
3. Composer Adam Guettel made his Broadway debut with The Light in the Piazza and won a Tony Award for its score and orchestrations.
"MARGARET [spoken]?
What happened here? Well let?s see.?
[sung] ?On a central square, in a city of the sun rose a palace. ?It was high and handsome gleaming like the crown of a king. ??
CLARA [spoken] ?Where would that be? Where is that?
??MARGARET ?In the tower, a warning bell would ring.
??CLARA [sung]? What kind of warning???MARGARET ?For a fire, or a river overflowing.??
CLARA? Oh.??
MARGARET ?Firenze!? On a central square, the beginning of a kingdom republic.??CLARA? Is there a king; is there a queen???MARGARET? There were princes, painters, noblemen of logic and art.??
CLARA? Firenze!??
MARGARET ?Leonardo??
CLARA? Leonardo
??MARGARET ?Michaelangelo, the start.??CLARA [spoken]? That?s a completely naked statue.??
MARGARET? 'Twas a dawning day unfurling...??
CLARA [sung] ?From the heart, ?The painting of the world we know.
??BOTH? The world we know. ?On a central square??
MARGARET ?In a city made of statues and stories.??
CLARA? Go on and tell me what they mean. ??MARGARET ?
It ignited there like a beacon coming out of the dark. ?You can feel it??.
CLARA? You can feel it??
MARGARET? You can follow??
CLARA? You can follow??
MARGARET? The spark.
??CLARA ?We?re on vacation.
??MARGARET ?From an age to an age??.
CLARA? From an age to an age.
MARGARET ?In Firenze??
CLARA ?In Firenze
??MARGARET ?In Firenze
CLARA? In Firenze
??MARGARET? The spark??.
CLARA ?The painting of??
BOTH? The world. ?It started then and there and here we are. ?It?s a new old world to me.? It?s a new old world and we are here.??CLARA ?On a central square.??
MARGARET ?In a city made of statues and stories.??
BOTH ?It ignited there like a beacon coming out of the dark.??
CLARA? You can feel it
??MARGARET? You can feel it
??CLARA? You can follow
??MARGARET? You can follow??
CLARA? You can feel it??
MARGARET? You can feel it??.
CLARA? You can follow??.
MARGARET? You can follow the spark.??CLARA ?We?re on vacation.??
MARGARET ?We?re on vacation.??
CLARA ?In Firenze!??
MARGARET ?In Firenze!
??CLARA ?In Firenze!??
MARGARET? In Firenze!? The spark!
??CLARA ?The painting of??
BOTH? The world.? It started then and there and here we are. ?It?s a new old world to me. ?It?s a new old world and we are finally here."