Happy Birthday (short opera)

Libretto by Ruthie Prillaman

This 12-minute opera retells the comical (true) history of the most ubiquitous song in the English language—and addresses the controversy—and resolution!—of the question, “Who really owns the ‘Happy Birthday’ song?”

CAST
PATTY HILL (Soprano) and MILDRED HILL (Mezzo-soprano) are two sisters who wrote something like the "Happy Birthday" song in the mid-19th Century.

MUSIC EXECUTIVE (Baritone) represents the interests of the company that claimed to own the "Happy Birthday" song.

HOST (Tenor) is the "emcee" and narrate-mediates the story for the audience. The host becomes the JUDGE, who decides the case in question, placing the "Happy Birthday" song in the public domain, once and for all.

PERFORMANCE NOTES
1. To begin this opera, the cast chooses a member of the audience whose birthday they (cast and audience) will celebrate with "the" birthday song. The cast brings the audience member to a chair on stage.

The Host (or other cast member) chooses a name for the audience member that has two syllables, in a STRONG-weak pattern. If the person's name is Steven, Adam, Katie, etc., the name can be used as-is. Otherwise, a nickname should be created: Suzie, Lizzie, Jamie, etc. In the libretto, [Su-zie] represents a placeholder for the audience member's actual name (or designated nickname), which will be used in performance. The host writes the chosen name on a large placard so that the cast and audience can see it clearly. This can be funny—and can remind the cast of the person's name later in the piece.

The audience member stays on stage for the duration of the work, and the cast occasionally involve or point to the audience member, etc. The audience member could eat a slice of birthday cake during the duration of the piece, can blow out candles at the end, etc.

2. About the TITLE: Given that this mini-opera begins surreptitiously with what seems like garden- variety audience engagement, printing the title "Happy Birthday Opera" in the program may give away the fun. Therefore, an alternative title may be printed, such as "Justice for the Hill Sisters" or "Holiday Medley" or "A Birthday Surprise," etc. Don't spoil the surprise!

DURATION
12-13 mins