ACT 1

London, 1779.  Sir Peter Teazle, a wealthy, dour, fiftysomething bachelor,  marries a simple girl from the country half his age, Lady Teazle, expecting that she will be docile and subservient.  But when he gets her to the city, she spends all his money, won't do a thing he says, and gives him nothing but aggravation about how old he is.
                                            
                                                OPEN UP YOUR PURSE  (Sir Peter, Lady Teazle) 


Sir Peter has raised Joseph and Charles Surface, the two sons of his deceased friend, to manhood.  Charles, the younger brother, is a handsome rake who squanders his fortune on wine, women and song.  But he's the one with the good heart.  He is beloved by Sir Peter's earnest young ward, Maria, who intends to reform him.  The elder brother, Joseph Surface, is a "man of sentiment," who has a moral aphorism for every occasion.  He appears to the world to be a moral pillar.  In fact, he's the dirtiest of dogs, who conspires to seduce Lady Teazle for entertainment while trying to marry Maria for her money.  In order to separate Charles and Maria, Joseph conspires with London's leading gossip, Lady Sneerwell, and her confederate, Mr. Snake, to spread a rumor that Lady Teazle is having an affair with his brother Charles.  Meanwhile,  Lady Sneerwell hopes to snare young Charles for herself, and adds to the mischief by having Mr. Snake forge a letter which will end up in Maria's hands, professing Charles's love for Lady Sneerwell instead of her.

                                              
                                                SCANDAL   (Mr. Snake, Lady Sneerwell) 


   Lady Sneerwell marvels at Joseph's duplicity.   He simply celebrates it.


                                              THE SECRET OF MY SUCCESS  (Joseph) 


Meeting Maria at Sir Peter's home, Charles professes his love for her.  But she's not entirely convinced he'll be true to her.   He sings to assure her of his devotion.  


                                               NO OTHER LOVE  (Charles, Maria)


Lady Sneerwell's cabal of gossips, her "school for scandal," consisting of Mr. Crabtree, Sir Benjamin Backbite, and Mrs. Candour, fan the flames of  the negative rumors about Charles.


                                             IT MUST BE TRUE  (Mrs. Cand., Sir Ben., Mr. Crab., Joseph, Maria, Lady Sne.)


When Maria returns home, Sir Peter tries to get her to accept Joseph as a suitor.  But she loves only Charles. 


                                              



Back at Lady Sneerwell's, Joseph begs Maria to marry him, just as Lady Teazle enters from the next room and
overhears.  Joseph spins his twisted logic to convince her that she's really the one he wants. 





Sir Peter laments to the old servant of the Surface family, Master Rowley, about the folly of marrying someone so much younger than himself. 
                                               
                                             A YOUNGER WIFE  (Sir Peter) 



 
To return to the home page, click here.

     Performer credits:  

     Sir Peter, Joseph, Charles, Mr. Snake, Mr. Crabtree, Master Rowley, Careless, Sir Toby, 
     and the Drinking Buddies...........................................................................................................................Jeffery Lyle Segal
     Sir Oliver.............................................................................................................................................................John Reeger
     Sir Benjamin....................................................................................................................................................Arron Rothbart
     Mrs. Candour.................................................................................................................................................Elise Dewsberry
     Lady Sneerwell, Maria ("No Other Love", "Top of Your List")............................................................................Yoly Tolentino
     Maria ("It Must Be True"), Lady Teazle ("Give In")..........................................................................................Linea Liu Dakin
     Maria ("The Sort of Things".....................................................................................................................................Kat Evans
     Lady Teazle ("Open Up Your Purse") ............................................................................................................Laurie Ferdman
     Lady Teazle ("With All My Heart"); both Lady T. and Maria ("No Other Love - Reprise")...............................Stephanie Myre


To go to the selected songs from Act II, click here.
Book, music and lyrics by 
Jeffery Lyle Segal

Adapted from THE SCHOOL FOR SCANDAL by Richard Brinsley Sheridan

Scandalous Behavior! was first presented in a staged reading at the Academy for New Musical Theatre in 2006 directed by Mr. Segal.  It was invited to be presented in the York Theatre Company developmental reading series in 2010, again directed by Mr. Segal.  A staged reading at City Lit Theater in Chicago was presented in 2011,  directed by Mr. Segal, in which he also performed as Sir Peter.   It is currently available for a full developmental production.  Minimum cast of 9 men (with some doubling) and 4 women, unit set, and contemporary or period costumes.  Computer generated music tracks, as heard on these recordings,  are also available.
THE SORT OF THINGS (Maria)
GIVE IN (Joseph, Lady Teazle)