Music By
Gina Fant-Simon & Marci Geller
Lyrics By
Gina Fant-Simon
Book By
Gina Fant-Simon
A BRIEF SYNOPSIS:
The Trustee is A colorful, modern pop epic, David vs Goliath and coming-of-age tale, where David is a gay woman and Goliath is a trio of misogynistic trustees in Good Ol’ Boy Texas from 1974 to 2010.
This tale will touch you with both humor and heart and leave you laughing with and cheering on an unlikely hero.
Discover the Music & Story
The Opening Number
The Trustee opens in 1974 at Houston’s most prestigious country club where the Falk Family is celebrating their first night as new members. Their preacher joins them as their first guest.
The opening number, “How Did I Get Here”, is a musical window into each character starting with our main character, 11 year old, Cory Falk. The song answers the question about how each character came to be where they are at this moment in time and reveals what matters to them. When asking the final question, “How Did I Get Here?” at the end of the song, we meet a variety of legacy and generational members and learn how their wealth was acquired.
The club’s legacy members toast to oil, and this raises quite a few voices and martini glasses. Mr. Falk interjects and toasts to “steel” which silences the room. This evolves into “New Money” where Mr. Falk proudly explains the history behind his newly acquired wealth selling steel.
The song enables the audience to witness the division between old money and new and also unveils how new wealth has influenced all of the Falk’s behavior except for Cory who refuses to be anyone but her authentic self.
Song 1 - Act 1
The Opening Number
When Your Parents Die
The following scene opens at the Falk home with a humorous exchange between Cory and her childhood ally DORALEE, the Falk Family’s maid. She is a black woman in her 30’s who adores Cory and who sees so much because she is invisible to the rest of the Falk’s. The doorbell rings and Cory answers it to meet a new key figure in her life, attorney Shelley Cohn. Mr. Falk has hired Mr. Cohn to write the family Will.
Cory astutely questions “what is a will?” This song showcases Cohn’s sinister explanation which would terrify any other 11 year old, however Cory holds her own. She immediately dislikes and distrusts Mr Cohn.
By the end of the song, Mr. and Mrs. Falk announce that Shelley Cohn will also be Cory’s first “Trustee” putting him in charge of her financial future in the event of their passing. Cory expresses her concern that Cohn is a stranger and doesn’t deserve their trust. This is the first of many times her words fall on deaf ears and Cohn evolves into the first villain in our story.
Song 2 - Act 1
When Your Parents Die
In Trouble Again
This scene in the Falk’s home is a portal through time as each verse increases by 2 years and Cory ages from 11 to 17. We see the contentious relationship between a mother with no sense of humor and a daughter who gets her coveted attention by getting in trouble. We also see DORALEE remaining the one constant throughout Cory’s childhood.
This song introduces another key part of this story which is Cory’s ambition as a musician and songwriter to the dismay of her family.
Song 3 - Act 1
In Trouble Again
The Secret
With Cory now at 17, she sits on the terrace in her private school uniform, doing homework with her friend and schoolmate Veronica. When Cory picks up her guitar and plays the intro of Stairway to Heaven, Veronica is delighted and wants to learn to play it. Cory puts her guitar in Veronica’s lap, gets behind her, so she can manipulate her fingers on the correct frets. While Veronica is deeply concentrating on learning the part, we see Cory’s confused attraction — this is our first overt hint of Cory’s presently unrealized sexual orientation. Cory is perplexed by what she’s feeling and hovers just a moment too long over Veronica’s hands. Veronica is visibly uncomfortable, and is clearly not feeling what Cory is.
This moment is abruptly interrupted by Mrs. Falk and her tipsy friends getting home after a long, hard day of drinking and shopping. Mrs. Falk learns that Veronica has a crush on a boy but doesn’t know how to get him to like her. Mrs. Falk is thrilled to have the opportunity to teach Veronica “The Secret” to men.
This song is a humorous window into the misogynistic generation that Mrs. Falk and her friends were raised in and what they were taught to believe. Cory refuses to conceive that she has to be inauthentic, submissive, and lose herself to love someone.
Song 4 - Act 1
The Secret
Money + Money
The following song introduces Falk Steel’s new CFO, Phil Carter. We see the steel company’s warehouse and Mr. Falk’s opulent office as the CFO suggests creative new ways that can drastically increase the company’s bottom line. He convinces Mr. Falk and Shelley Cohn to manipulate the funds in Cory’s trust to increase company profits by creating a tax shelter.
Impressed by his financial wizardry, Mr. Falk asks Carter to be Cory’s 2nd “Trustee.” Carter graciously accepts and joins the newly expanded 2-man club with Shelley Cohn*.
NOTE: In an ideal world, a “trustee” professionally avoids any conflicts of interest and honors the word “trust” in their title to serve the beneficiary they represent. With two Trustees working for her father’s company, it’s a no-brainer which task Cory’s trustees prioritize. This blatant conflict of interest is a key theme in this story.
Song 5 - Act 1
Money + Money
Manhattan Skyline
Back at the Falk home, Mrs. Falk enters with her niece, Cory’s COUSIN LESLIE and introduces her. She is in her early 30’s and is a stewardess (as referred to in the time period) for Braniff Airlines. She is on a brief layover before heading back to her home in New York City.
Cory immediately bonds with her Cousin and tells her about her dream to someday live in New York and write music professionally. She is thrilled when her cousin invites her to visit.
Song 6 - Act 1
Manhattan Skyline
Oh Dear Veronica
Later, in a private moment in her bedroom, Cory plays her guitar. She is emotionally distraught and working out her confusing feelings for her friend by writing a song called “Oh Dear Veronica”. She desperately wants to feel “normal” and is conflicted by her feelings.
In this private, sensitive moment, Mrs. Falk betrays her daughter’s privacy by turning on the house intercom system broadcasting Cory’s raw vulnerable moment throughout the whole house. The song is heard individually by everyone in the house as they each absorb Cory’s potential sexual orientation.
In addition to her mother, father, and brother the song is also heard by DoraLee who listens with compassion but has to walk a fine line trying to support Cory and stay virtually invisible to Mr. and Mrs. Falk.
DoraLee knocks on Cory’s bedroom door at the end of this song and points to the speakers in her ceiling, covertly letting her know that her family is listening. Just as Cory internalizes this news, Mrs. Falk’s angry, screeching voice is heard over the intercom, “Come down
Song 7 - Act 1
Oh Dear Veronica
I Can't Help It
Cory is mortified by the barrage of her parent’s disgust and judgment in the song “I Can’t Help It”. She is equally disappointed in her brother’s advice to play the game and hide her true self to keep the peace. The song ends with Cory completely losing her voice and shriveling before us, feeling pummeled into numbness.
Mrs. Falk grounds Cory for two weeks and coldly informs her that she and Mr. Falk are leaving the following morning for a golf tournament in Hawaii.
The scene morphs into the next morning as Mr. Falk ignores his daughter and carries their suitcases outside without saying goodbye. As Mrs. Falk is commanding Cory to think long and hard about the disgusting and deviant life ahead of her, she hears the sound of a kitten. She realizes that this sound is coming from Cory’s backpack and she violently wrenches it from Cory’s hands and hurls it against the wall. We hear the heartbreaking sound from the backpack as Cory rushes to the kitten’s rescue. Mrs. Falk slams the front door behind leaving her daughter on her knees holding a dead kitten.
Song 8 - Act 1
I Can't Help It
I Got You
Hours after her parents leave, DoraLee goes upstairs to check on Cory who is confined to her room. When Cory doesn’t answer the door, DoraLee opens it to see Cory unconscious on the floor. She rushes to her side. Unable to wake her up, she sees her parent’s empty pill bottles next to her and immediately calls an ambulance.
She also reluctantly calls Shelley Cohn since her parents are out of town and he is Cory’s medical power-of-attorney.
This song is sung by DoraLee at the hospital while sitting at Cory’s bedside. DoraLee wipes her forehead and holds her hand to reassure her how much she matters to her.
Song 9 - Act 1
I Got You
Prayer #2
When the song “I Got You” ends, Cory and DoraLee are interrupted by an impromptu visit from Preacher Kenny who passionately delivers his second prayer. He asks God to make Cory a “normal” heterosexual.
His prayer evolves into a humorous chorus of nurses singing the praises of masculinity and then echoing the preacher’s stereotypical view of lesbians in 1980.
Song 10 - Act 1
Prayer #2
Trust for Life
The Falk’s return home and Mr. Falk heads outside to practice on his putting green with a cocktail when he is visited by Shelley Cohn and Phil Carter who are there to express their concern for Cory.
In this song, the Trustees suggest that Cory should be placed in “Trust for Life” meaning that she will never have access to her assets and Cohn and Carter will indefinitely serve as her Trustees. In addition, they also suggest that Cory be “sentenced” to 6 months of conversion therapy so she can live a “normal life” as a heterosexual.
Mr. Falk agrees and Cory’s fate is sealed. And again, we see the repeated theme of the hypocritical misogyny of this era and the underestimation of Cory and her capabilities.
Song 11 - Act 1
Trust for Life
Get Out
Immediately after the previous song, we see that DoraLee has overheard the plans to send Cory to conversion therapy and also put her in Trust for Life. She is appalled and desperate to do something. She knows that this decision will send Cory over the edge.
In this song, we see DoraLee make a bold decision to contact Cousin Leslie. She puts her job at risk in order to save Cory’s life by helping her run away to New York City.
The song explains that Cory will be 18 and a legal adult in just 3 months and the only solution is to “Get Her out of here”.
Act One ends as DoraLee sneaks Cory out of the hospital and puts her on a plane to New York.
Song 12 - Act 1
Get Out
Since I Arrived
Act 2 begins exactly like Act 1. This time, it’s Cory who walks up to the hostess stand with her guitar case, gives her name and is led to the table of a restaurant. She starts laughing as she sees the colorful decorations for her 18th birthday and Cousin Leslie and her husband, Larry at the table laughing.
It’s been 3 months since DoraLee helped her escape conversion therapy and we find Cory thriving in New York City. She takes this special occasion and sings a song of gratitude to Leslie and Larry. And, this song also catches the audience up to what has happened from the end of Act 1 to now…
Song 1 - Act 2
Since I Arrived
You're Not Alone
When the previous song ends, everyone hugs DoraLee and they sit down to catch up and celebrate Cory’s birthday. We see DoraLee eyeing Leslie and Larry with a suspicious look on her face and she just blurts out, “you two sure don’t seem like husband and wife!”
Leslie and Larry laugh and Leslie says, “it’s funny you say that because we have a pretty big surprise for Cory right down the street. Follow us.” Cory and DoraLee are intrigued and they all walk down the street into Cory’s first gay bar where Leslie and Larry make a surprising confession.
Song 2 - Act 2
You're Not Alone
Oversight
Cousin Leslie’s husband, Larry, an attorney, requests a copy of Cory’s Trust documents from her Trustees back in Texas. He wants to empower Cory and help her understand what assets her trust owns. When they review the documents, they discover that the Trustees are not doing their financial due diligence and Cory is not receiving the income that the trust has been generating.
Larry offers to set up a meeting with her father and her Trustees to speak on her behalf and Cory gratefully accepts his offer.
When Larry shows up for the meeting in Texas, the Trustees mistake Larry for a delivery man and direct him to a different office. Larry doesn’t react to their inherent racism, introduces himself and flatters Mr. Falk and the Trustees before confronting them with the facts about the money that Cory is not receiving.
When confronted, Mr. Falk and the Trustees play innocent and claim that everything was a big misunderstanding and an oversight. Larry knows better but plays along so Cory receives the money that she’s owed.
Song 3 - Act 2
Oversight
Moving Day
After Larry’s visit to Texas, her parents call her and tell her that they are coming to New York to visit her and help her get her own apartment. Cory is absolutely thrilled! FINALLY her parents are going to show up for her. She prepares a special dinner with Leslie and Larry, the date arrives and the doorbell rings…
Cory runs to answer the door and she is completely stunned into silence when she sees her 19 year old brother Robert there instead. He callously explains that “something came up” and “mom and dad sent me”.
Instead of helping Cory move as promised, Robert abuses his parent’s credit cards and spends the weekend drunk, high on coke and partying with prostitutes while Cory moves herself.
Song 4 - Act 2
Moving Day
The Path
Coming Soon…
Song 5 - Act 1
The Path
Possible
Coming Soon
Song 6 - Act 2
Possible
Maybe Next Year
Coming Soon
Song 7 - Act 2
Maybe Next Year
Prayer #3
Coming Soon…
Song 8 - Act 2
Prayer #3
Like We Used To
Coming Soon
Song 9 - Act 2
Like We Used To
Impossible
Coming Soon
Song 10 - Act 2
Impossible
When I Lose, I Win
Coming Soon
Song 11 - Act 2
When I Lose, I Win
You Can
Coming Soon…
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Song 12 - Act 2
You Can
The Boys Club
Coming Soon…
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Song 13 - Act 2
The Boys Club
Something is Missing
Coming Soon…
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Song 14 - Act 2
Something is Missing
Forgiveness
Coming Soon…
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Song 15 - Act 2
Forgiveness
Musical Redemption
Coming Soon…
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