Witches of Eastwick, The synopsis
Witches of Eastwick, The Synopsis - Broadway musical
Synopsis of "The Witches of Eastwick".
Musical Numbers
ACT ONE
1. Opening Act One
2. Eastwick Knows
3. Make Him Mine
4. Eastwick Knows – Reprise
5. Darryl Van Horne
5a. Darryl Van Horne – Playoff
6. Waiting For Th e Music To Begin
6a. Waiting For Th e Music To Begin – Playoff
7. Words, Words, Words
7a. Words, Words, Words – Playoff
8. Your Wildest Dreams
8a. Tennis
9. Something
10. Dirty Laundry
11. I Wish I May
ACT TWO
12. Opening Act Two
13. Another Night At Darryl's
13a. Another Night At Darry's – Playout
13b. Cherry Pits
14. Dance With Th e Devil
15. Another Night At Darry's – Reprise
16. Evil
17. Dirty Laundry – Reprise
17a. Waiting For Th e Music To Begin – Reprise 17b. Th ree Little Ladies
17c. Words, Words, Words – Reprise
18. Darryl Van Horne – Reprise
19. Your Wildest Dreams – Reprise
20. I Wish I May – Reprise
20a. Th e Glory Of Me
21. Th e Wedding
22. Act Two Finale
23. Final Bow and Playout (Instrumental)
"The Witches of Eastwick" is a darkly comic and fantastical musical based on John Updike’s 1984 novel. With music by Dana P. Rowe and lyrics by John Dempsey, it tells the tale of three ordinary women in a small town who discover their hidden powers when an enigmatic stranger arrives.
Act I.
The story unfolds in the fictional town of Eastwick, Rhode Island, where rumors and gossip fuel the residents’ daily lives. At the town’s helm is Felicia Gabriel, a controlling matriarch who values order. Three disillusioned friends, Alexandra (Alex), Jane, and Sukie, find themselves bored with the constraints of small-town life. Longing for excitement and romance, they wish for “all manner of man in one man.” Their wish is shockingly granted when the charming, devilish Darryl Van Horne appears, stirring up mischief and scandal in Eastwick.
Darryl seduces each of the women in turn, awakening in them latent magical powers they never knew they possessed. The trio revels in their newfound abilities and passions, though the town—led by Felicia—views their behavior with shock and distaste. At Darryl's urging, Alex, Jane, and Sukie use their powers to curse Felicia, resulting in bizarre and violent consequences. As they fly high above the town, the witches revel in their rebellion, but dark implications loom on the horizon.
Act II.
As Darryl’s influence intensifies, the women begin to question the consequences of their pact with him. He emboldens the townspeople in an extravagant number, "Dance With the Devil,” encouraging them to shed their inhibitions. But after Felicia’s tragic and gruesome death, the witches recoil from Darryl, realizing he has taken things too far. In retaliation, Darryl seduces Felicia’s daughter Jennifer, proposing marriage to solidify his control over Eastwick. Alarmed, the witches band together and use their powers to banish him from the town for good.
In a climactic final scene, they disrupt Darryl and Jennifer’s wedding. Through sheer will, they invoke a powerful spell that forces Darryl to vanish in a fiery spectacle, restoring peace to Eastwick. The three women reflect on their journey, realizing that they must take responsibility for the power within them and the choices they make.
The musical concludes as Alex, Jane, and Sukie embrace their independence, having learned that true strength comes from within, and that friendship and community will always conquer the darkest of forces.
Last Update:November, 14th 2024