The lady and the clarinet

The scene is the chic New York apartment of Luba, a woman successful in business but less fortunate in her private life. She is awaiting a male dinner guest and has engaged a clarinet player to provide romantic background music. Falling into a reverie, Luba begins to reminisce about the three men who have meant the most to her in her life thus far—which leads to a series of intriguing flashbacks. In the first Luba is sixteen and meets Paul, a young employee of her father’s, who initiates her into the mysteries of sex, but bores her otherwise. Then comes Jack, a high-powered television producer who is successful, exciting and funny, but also married to someone else. Finally there is George, a rich widower who keeps the house for her but looks elsewhere for love. As the play ends the unanswered question is whether her new dinner companion will, at last, be “the man” she has been searching for—but, as the nonspeaking clarinet player so eloquently suggests with smiles, shrugs and instrumental trills, the prospects (measured by the past) are not too promising. NOTE: The music composed by Stanley Silverman for the original production of this play is included in the acting edition and must be used by groups producing the play. There is no extra fee for use of this music.