The Telephone
 

by Gian Carlo Menotti

Thursday, August 28, 2014 at 6:15PM

Performed in English

NOLA Studios

244 W. 54th/8th/Broadway, 11th floor

New York City

Ben, bearing a gift, comes to visit Lucy at her apartment; he wants to propose to her before he leaves on a trip. Despite his attempts to get her attention for sufficient time to ask his question, Lucy is occupied with interminable conversations on the telephone. Between her calls, when Lucy leaves the room, Ben even tries to cut the telephone cord — unsuccessfully. Not wanting to miss his train, Ben leaves without asking Lucy for her hand in marriage. But Ben makes one last attempt: He calls Lucy from a telephone booth outside on the street and makes his proposal. She consents, and the two join in a romantic duet over the phone line, at the end of which Lucy makes sure that Ben remembers her phone number.

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