SETTING
The Theatre de la Cite, Paris
ACT I
July 16, 1942, and the following
weeks
ACT II
December 31, 1942, and the
following days
SCENES AND MUSICAL NUMBERS
ACT I
Scene one
The Theatre, Opening
night of The Maid and the Mistress.
One Night Out — Valets,
Marion, Maids
Lovely Illusion —
Lucas
Who is Marion? —
Marion
Scene two
The Street, later that night.
Scene three
The Theatre Cellar, immediately
following
There is Love — Lucas,
Marion
Scene four
The Theatre, the next day
Scene five
The Theatre, the next several
weeks
The Last Metro — Entire
Company
Scene six
The Theatre, several days
later
Mad’moiselle — Bernard
Mad’moiselle (reprise)
— Marion, Bernard
Scene seven
The Cellar, that night
How To Play a Jew
— Lucas
Scene eight
Bernard’s Dressing Room and
The Street
Scene nine
The Theatre, a few days later
At the Opera Comique —
Marion, Bernard
Scene ten
The Cellar, several nights
later
There is Love (reprise)
— Lucas
Scene eleven
The Street and Theatre, the
next night
Somebody At Last —
Nathalie
Scene twelve
The Theatre, the same night
A Stranger to Love
— Bernard, Marion, Maids, Valets
ACT II
Scene one
The Theatre, after the show,
New Year’s Eve
Just Being in Love
— Yvette
Scene two
Marion’s Dressing Room and
The Cellar, immediately following
Playing a Part — Marion,
Bernard, Lucas
Scene three
The Theatre, immediately
following
Not Being in Love
— Jean-Pierre, Arlette
Scene four
The Cellar and The Theatre,
the next day
Scene five
The Theatre and the Street
What Could I Do? —
Ensemble
Scene six
The Office and the Street,
the next day
Scene seven
The Street, that evening
A Blank Piece of Paper
— Bernard
Scene eight
The Theatre and the Cellar,
that night after the show
When I Look at You —
Lucas
Scene nine
The Theatre, a week later
Manifesto — Marion
One Night Out (reprise)
— Marion, Maids, Valets
Finale — Entire Company
Chronology of the
German Occupation of Paris
June 14, 1940
France falls. German troops
march into Paris.
June 23, 1940
General Charles DeGaulle
makes a radio broadcast from London, calling for continued French resistance
to Germany. His broadcasts will become a fixture of French life, every
night at 9:15.
July, 1940
Unique terms of surrender
are made in which the central and southern two-fifths of France become
an "Unoccupied Zone" nominally governed by the French, while the Germans
occupy the entire north and Atlantic coast, including Paris.
October 3, 1940
The "Statute on the Jews"
assigns an inferior position on the basis of race, excluding Jews from
top positions in public service, armed service, and some professions.
October, 1940
The "Aryanization" program
is begun, its stated aim to eliminate "all Jewish influence from the national
economy," allowing for the takeover of Jewish property and businesses.
May 14, 1941
Over 3700 foreign male Jews
are arrested in Paris and sent to camps elsewhere in France.
August, 1941
Germans order seizure of
radio sets and bicycles belonging to Jews. Resistance groups begin direct
attacks on members of German occupying forces. The Germans retaliate by
shooting French hostages.
September, 1941
"The Jews and France" exposition
opens in Paris, with anti-Jewish artifacts, posters, and displays.
October, 1941
German troops begin destroying
the synagogues of Paris.
February, 1942
Germans enact a nightly
curfew, to be enforced by Paris police.
February 4, 1942
No more Jews are allowed
to emigrate from the Occupied Zone.
March 27, 1942
First deportation of Jews
from France to eastern Europe. 1,112 are sent to Auschwitz.
June 7, 1942
The "Star Degree" is instituted:
All Jews over the age of six must wear a Star of David on which is written
the word "Jew." This ordinance, like many others, is not enforced consistently,
adding to the sense of confusion and denial.
July 16, 1942
The Velodrome Round-up:
a major turning point in Paris life, and the day on which our story begins.
The German objective: to arrest 28,000 Jews in two days, and incarcerate
them in the Velodrome Sports Arena, from where they will be deported. 900
French police are to do the dirty work. Although no food, water, or sanitary
arrangements are made, over 7,000 people are packed into the stadium, where
there is no room even to lie down, and are confined there for five days.
Many become ill; some die. Results of the roundup: 13,000 Jews arrested
and held for deportation; thousands escape; over 100 commit suicide.
July 1942
Jews are prohibited from
frequenting swimming pools, restaurants, cafes, theatres, cinemas, concerts,
music halls, markets and fairs, museums, libraries, public exhibitions,
historical monuments, sporting events, campgrounds, and public parks. Jews
are forbidden to use public telephones, and obliged to ride in the last
car in the Metro. Jewish sympathizers start wearing yellow flowers and
handkerchiefs.
From the Gestapo: "Because
of the consistent terrorist attacks, we are announcing the following penalties
against the saboteurs and their families: (1) All close male relatives
in the ascending line as well as brothers-in-law and cousins from the age
of 18 will be shot. (2) All women of the same degree of kinship will be
sentenced to hard labor. (3) All children under 18 will be sent to reform
schools."
November 8, 1942
Vichy stops issuing exit
visas to Jews, halting Jewish emigration to any destination.
November 11, 1942
German troops march into
all unoccupied areas of France except the Mediterranean coast.
December 10, 1942
Hitler order the arrest
and deportation of all Jews and other enemies of the Reich from France.
Ultimately, over 76,000 Jews are deported in cattle cars. Of these, only
about 3% return when the war is over.
June 6, 1944
The Allies land at Normandy.
August 25, 1944
Paris is liberated.
