Matt Doyle, Patti LuPone and Etai Benson discuss what went into gender-bending “I’m Not Getting Married Today,” and how the added anxiety surrounding gay marriage added to the overall anxiety of the scene. Includes clips of the cast of Company performing the iconic song by Sondheim.
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TRANSCRIPT
It's like, I mean, an actor's dream come true. I mean, you're given the most juicy and challenging song ever written in musical theater and you get to do it every night. I mean, it is, it's absolutely thrilling.
Pardon me, is everybody here?
Because if everybody's here I'd like to thank you all For coming to the wedding.
I'd appreciate you going even more I mean, you must have lots of better things to do And not a word of it to Paul Remember Paul? You know, the man I'm going to marry but I'm not, because I wouldn't ruin anyone as wonderful as he is.
But I thank you all for the gifts and the flowers, Thank you all, now it's back to the showers. Don't tell Paul, but I'm not getting married today.
They wanted to make sure that it absolutely captured the idea of why it had been changed to Jamie, that this added anxiety in this scene that is really about anxiety surrounding marriage.
Listen everybody, I'm afraid you didn't hear or do you want to see a crazy person fall apart in front of you? It isn't only Paul who would be ruining his life. You know, we'll both of us be losing our identities I telephoned my shrink, and he said maybe I should come and see him Monday. Monday I'll be floating in the Hudson with the other garbage. I'm not well, so I'm not getting married. You've been swell, but I'm not getting married. Clear the hall, 'cause I'm not getting married. Thank you all, but I'm not getting married And don't tell Paul, but I'm not getting married today.
There is an added anxiety now of 'Do we have to align ourselves with such heteronormalcy?' You know, is that something that we need to force ourselves into, just because it's a right for us now.
Let's go. We're late. Just because we can doesn't mean we should.
It is one of my favorite lines and it is loaded when you think about, you know, the fight for gay marriage. For equality.
And so it's very poignant.
And what's incredible about that scene in particular is that aside from that line virtually none of the text has been changed since 1970.
Today is for Jamie.
It's very classical in that sense because Sondheim and George Furth provide such a strong base of text that tells such beautiful and interesting stories.
And a director can come along to these works because the text is so strong and not so specific on how it has to be set and can put their influence on it. And it becomes a completely new piece.
One more thing I'm not getting married. Amen!
Softly said But I'm not getting married. Amen!
With this ring See, I'm not getting married! Amen!
I thee wed. Still, I'm not getting married! Amen!
Let us pray that we're not getting married Today!
