Short Synopsis
ACT ONE
A pedestal stands in an artist’s studio bathed in the sunshine streaming down through a skylight. Bridget – sculptor, mother, wife, daughter, sister - helps Vidal and Alberto, the caretaker and his grandson, unload blocks of clay for her new project, a sculpture of the wood nymph, Daphne, changed into a tree to protect her from being abducted by Zeus. Bridget contemplates the pedestal where Daphne will stand and sings about her desire for recognition as a legitimate sculptor. (This Could Be The One) Bridget’s husband Richard arrives in a panic, having gotten word their daughter was seen ditching school with a boy. Richard looks around his wife’s new studio feeling disappointed over having a wife who’d rather be working in her studio than having fun with him. (This Is Not What I Bargained For) Lucy, Bridget's sister, sings about parenting advice and Bridget mourns the loss of her little girl. (I Told Her) Bridget finds Annie in her studio when she returns. Annie accuses her mother of wishing she never got married and had a child, then storms out. (I Told Her - Reprise) Bridget sits alone with her head in her hands, when Jimmy enters. He introduces himself as the painter down the hall, and there is instant chemistry between the two artists. Later Lucy says her ex-husband is getting married to someone younger, so they’ll have time to start a family, the one thing Lucy always wanted to do, so now she wants to move to a new place where she won’t think of herself as a failure. Bridget says she’ll help, of course, but her heart is longing to soar on the wings of creativity. (It’s a Beautiful Day) Richards works as an architect and is frustrated about work and tells Bridget he doesn’t know if he can hold out for the next six months while she makes her sculpture. (I’m Sick of It!) Bridget asks Jimmy what it’s like to be able to paint anytime he wants to. He encourages her to shut out all distractions before she runs out of time and loses the ability to become a serious artist that she must learn to say “no” and free herself to be an artist. (Ignore The Bills) Bridget kisses him impulsively, because he understands, then feels deeply embarrassed. Mom reflects on how she and Dad got together and the nature of families. (It Seemed Like Destiny) Jimmy has an open house in his studio. The sound of rain drowns out the characters’ voices, so in pantomime, Bridget introduces Annie to Jimmy and Vidal, and Vidal introduces Annie to Alberto. Isabel pulls Richard in through the door and Bridget introduces Jimmy to Richard. The rain dies down and Jimmy invites everyone to pretend they’re at an opening of his work. They view the subjects of Jimmy’s paintings and muse about life. (We Are Looking At Art)
ACT TWO
Isabel tells Jimmy she’s pregnant and he struggles to come to terms with the idea of starting a family. He finally cheers up at the thought of painting Isabel in all the stages of pregnancy. (I Will Paint You) Richard finds out Isabel posed for Bridget in the past. He asks Isabel to tell him about his wife and Isabel clues Richard into the fact that he might be married to a serious talent. (Tell Me About My Wife) Isabel leaves and Bridget returns. Richard accuses Bridget of being disconnected from their daughter. Bridget gets mad about being guilt-tripped. Richard storms out and Bridget fears never knowing how well an artist she could have been. (The Little Ache Inside) Bridget seeks solace from Jimmy, who talks her into posing naked. Richard feels he is drifting apart from his wife. (Bridget, Can You Hear Me?) Jimmy in jest proposes they run away to the South of France and make love and art all day long. Vidal ushers Bridget’s parents into the studio and calls out to Bridget. Bridget then returns and expresses frustration to Mom and Dad about not being able to figure out what she wants to say with her sculpture and being preoccupied with Richard and Annie. Mom says a woman’s family is her greatest achievement and Dad sees the painting of Italy that hung in Mom’s parents’ house. He reflects on his youthful dream of taking his future wife to Italy. (Someday I Will Take You There) Jimmy lifts a blank canvas up onto his easel and hopes this time he’ll get it right, be it painting or relationship. (Each New Painting) Isabel finds Jimmy packing up his paintings to take to a gallery in New York. He says he promises to return but can’t do the whole Family Man thing right now, that they must think outside the box and make a different kind of family. I Will (Paint You - Reprise) Richard tells Bridget she has to own the need to sculpt and asks her what she’s afraid of. Bridget talks about her fear concerning Annie. Annie hears this and accuses her of being a terrible mother and demands Richard take her to Aunt Lucy’s right away because she’ll understand. Annie swears she’ll never pose for her mother again. The next day Annie poses pretending to text on her phone, Bridget says tomorrow she begins her sculpture, “Modern Girl with Head in I-Cloud.” Annie and Bridget relate about being free. (I Am A Girl) Richard is excited to work on a new project dealing with a house built around a favorite tree. He reflects on finding sanctuary in nature and thinking outside of the box. (I Can Do This) Bridget prepares to begin the mold for her sculpture, as Annie films with her new camera, Alberto kneads clay, and Vidal sits under the skylight with the new shade pulled down to block the sun. Richard has his new drawings to show Bridget, and Jimmy and Isabel come so Jimmy can say goodbye before he leaves for New York. Jimmy and Richard bond talking about baseball and Annie announces she’ll go to community college to get her grades up and then to New York to study film. Bridget looks around at her family and friends and feels full-filled desires to immortalize these people she loves who grow, learn, plays, and perish by making sculptures of them. (Looking at Art - Finale)