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i t Notes: Krasna 5/17/82 RE: SEVEN BRIDES FOR SEVEN BROTHERS Currently the big problem with the show is that the brothers are cruel ?╟÷ they want Adam to go out and bring home a slave for them. No humanity. Too chauvanistic. They turn you off instantly. (Plus it's difficult to hear what they are saying: if we don!t care enough that the audience hears every word of a lyric, why should the audience care enough to listen -- and Since that comes at the beginning -- it sets up the audience attitude for the entire show) It would be better if the story were about an insensitive man (who becomes sensitive) and a sensitive woman. We can all relate to that. Also: when Milly is in jeopardy (I Married Seven Brothers) she is in jeopardy, and out of it in an instant. -- within the same song even. There is no time to care about her problem since it is resolved so easily and quickly. Plus we telegraph the entire story all the time ?╟÷ starting in the first scene with "get a wife" through talking about "good times donft start until the fightin1 does". Norman likes the second act a lot -- and liked the show in run through ?╟÷ he would like us to get back to that feeling. Consider: Scene 1 the old lady is a relative who has lived with the boys since the last of their parents died ?√ß?╟÷ there is love between her and the boys -- we see the love ?╟÷ they are all lovable people even if they are unscrubbed mountain folk -- she is now sick -- and has been for severl weeks. Gideon has had to do the cookin1 and take care of the house -- and hefs just about poisoned 'em all. She realizes she's not going to recover her strength -- and tells Adam it's time he got another woman around the place- get a hired gal. (Take me to town and get a hired gal.) ?╟÷ you need a woman areound here. "like your ma looked after your pa, you gotta find a woman to look after you" (the aunt cooked and cleaned for everyone ?╟÷ so one woman can indeed do it. The house is a mess now because she'd been sick and the boys haven't been cleaning.)