The Baker's Wife

Book by Joseph Stein; Music and lyrics by Stephen Schwartz

Based on the novel Jean-le-bleu and the play La Femme du Boulanger by Jean Giono and the film
by Marcel Pagnol.
The simple plot involves a baker who, after finding that a handsome chauffeur is driving his wife
cray, refuses to supply the town with any more bread until she comes to her senses and returns to
him.
The show has never been the success that was e!pected of it given the pedigree of both
Joseph "tein and "tephen "chwart.
#espite several reworkings, the addition of new songs and Trevor $unn%s direction in &'(',
The Baker's Wife folded after a disappointing )* performances.
$otwithstanding its professional failure The Baker's Wife has proved popular with amateur
and regional theatre companies. +owever. the show is currently on the restricted list owing
to problems with the available score.
2 actos
Papermill Playhouse, Millburn, $J ',-.-,*..-.-, http/00www.papermill.org0papermill.html
1rom 2pril &-, 344) to May &), 344)
Performance "chedule/ 5ed61ri at (, Thu at 3, "at at 3/-47(, "un at 37,/-4 Ticket Prices/ 8-&6*(
69unning time/ 3 hours and ) minutes including one intermission.
9eviewed by "imon "altman based on 2pril &,th performance
Characters
:lick on a character%s name for a full description. ;2vailable for "tage2gent Pro members.<
a!e "ender #ocal $art %&e 'an&e 'ole Type
2imable :astagnet male tenor .4 = )) lead
Genevieve female meo &( = -4 lead
The Mar>uis male .4 = *) supporting
#omini>ue male baritone 3) = -) supporting
PomPom the :at female &4 = -4 cameo
#enise female soprano -4 = *4 cameo
2ntoine male 34 = .4 cameo
Philippe male = cameo
:laude male -4 = *4 cameo
Barnaby male spoken -4 = *4 cameo
+ortense female spoken -4 = *4 cameo
The Priest male -4 = *4 cameo
The Teacher male = cameo
Therese female = cameo
:asimir male = cameo
#oumergue male = cameo
?ne female = cameo
Mar>uis @nieces@ female &, = -4 cameo
$icole female = cameo
Pierre male = cameo
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Cast
2imable 6 Middle6aged, Eolly, warm6hearted ;Tenor<
2ntoine
Barnaby 6 The butcher
:asimir
:laude 6 #enise%s husband, chummy
#enise 6 "ettled cafe proprietor ; "oprano<
#omini>ue 6 "e!y, self6assured handyman ; Baritone<
#oumergue
Genevieve 6 Beautiful, secretly unsatisfied ; Meo6"oprano<
+ortense 6 The butcher%s wife
?ne
M. le Mar>uis 6 Mayor with three %nieces%
Mar>uis% @$ieces@
Men of the Aillage
$icole
Philippe 6 &' years old
Pierre
Pom Pom 6 The cat
Priest M. le :urF
"imone
Teacher
ThFrGse 6 2 spinster
(nstru!entation
2ccordionH BassH %:elloH +arpH +orn
)eyboard * Piano ;electric, fender, Eangle, tack<, Bass Guitar, :eleste, +arp, and Aibes
)eyboard 2 BanEo, Bass :larinet, Bass Guitar, Bassoon, Bells, Brass, :eleste, :ello ;Pi.<,
:hime, #I, ;Bells, Japan #rum 3, Trumpets<, #)4 ;Cnsemble, Aibes<, Cnsemble ;:hamber, 1ull<,
+arp, +arpsiBells, +arpsichord, +arpsiGlock, 1lute, Guitar ;acoustic, chorus<, +armonium, +orn,
Jrgan ;+armonium<, Piano ;Clectric, 1ender, 1M, Jangle, Tacky<, "a!, "nare #rum, "trings
;Tremolo<, "yn:lavier, "ynth #rums, Trumpet, Trombone ;5a 5a<, Tuba, Aibes, Aiolin
;harmonic<, Aoice ;KooL<, Ao! 7 "a!, Ao! 7 "aws, IylophoneH PercussionH 9eed & ;recorder, flute,
piccolo<H 9eed 3 ;oboe, Cnglish horn<H 9eed - ;clarinet, flute, tenor sa!ophone<H 9eed . ;bassoon<,
Aiolin
Musical u!bers+
&. 2ny #ay6$ow #ay
3. The Baking
-. Bread
.. Bu6a6Bu
). :hanson
*. Cndless #elights
,. 1eminine :ompanionship
&*.Meadowlark
&,.Merci, Madame
&(.$ew Musketeers
&'.$ot ?n the Market
34.2 Pan 1or Pain
3&.Perfect Cevery Time
33.Plain and "imple
(. 1or Mou
'. Gifts of Nove
&4.? :ould $ever Get Cnough
&&.?f ? +ave To Nive 2lone
&3.?f ?t 5asn%t 1or Mou
&-.2 Nittle Taste of +eaven
&..Nook 1or the 5oman
&).The Nuckiest Man in the
5orld
3-.Proud Nady
3..9omance
3)."erenade
3*."omething%s Got To Be #one
3,.Aoila
3(.5elcome to :oncorde
3'.5hat%s 2 Man To #oO
-4.5hen "he Gets +ome
Tomorrow
-&.5here is the 5armthO
Musical u!bers
%ct ,ne
:hanson0 #enise ?f ?t 5asn%t 1or
Mou0Aillagers Merci, Madame0 2imable
7 Genevieve Bread0 .Aillagers Gifts Jf
Nove0Genevieve 7 2imable Proud
Nady0#omini>ue ?f ?t 5asn%t 1or Mou
;9eprise<0Aillagers :hanson
;9eprise<0#enise "erenade0#omini>ue,
Philippe, 2imable 7 Genevieve
Meadowlark0 Genevieve 2ny #ay $ow0
2imable 7 Aillagers0:ompany
%ct Two
:hanson ;9eprise<0 #enise The 5orld%s
Nuckiest Man01eminine
:ompanionship0:laude, Mar>uis, the
$ieces, and the Men ?f ?t 5asn%t 1or Mou
;9eprise<0Priest ?f ? +ave To Nive
2lone02imable 9omance0The 5omen
5here ?s The 5armthO0 Genevieve Gifts
of Nove ;9eprise<0Genevieve 7 2imable
1inale0 :ompany
Story
%CT *+
2 few tables are occupied outside a small cafe in a 1rench village. ?t%s early autumn in the mid6
&'-4s.
#enise, the proprietor%s wife, while tending to her chores serving customers, sings her @:hanson@
about the >uiet life, living from day to day when nothing really changes, and yet... sometimes,
une!pectedly, something can happen to make life >uite different, >uite new.
"everal people stop at the cafe. 1ragments of conversations are heard from table to table/ an
argument here between the school teacher and the local priest, a complaint there from a gardener to
a neighbour who%s tree is shading his spinach patch, and among all is the anticipation of the arrival
of the new baker to replace the one who Eust died. This fairly argumentative group lists its
complaints in a song, e!pressing a sense of general irritation amid the petty complaints among the
villagers.
The Mar>uis, accompanied by his three @nieces,@ welcomes the baker, 2imable :astagnet. This
amiable, accurately named fellow is a Eolly middle6aged man. 5ith the baker is the young and
lovely Genevieve whom the Mar>uis mistakes for the baker%s daughter. The error is >uickly
addressed. 2fter the couple leaves the cafe, with their cat Pompom, to move into their new home,
the cafe customers e!change a few remarks about the baker robbing the cradle.
The ne!t scene is set in the bakery. 2imable is so pleased with the new surroundings and e!presses
his delight in his duet with Genevieve, @Merci, Madame.@ +e is obviously enchanted with his young
wife and delighted with their future in their little shop.
The villagers we met at the cafe are now customers at the bakery and sing the praises of @Bread.@ ?n
their eagerness to sample the delicious smelling bakery products, customers argue about their places
in the >ueue. Jthers gossip about the Mar>uis and his @nieces,@ and 2ntoine, one of the villagers,
braenly asks the baker how an old fellow like him won such a beautiful young bride. 2imable
replies @God was good to me.@ Genevieve chimes in that not only did her husband choose her, she
chose him and is happy with her choice. But while she smiles at the customers, she rushes inside the
bakery in tears.
?n her solilo>uy, @Gifts Jf Nove,@ Genevieve reveals fragments of her past, her sensuous love affair
with Paul, a married man, and contemplates the gentle love she shares now with her baker husband.
"he%s determined to make the best of it, to be a good wife, and to close the door on her past.
The Mar>uis% driver, #omini>ue, comes to the shop to pick up the Mar>uis% pastry order. +e eyes
Genevieve. +e too mistakes her for the baker%s daughter rather than his wife. "he corrects him. +e
addresses her as mademoiselle. @MadameP@ she insists. +e continues flirting, radiating charm. "he
is flustered. 2imable returns after trying to find Pompom and sadly reports that the cat has run off.
2 few weeks later in the village s>uare Genevieve encounters #omini>ue again. "he tries to ignore
his advances reminding him she%s a happily married woman. +e sings @Proud Nady@ and predicts
they are destined for one another and that someday she will be his.
Jutside the cafe, the villagers gather again, still arguing, still gossiping, still teasing one another.
The baker and his wife arrive and sit at a table as 2ntoine teases them about the difference in their
ages, inferring that 2imable may be able to produce a splendid croissant, but can he produce
offspringO #omini>ue barges in and comes to the couple%s defence hitting 2ntoine for the insulting
remark. Genevieve is irritated by #omini>ue%s interference and leaves. Jnly the men of the town
are left at the cafe and they sing @Nook 1or The 5oman@ placing all the blame on the fairer se! for a
man%s >uarreling and brawling nature.
Nater that evening we see several couples ;the baker and his wifeH the cafe owner and his wife< as
they prepare for bed. ?n the town s>uare is #omini>ue with his pal Philippe. Together, but
separately, the three pairs reprise @:hanson@ and segue into @"erenade.@ #omini>ue sings the
praises of the baker for bringing his @treasure@ to their town. 2imable is flattered by the praise, not
understanding that the @treasure@ #omini>ue is acclaiming is the baker%s wife, not the baker%s breadP
?n an effort to get rid of him, Genevieve goes into the shop and offers #omini>ue some pastries. +e
wants more than sweets. +e persists, holding her, kissing her. "he warns him that 2imable will hear.
#omini>ue declares his passion for her against her protests, but she is swept away by his words and
her feelings. They%ll meet an hour from now and run off somewhere together. "he cannot resist him.
2 sleepy 2imable calls down to Genevieve. "he replies @?n a minute@ as he drops off to sleep. 2lone
she contemplates her situation and sings of the legend of the @Meadowlark@ and realises she too has
no choice but to fly away with her @beautiful young man.@
2 fire in the bakery%s oven awakens the neighbours. The baker finds charred loaves. Jrdinarily
Genevieve is the early riser in the household. +e calls for her and hurries out in search of her,
thinking she has gone looking again for their cat Pompom. 2 little crowd gathers and the gossip
begins again, this time about the charred bread and the missing wife.
2imable returns empty handed. $o cat. $o wife. The villagers continue their whispering as he
enters his bakery looking for at least a note, but there is none. The crowd sings @Bu626Bu.@ The
Mar>uis arrives and, away from the group, tells 2imable that Genevieve has run off with his
chauffeur in the Mar>uis% automobile. Philippe, the driver%s pal, confirms the story, but 2imable
refuses to accept the e!planation. The villagers beg Philippe to tell all, and the first act concludes
with the Mar>uis threatening to go to the police to report the theft of his elegant Peugeot.
#omini>ue will be arrested and Genevieve as well. Jutside the bakery the gossips continue,
relishing outrageous tales of Eealousy, lust, and revenge 6 all the wonderful things that make life
worth living in 1rance.
%CT 2+
2t the cafe #enise reprises her @:hanson,@ as she had opened the first act. The villagers at the cafe
keep an eye on the baker across the way and are relieved to see him preparing a new batch of
dough. They tease one another about wives being unfaithful creatures. The priest, the teacher, and
others Eoin in to sing another version of 2ct &%s @?f ?t 5asn%t 1or Mou,@ the priest accusing the
immoral conduct of the villagers as responsible for corrupting the baker%s wife, the teacher
contradicting the priest saying Genevieve chose freely, and the Mar>uis, scoffing at them all,
chalking it up to fate and the weakness of the flesh.
2imable crosses to the cafe to announce the bread will be ready shortly. +e, who never drinks,
orders a cognac, and another, and in a tipsy state sings @2ny6#ay6$ow #ay,@ a toast to his missing
wife, whom he insists is only away visiting her mother. The baker becomes more and more
inebriated. The villagers try to sober him up and follow him back to the bakery which they find in a
terrible state/ flour spilled everywhere, dough hanging from the ceiling like stalactites in a cave,
loaves of bread burned and heavy as stones. 2imable collapses in the rubble.
The bakery is closed. The villagers believe the town is cursed and blame the baker%s wife for the
disaster that has struck. ?n an effort to cheer up the baker and put him back to his chores, they urge
him to consider the advantages of his being free of marital blisters, pointing out he%s a fortunate man
spared the >uarrels and boredom of married life. They insist he%s the @Nuckiest Man ?n The 5orld.@
;They want his good bread back on the shelf.<
The Mar>uis comes in to offer his two cents suggesting what the baker needs is @1eminine
:ompanionship@ and offers to @loan@ him his nieces. The priest is shocked at what he sees/ the
nieces flirting with, surrounding, and fondling the baker. The priest harangues against the conduct.
The Mar>uis feuds with the priest. The villagers chime into the fray. Nosing control, 2imable
throws all of them out of his shop.
2 town meeting in the church is called. 2rguments erupt among the villagers. 2imable Eoins the
congregation and admits to everyone that he knew Genevieve had run off 6 not to see her mother.
+e turns over his life savings to the Mar>uis to avoid the hunting down and imprisonment of the
young lovers.
2fter he leaves the church, members of the community agree nonetheless to track down the couple.
2lone inside the bakery, 2imable sings @?f ? +ave To Nive 2lone.@
2t a meeting of the villagers at the cafe, 2ntoine bursts in claiming to have found the couple in a
small hotel in a nearby town. The villagers swiftly agree on a search party, a triad made up of the
Mar>uis, the priest, and the teacher, to go after the outcasts and urge the baker%s wife to return
home.
The women of the village comment bitterly on @9omance,@ describing the realities one confronts in
a relationship between a man and a woman.
The scene changes to a small hotel room. Genevieve and #omini>ue are together but disenchanted
with one another. 5hile she admits to her passion for her handsome young lover, she asks @5here%s
?s The 5armthO@ +e is asleep on the bed as she gathers her few things and leaves him there.
The search party encounters Genevieve at a bus stop on her way to Marseilles. They implore her to
return to the village. "he answers that she can never go home again. The three men convince the
pretty outcast to return... all sins are forgivable.
?n anticipation of her arrival, the villagers are asked to return to their homes so as not to embarrass
Genevieve when she arrives. The only one not to is ThFrGse who refuses to withdraw. But the
teacher convinces her with a passionate kiss which she interprets as a proposal of marriage. "he
runs off saying she%ll e!pect him the ne!t morning for the formal announcement.
Cscorted by the priest and the Mar>uis, Genevieve walks through the empty street to the bakery and
approaches the door hesitantly. ?t is a tense and awkward moment as Genevieve and 2imable
confront one another. "he tries to tell him the truth but he refuses to accept any story e!cept that she
ran off to visit her mother. +e offers her his dinner. Just then they hear their cat Pompom at the
window. 2imable bitterly scolds the wicked cat for running off after some hot, young tom and then
offers it a saucer of milk. Together 2imable and Genevieve prepare to start tomorrow%s bread and
light the oven.
2t the cafe #enise begins the new day and the villagers assemble and together sing their @:hanson@
again.