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: Fabrizio, a young and handsome Italian man; naïve in the ways of love; extremely loyal. Song Context: Fabrizio assures Clara that they can go through with their marriage, despite Clara's doubts about his happiness. Fun Facts: 1. This musical is based on the 1960 novella by Elizabeth Spencer of the same name. 2. Matthew Morrison was nominated for a Tony Award and Drama Desk Award for his performance of Fabrizio in the original Broadway company. In an interview with The Seattle Gay Times, his co-star Kelli O'Hara described her first impression of him as confident, handsome, and charming, and "immediately they changed the role to suit him." 3. Composer Adam Guettel made his Broadway debut with The Light in the Piazza and won a Tony Award for its score and orchestrations.
"The day we meet, The way you lean against the wind, And do not know that you are beautiful, Or that anyone is watching you, This is what I see. And I notice how you hunger for surprise, And do not think that you are tall enough, Like you're standing on a mountainside alone, This is what I see. Oh, you're not alone. Now I see as I have never seen before. Since that moment in the square, When your hat is carried in the air, Just so you can chase it, Just so I can be there, This is how I know, This is what I see, This is love to me."