Queen of Somerset

recording cast:

William - Marc Capponi

King - Jonathan Atkinson

Lady May/Queen - Leigh Jameson

piano - Lancio Parpimos

bassoon - Eric Heidbreder

written by Debra and Marc Capponi

Synopsis

Summer Whim, an aging drag queen, greets the audience from the stage of the Royal Flush Playhouse. She sings a bawdy song about the merits of getting old, and then starts to reminisce about her days as a young man in the Royal Court. She explains that, despite a humble upbringing, she was lucky enough one night to attend an elegant party hosted by the King and Queen of Somerset. 

The King and Queen appear on stage, and Summer Whim, now William, steps into the flashback with them. At the party, William manages to impress the King, who has a special fondness for handsome young men. 

The King and William become lovers. William is enchanted by this new world of luxury, but is also nervous that he will again be poor, should the King lose interest in him. To secure a comfortable future, William becomes engaged to Lady May Grayson, a wealthy young woman with ambitions of her own. 

Lady May is petitioning the King to appoint her Duchess of Westershire, a post she believes is being denied to her because she is a woman. William, while still in a relationship with the King, realizes that, if he could persuade the King to appoint him as the Duke of Westershire, he would be guaranteed a life of wealth without the need to marry Lady May. 

Lady May goes to see the King to reemphasize her qualifications for the dukedom. Before being seen, she overhears the King and William in an intimate moment that leaves her with no doubt that the King and William (her fiancé) are not only having an affair, but that William is plotting to make himself Duke of Westershire. 

Determined to outwit her double-crossing fiancé, Lady May decides she would have more influence over the King if she were a young man. She creates an alter ego, Lord July. At a social function, Lord July charms the King. The King passes a note to Lord July, proposing that they meet for a secret rendezvous later that night. 

William, suspicious of the new stranger who has aroused the interest of the King, secretly follows Lord July. When Lord July arrives at Lady May's residence, William is outraged, assuming Lord July is having an affair with Lady May (William's own fiancée). He bursts into the house, expecting to find the guilty lovers, but finds only Lady May. William searches the house for Lord July and discovers the love note that the King has given to Lord July. William assumes that the note was written by Lord July to Lady May. Enraged, William strips Lady May of her clothing and ties her to a chair. He puts on her clothes and announces his intention to go the secret rendezvous, dressed as Lady May, so that he can catch Lord July red-handed. After he leaves, Lady May frees herself from her bonds. 

At the location for the secret rendezvous, the King eagerly awaits his new love interest, but he is instead surprised to see Lady May (who is actually William in disguise). William, expecting Lord July, is also surprised to see the King. The two are trapped in this awkward moment when the real Lady May arrives dressed as Lord July. The King, not wanting “Lady May” (William) to know his reason for being there, avoids speaking, and William (dressed as Lady May), fearing he will reveal his identity, also avoids speaking. 

Lord July takes advantage of their silence, filling in the conversation himself, the essence of which is: “What a surprise! What are you two doing here? Lady May, the King must be telling you the good news about your appointment. I've heard that he has appointed you Duchess of Westershire! Congratulations.” 

Returning to the present, Summer Whim, back on stage at the Royal Flush Playhouse, explains that the King moved on to another (younger) lover; that Lady May continues her reign in Westershire; that Lord July disappeared, never to be heard from again; and that he, William, can be found doing 8 shows a week at the Royal Flush Playhouse. 

Production information

Queen of Somerset requires only five people and can be performed in a very small space. Sheet music, including the full score and individual parts, are available. Please consider producing this unique show. Contact marc@ squaremeallabs.com