Synopsis
Playing out from May to December of the year 1900 in the Chicago area, High Fidelity concerns the widowed Aurora Wentworth and her visiting cousin Georgina Livingston who receive visitor Theodore Bumpass and his ward, Henry Apjohn, on a warm day in May. Aurora resists the men’s intrusion, but Ted forces his way into her home to collect a debt owed him by her deceased husband, Nicholas. While Georgina and Henry encounter each other outside, Aurora and Ted argue inside about money, then about how women and men treat one another. As their argument escalates, Georgina and Henry are pulled inside and Henry is instantly smitten with Aurora. As Aurora and Ted challenge one another to a duel, Ted at last realizes he has met a woman he could love. Enraged, Aurora insists they fight and a gunshot rings out as the first act ends.
The second act begins with the foursome on the way to Chicago to arrange for Ted and Aurora’s wedding in Grant Park. Henry is disillusioned that he cannot be united with his love, while Georgina plots how to regain his attention — and capture his affections. In an effort to convey his feelings, Henry begins to compose songs to Aurora. She toys with his attention until Georgina discovers the songs and takes them to Ted. As Ted and Georgina return home, Aurora and Henry panic and try to determine how to explain the music. An argument develops between the four of them, escalating once again to a duel during a spring storm as the piece comes to a comedic end.
High Fidelity sets out to make music move at the tempo of theatrical farce. The result is a hilarious mixture of music, theatre and an absurd battle of the sexes flying by at a lightening pace!
© 2011 by Philip Seward. All Rights Reserved.
Production History
High Fidelity was conceived in the Writer’s Workshop at New Tuners Theatre in the summer of 1989. Initially conceived with Philip Seward as the sole writer, the first act was produced as a one-act by New Tuner’s Theatre in the Off-Off-Loop Theatre Festival of one-acts at Theatre Building Chicago. The show was directed by Joan Mazzonelli and featured Annette Sterner as Aurora, Nancy Jane Nelson as Georgina, M. Trent Phifer as Henry, and Jeff Ray as Theodore Bumpass.
The complete work was recorded in the summer of 1997 at St. James Presbyterian Church with Amy Becker as Aurora, Buffy Baggot as Georgina, Philip Seward as Henry, David Holloway as Ted and Lori Lyn Mackie and Philip Seward playing different sections of the piano accompaniment.
The work was produced next for in a concert setting held at the Chicago Three Arts Club in the spring of 1998 directed by Ron Falzone with Sarah Worthington as Aurora. From that event, the show was produced in concert on November 7, 1998, in the auditorium of the Museum of Contemporary Art as a part of the Chicago Humanities Festival. Amy Becker sang Aurora, Pamela Williams sang Georgina, Mark James Meier sang Henry, Thomas Hall sang Ted with Philip Seward conducting the chamber orchestra, including Lori Lyn Mackie on piano. The show was directed by Ron Falzone and used intertitles to portray the action as the music was performed.
A similar concert production followed at Merkin Concert Hall in New York City on Sunday, May 9, 1999, featuring Patrice Boyd as Aurora, Jessica Grigg as Georgina, Benjamin Sosland as Henry, Paul A. Rhodes as Ted, and Philip Seward conducting the chamber ensemble. Ron Falzone again directed with the use of intertitles to convey the action of the farce.
The first fully staged production opened at the Royal George Theatre on Friday, August 18, 2017, presented by Colorbox Theatre under the direction of Kurt and Michelle Konow. Philip Seward had revised the score and now co-librettists Seward and Joan Mazzonelli had completed revisions in the book. The show featured Ashley Rose Larkin as Aurora, Antoinette Konow as Georgina, Dennis Kallup as Henry, Joseph Canuto as Bumpass and Jennifer McCabe on piano.