THE LEYENDECKER LOOK

THE LEYENDECKER LOOK is a full-length musical. Lyrics and Book by Arianna Rose, Music by Thomas Jacobsen. Adapted from “The Lesser Leyendecker” by Arianna Rose.

TIME: 1896 to 1924

 SETTINGS:   (represented simply and theatrically)

Chicago and Paris

The Leyendeckers art studio in New York City

The Mansion and Gardens at Mt. Tom Road, New Rochelle, owned by JC Leyendecker

A studio loft above a garage in New Rochelle, NY

SYNOPSIS:

“Family First” is the motto of the real-life Leyendecker siblings Mary, Joe and Frank.  The close-knit brothers rise to fame as commercial illustrators in the early 1900s, even as Frank battles addiction issues and conflicting artistic ambitions.  Both brothers are gay, and Mary chooses not to marry, devoting her life to her brothers and their business.

 All is well until Canadian model Charles Beach insinuates himself into Joe’s heart and art. Charles serves as the inspiration and main model for Joe’s creation The Arrow Collar Man, arguably one of the first media influencers on the nation. Their relationship grows from a professional one to a romantic relationship, creating friction between the siblings. 

 The timeless issues of art and addiction, siblings and celebrity, imagination and illusion all meet in this highly theatrical memory musical, spanning late 1890s through 1924.

CAST OF CHARACTERS

3 men, 2 women, 4+ ensemble,  1 (male) non-human cutout or puppet/puppeteer

 FRANK XAVIER (FX) LEYENDECKER: Male, ages from 20s to 40s. Brilliant illustrator, timid, emotional, weakness for alcohol and drugs, youngest child syndrome; idolizes his brother, homosexual.  Any race/ethnicity.

 LIVVY: Female, 20s-30s. Based on Frank’s illustration of a tightrope walker, for the April 29, 1922 edition of Life Magazine (“A Live Wire”). She represents Frank’s life force and art.  She can be an actor, or a puppet with a puppeteer actor.  Any race/ethnicity.

JOSEPH CHRISTIAN (JC) LEYENDECKER, AKA JOE:  Male, ages from 20s to 40s.  Brilliant illustrator. Slight stutter when stressed.  Walks with a slight limp due to a childhood disease.  Feels responsible for his siblings. Very close to Frank.  Driven.  Irresponsible with money.  Hopelessly drawn to Charles. Homosexual.  Any race/ethnicity.

MARY LEYENDECKER: Female, ages from 20s to 40s . Loyal to her brothers and their art; has a temper; good head for business.  Any race/ethnicity.

CHARLES BEACH: Male, ages from 17 to 30s, around 7 years younger than Joe.  Tall, muscular, blond, movie star handsome.  Canadian, clipped British accent.  Beautifully dressed.  Well mannered at first. Homosexual.  Any race.

THE ARROW COLLAR MAN: (non-verbal, non-human) could be a cardboard cutout or life-size puppet that the actors or a puppeteer move around; a projection or hologram; or an ensemble member that looks like Charles Beach.  Whatever the form, should resemble the actor playing CHARLES BEACH. Based on the Arrow Collar Man advertisements.                            

FLAPPER/ENSEMBLE, female, 20s, any race/ethnicity.

MR. KNICKERBOCKER/ENSEMBLE, male, any adult age, any race/ethnicity

 ENSEMBLE, female, any adult age, any race/ethnicity.

 ENSEMBLE, male, any adult age, any race/ethnicity.

 (OPTIONAL ADDITIONAL ENSEMBLE: any race, adult age, ethnicity, gender)

REPRESENTATIVE DEMOS

DEVELOPMENT HISTORY

THE LEYENDECKER LOOK is adapted from the play “The Lesser Leyendecker” by Arianna Rose. The play has had two readings to date and Ms. Rose has been working with dramaturg Reilly Conlon on both the play and the musical. The musical version is currently in development with a full finished script and lyrics and a score that is three-quarters complete as of June 2025.

CREATIVE TEAM BIOS

Thomas Jacobsen (COMPOSER)  currently serves as an Assistant Professor of Voice and Musical Theatre at the University of Minnesota-Duluth.  He has written music for the musicals Paranormative, Maxa and most recently Baggage at the Door (AMT Theatre).  He also works as a director, directing such shows as Jesus Christ Superstar, Carrie: the Musical, Avenue Q, The Producers, Natasha, Pierre and the Great Comet of 1812 and Cabaret.  He is a member of the Musical Theatre Educators Alliance, and holds BFAs in Vocal Performance and Musical Theatre from the University of Wisconsin, and an MFA in Musical Theatre Writing from Tisch-NYU.  He is happily married and a father to two wonderful cats.

Arianna Rose (LIBRETTIST & LYRICIST) is an award-winning playwright and musical theatre writer (libretto/lyrics). Full length plays:  TOUCH THE MOON (workshop production: Cincinnati Lab Theatre), THE EQUIVALENT OF SENSATION (production, Femuscripts Inc., Miami FL) , THE RIPPLE EFFECT (production, Sullivan County Dramatic Workshop), THE LESSER LEYENDECKER.

 Full-length musicals:  THE LOST GIRL with Ben Bonnema (Buck Hill Skytop Music Festival, Florida Festival of New Musicals), A COLLECTIBLE SENSATION with Amy Engelhardt (The Depot/UMD, MN, Excerpts: Nautilus Music-Theater, MN, Surfside Playhouse, FL) , SKIPPING A STONE (with Caitlin Thomas), THE LEYENDECKER LOOK (with Thomas Jacobsen).     Many short plays and musicals, produced in 37 states and 10 countries to date.

M.F.A., NYU Tisch Graduate Musical Theatre Writing Program; B.A., Theatre, Bucknell University; BMI-Lehman Engel Musical Theatre Writing Workshop.  Member: ASCAP, LMDA, Maestra, New Play Exchange, South Florida Theatre League, The Dramatists Guild.

A perusal copy of the libretto for THE LEYENDECKER LOOK is available for New Play Exchange members. Please click on the link below:

THE LEYENDECKER LOOK page on New Play Exchange

You may also request a perusal script and direct link to the demos. Please fill out the form below and submit.