Chaplin

Chaplin is based on the real-life story of Charlie Chaplin, the iconic film actor, writer, producer and director. The new musical spans the comic’s entire career, from Chaplin’s first performance as a child in 19th-century London to his tearful acceptance of an honorary Academy Award in 1972. The show documents the beloved actor’s rise to fame and the people who shaped his life, including his mother Hannah, his older brother Sydney, his fourth wife Oona O’Neill and gossip columnist Hedda Hopper. The musical dramatizes the making of Chaplin’s legendary films, including The Kid, The Circus, Modern Times and The Great Dictator as well as his turbulent childhood, frenzied love life and political beliefs. Featuring an original score by Christopher Curtis, including “Look at All the People,” “Just Another Day in Hollywood” and “This Man,” Chaplin tells the touching story of the man who makes the world laugh as his legendary screen persona, the Tramp, but struggles to find happiness in his own life.

Roles
5F, 6M + Ensemble
Musicians
15/10
Acts
2
Duration
2 hours 15 minutes

Music

Creators

Chris Curtis

Chris Curtis

Music and Lyrics, Book Chris Curtis is a contemporary composer/ lyricist from New York City. He wrote songs for the Oscar® Nominated Netflix/Pearl Studio animated feature Over The Moon directed by Oscar®-winning Disney Animator...

Read More

Thomas Meehan

Thomas Meehan

Book Thomas Meehan was an American playwright. He was best known for writing the books for the musicals Annie, The Producers, and Hairspray. Meehan also wrote the books for the musicals...

Read More

Photos

Orchestrations

15 Musicians

Keyboard I/Conductor
Keyboard II
Reed 1
Reed 2
Horn
Trumpet 1
Trumpet 2
Trombone
Violin 1
Violin 2
Violin 3
Viola
Cello
Bass
Drums/Percussion
(10 musician version also available)

Casting

Charlie Chaplin
After surviving a poverty-stricken and difficult childhood he turned luck into skill and skill into unprecedented opportunity and success. He ages from late teens to late 40’s as he displays unmatched talent on the vaudeville stage, in Keystone pictures and as producer, director and star of his own film studio.

Hannah Chaplin
Charlie’s mother. She is the source of his first inspiration as well as his greatest humiliation.

Young Charlie
He sings, dances and suffers great sorrow when he returns to his mother after getting out of the County Home to find she no longer recognizes him. He later plays Jackie Coogan, the famous child actor who co-starred in “The Kid” with Chaplin and the Usher.

Sydney Chaplin
Charlie’s brother, performing partner, and business manager. He sticks by Charlie through thick and thin, through marriages and women far too young and through political upheavals and exile.

Alf Reeves
Clever, intuitive, fields phone calls and starlet requests brilliantly - and knows Charlie sometimes better than Chaplin knows himself.

Mack Sennett
The master of his Keystone universe; the rather arrogant yet perfectly knowledgeable creator of a factory of short, slapstick films.

Hedda Hopper
A mediocre actress - turned notorious gossip columnist who has made it her personal mission to expose Charlie as a womanizing, cheating, communist foreigner who is making too much money on American shores.

Oona O’Neill
Wannabe actress who meets Charlie when she turns up late for an audition. Shortly thereafter, she gives up her aspirations for a career in Hollywood and becomes the first woman to appreciate Charlie for who and not what he is.

Mr. Karno

Usher

Mildred Harris

Joan Barry

Ensemble
Londoners, Music Hall Patrons, Film Crew, Starlets, Reports, Hollywood Elite

Cast Vocal Ranges

Production Materials

Included in your license are the following cast and crew scripts. These materials will be shipped upon receipt of payment if your license request is approved.

21 Cast Script/Vocal Books

A combination of the show’s full script and the full vocal book. All dialogue within each song is printed in the score to prevent flipping back and forth during rehearsals. All books are spiral-bound and double-sided.

2 Director’s Scripts

A single-sided, spiral-bound script designed with plenty of space for the director to take notes and add blocking during the rehearsal process.

1 Stage Manager’s Script

A single-sided, three-hole punched script that can be inserted into your three-ring binder.

2 Piano/Conductor Scores

A keyboard score that is a key part of the show’s actual orchestration. This score contains both vocal parts and a cue staff, which guides the conductor through the full orchestration by informing them when instruments enter the song, as well as providing specific part lines when necessary.

Instrumentation

Keyboard I/Conductor, Keyboard II, Reed 1, Reed 2, Horn, Trumpet 1, Trumpet 2, Trombone, Violin 1, Violin 2, Violin 3, Viola, Cello, Bass, Drums/Percussion

ORCHESTRATION NOTE: Chaplin: The Musical may be performed with a 10-piece instrumentation by omitting the Trumpet 2, Trombone, Viola, Violin 2, and Violin 3 books.

Promotional Resources

Chaplin Logo Pack

Official Logo Pack

Included with license

Includes color and black and white high-resolution logo files in JPG, PNG, and EPS formats.

Learn More

Chaplin Official Show Artwork

Official Show Artwork

$175

Creating artwork for your performance has never been easier – customize online in minutes, download a print-ready PDF, order printed posters, access layered files.

Learn More

Chaplin Promotion Kit & Social Media Guide

Social Media Marketing Kit

$250

Includes everything you need to plan and implement the promotion of your show – 50+ graphics for social media, original show specific content, social media guide, promotion calendar and press release template.

Learn More

Chaplin Cast & Crew T-Shirts

Cast & Crew T-Shirts

As low as $14 each

Broadway Licensing has partnered with Subplot Studio to offer premium-quality Cast & Crew T-Shirts! You can add your theatre name, show dates and even your cast & crew names on the back.

Learn More

Production Resources

Archival Video License

If you want to record your production for archival purposes you may do so by purchasing a video license. This allows you to record one performance for your internal archives only. This archival copy can be distributed to your cast and crew. The archival recording cannot be distributed or posted online. Archival License availability varies by title and all requests must be approved by Broadway Licensing Global.

$150

Additional Books

Additional books (Cast Script/Vocal, Piano/Conductor, etc.) are available.

$25 each

Full Conductor Score

An ideal solution for those who choose to conduct their show from the podium, as opposed to the piano. Each detailed instrument staff is always right in front of you--giving you the most comprehensive layout for full control of your orchestra.

$125/Print, $100/Digital, $175/both

Digital Orchestration Parts

Prefer playing or rehearsing from your tablet? All of our orchestration scores (including PC and PV) are available in digital copies.

Digital PC or PV $50
Full Digital Orchestration Set $150

Broadway Plus

A workshop experience in which a Broadway artist speaks and works with students in an educational setting through our partnership with Broadway Plus.

Prices Vary by Product

TurnKey Transpositions

Broadway stars change the keys of songs all the time...so why not you? Optimize your actors' performances by ordering our TurnKey Transposition. Get the perfect key for the perfect actor! All digital delivery, usually within 24 hours.

$50 per song for PV or PC
$150 per song for all orchestral parts (including PC/PV)

KeyboardTEK

Sound like Broadway with KeyboardTEK! KeyboardTEK provides original Broadway keyboard programming that's easy-to-use and playable for pit musicians of all levels. Licensing programming from KeyboardTEK will elevate your orchestra or pit band to the fullest using only the most authentic sounds.

Order Now

Credits

Music and Lyrics by
Chris Curtis

Book by
Chris Curtis & Thomas Meehan

Also Available

Heartbreak Hotel