A CLASS ACT A musical in 2 acts, 13 scenes. Book by Linda Kline and Lonny Price; music and lyrics by Edward Kleban. Manhattan Theatre Club (Stage II) - 3 October - 10 December, 2000 (38 perfs, 42 previews) Ambassador Theatre, Broadway 11 March - 10 June, 2001 (105 perfs, 30 previews) Landor Theatre, London - 2004 (Season) SYNOPSIS The musical is based on the life of composer-lyricist Ed Kleban, who died at the age of 48 in 1987. The musical uses flashbacks and the device of time running backwards to retrace the high and low points of Kleban's personal and professional life. The production was compiled by Kleban's friend Kline and by Price using a trunkful of songs that Kleban wrote for a number of musicals that never were produced. In addition to serving as a tribute to one of the award-winning collaborators of A Chorus Line, A Class Act provides a behind-the-scenes glimpse at how a musical is created and brought to the stage and offers a warning about how an artist’s personal life—including struggles with mental illness and cancer—can interfere with, obstruct, and doom his professional pursuits STORY In 1988, a memorial service to Ed Kleban is being held at the Shubert Theatre. Ed appears at his own memorial. His friends and colleagues remember him and think back over the past. As the time shifts backwards, the friends reminisce about the songwriting workshop held by Lehman Engel (B.M.I. Workshop). As Ed interacts with the people in his life, he deals with ambitions, success, failures, and loves. MUSICAL NUMBERS Act I 1. Light on My Feet – Ed and Company 2. The Fountain in the Garden – Company 3. One More Beautiful Song – Ed and Sophie 4. Fridays at Four – Company 5. Bobby's Song – Bobby 6. Charm Song – Lehman and Company 7. Paris Through The Window – Ed, Bobby and Charley 8. Mona – Mona 9. Under Separate Cover – Sophie, Lucy and Ed 10. Don't Do It Again – Felicia and Ed 11. Gauguin's Shoes – Ed and Company 12. Don't Do It Again (Reprise) – Lehman 13. Follow Your Star – Sophie and Ed Act II 14. Better – Ed and Company 15. Scintillating Sophie – Ed 16. The Next Best Thing To Love – Sophie 17. Broadway Boogie Woogie – Lucy 18. Better (Reprise) – Ed and Company 19. I Choose You – Ed and Lucy 20. The Nightmare – Ed 21. Say Something Funny – Company 22. When the Dawn Breaks – Ed 23. Self Portrait – Ed CAST • Ed – Edward Kleban, lyricist and composer • Sophie – Ed's oldest friend and first love, an oncologist • Lehman Engel – head of the songwriting workshop • Michael Bennett – director/ choreographer of A Chorus Line • Marvin Hamlisch – composer of A Chorus Line • Lucy – Ed's last significant other, member of the BMI Workshop
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