When the Cookie Crumbles, You Can Still Pick up the Pieces
Show Essentials
6
Roles
PG
Rated
1
Act

Full Synopsis

When the Cookie Crumbles, You Can Still Pick up the Pieces begins with a group of people coming to terms with the fact that talking about divorce can be painful, but will help in the end. We are then led through a series of skits that concern children who are dealing with the different effects of divorce on their lives. The skits are varied and are all quite relatable. Some are short, such as a series of monologues about a boy whose school lunches are taking a turn for the worst after his parents divorce, or a song where a young boy is being told about his parent's split. There is a skit about a girl meeting – and liking – her dad's new wife, as well as kids trying to get along with their new step-brothers and -sisters... and succeeding. We also follow a young boy whose mom moves him to a new school, and how he deals with meeting new people and making friends. There is even a skit with the children of various fairytale characters, dealing with life when it isn't as perfect as a fairytale. In the end, the group all decides that talking about divorce wasn't so bad, and that the most important thing to help you through it... is love.

"The D Word"
"Dad Said / Mom Said"
"Josh and Emily"
"Home"
"Fairy Tale Family"
"Amy"
"Tap a Tin Can"
"The Middle of Nowhere"
"Circumstance"
"Step by Step"
"I Met Ronnie Today"
"It's Not My Fault"
"D Word Reprise / Finale"
Casting
← Back to When the Cookie Crumbles (TYA Collection)
Cast Size: Small (Up to 10 performers)
Cast Type: Children
Dance Requirements: Standard

Character Breakdown

Boy
A boy who keeps getting confusing lunches from his divorced parents. Frustrated with his situation and yearning for simplicity.
Gender: male
Age: 20 to 60
Carla
A teenage girl and Amy's stepdaughter. Initially distant towards her, she learns to open up and bond with her stepmother.
Gender: female
Age: 20 to 60
Vocal range top: E5
Vocal range bottom: Bb3
Dad
A divorced man on the weekend where he has his son. Has a difficult time connecting to his son, which causes him to get angry.
Gender: male
Age: 20 to 60
Vocal range top: D4
Vocal range bottom: B2
Elizabeth
Freddy's sister, and Suzanne and Jeffrey's new stepsister. Annoyed by her new siblings, but determined to make the best of it.
Gender: female
Age: 20 to 60
Vocal range top: D5
Vocal range bottom: C4
Emily
Josh's younger sister. Enjoys intruding in her brother's things and is sick of his mean attitude.
Gender: female
Age: 20 to 60
Vocal range top: D5
Vocal range bottom: D4
Esmerelda
A fairy tale princess and Ludmilla and the Prince's friend. She helps the Prince realize that a fight between parents doesn't necessarily mean divorce.
Gender: female
Age: 20 to 60
Vocal range top: D5
Vocal range bottom: D4
First Child
A young child at home. Enjoys grabbing mother's attention through pestering.
Gender: any
Age: 20 to 60
Vocal range top: F4
Vocal range bottom: G2
Freddy
Elizabeth's brother, and Suzanne and Jeffrey's new stepbrother. Annoyed by his new siblings, but determined to make the best of it.
Gender: male
Age: 20 to 60
Vocal range top: Eb4
Vocal range bottom: C3
Girl (barbie & Ken)
A little girl, roleplaying her parents with her dolls. A good observer and imitator.
Gender: female
Age: 20 to 60
Girl (circumstance)
A young girl about to graduate from junior high. She's more nervous about whether her divorced parents will be civil with each other than anything else.
Gender: female
Age: 20 to 60
Vocal range top: D5
Vocal range bottom: G3
Janet
A classmate of Richie's who tries to connect to him. Cheerful and friendly, she tries to support Richie as he is processing his parents' divorce.
Gender: female
Age: 20 to 60
Vocal range top: C5
Vocal range bottom: A3
Jeffrey
Suzanne's brother, and Elizabeth and Freddy's new stepbrother. Annoyed by his new siblings, but he is determined to make the best of it.
Gender: male
Age: 20 to 60
Vocal range top: E4
Vocal range bottom: C3
Josh
Emily's older brother. Fed up with his sister's meddling and in need of some separation.
Gender: male
Age: 20 to 60
Vocal range top: F4
Vocal range bottom: D3
Kid
A child who is turned off by his mother's new cop boyfriend. He eventually comes around and learns to like and respect him.
Gender: male
Age: 20 to 60
Vocal range top: E4
Vocal range bottom: A2
Ludmilla
Cinderella's elegant daughter. She helps the Prince realize that a fight between parents doesn't necessarily mean divorce.
Gender: female
Age: 20 to 60
Vocal range top: D5
Vocal range bottom: C4
Mom
New Husband
Son's new stepfather. A bit distant and awkward when talking to Dad.
Gender: male
Age: 20 to 60
Vocal range top: D4
Vocal range bottom: B2
Prince
The handsome young prince of the fairy tale kingdom. He suspects his parents Snow White and Prince Charming are getting divorced after hearing them fight.
Gender: male
Age: 20 to 60
Vocal range top: D4
Vocal range bottom: D3
Richie
A new kid at school. Paranoid and negative towards everything at his new school for fear that he'll have to move away again. Janet helps him get settled into his new home.
Gender: male
Age: 20 to 60
Vocal range top: E4
Vocal range bottom: B2
Robert
A child of divorce, caught between his squabbling parents. Complacent and confused about his situation.
Gender: male
Age: 20 to 60
Vocal range top: E4
Vocal range bottom: A2
Second Child
A young child at home. Enjoys grabbing mother's attention through pestering.
Gender: any
Age: 20 to 60
Vocal range top: F4
Vocal range bottom: Ab2
Son
A boy finishing up a weekend with his father. Focused on his video games and not eager to discuss anything.
Gender: male
Age: 20 to 60
Vocal range top: D4
Vocal range bottom: B2
Suzanne
Jeffrey's sister and Elizabeth and Freddy's new stepsister. Annoyed by her new siblings, but determined to make the best of it.
Gender: female
Age: 20 to 60
Vocal range top: D5
Vocal range bottom: C4
Full Song List
When The Cookie Crumbles (TYA Collection)& : The D Word
When The Cookie Crumbles (TYA Collection)& : Dad Said/Mom Said
When The Cookie Crumbles (TYA Collection)& : Josh And Emily
When The Cookie Crumbles (TYA Collection)& : Home
When The Cookie Crumbles (TYA Collection)& : Fairy Tale Family
When The Cookie Crumbles (TYA Collection)& : Amy
When The Cookie Crumbles (TYA Collection)& : Tap A Tin Can
When The Cookie Crumbles (TYA Collection)& : The Middle Of Nowhere
When The Cookie Crumbles (TYA Collection)& : Circumstance
When The Cookie Crumbles (TYA Collection)& : Step By Step
When The Cookie Crumbles (TYA Collection)& : I Met Ronnie Today
When The Cookie Crumbles (TYA Collection)& : It's Not My Fault

Show History

Inspiration

When the Cookie Crumbles, You Can Still Pick up the Pieces (hereafter referred to as When the Cookie Crumbles) is a musical revue that is composed of vignettes and songs, all focusing around parental divorce. It is a collaborative effort, originally conceived by Jay Harnick and featuring pieces from over thirty writers, including Tony winners Lynn Ahrens and Stephen Flaherty, as well as the creators of the television show, "Friends," David Crane and Marta Kauffman.

Barbara Miller, the director of development for Theatreworks at the time, had gone through a divorce and was concerned about how things were affecting her two sons. She attended a six-week seminar for divorced and separated parents at her son's school, and realized that theatre would be a great medium to break down the roles of children in divorce. She discussed the idea with Harnick, then the artistic director of Theatreworks, who invited members of Broadcast Music Inc., a professional music organization for young composers, to join the project.

Productions

When the Cookie Crumbles premiered with the renowned New York City-based theatre for young audiences company, Theatreworks, in 1986 at the Promenade Theatre.

Critical Reaction

"A musicalized family therapy session that gently advises children to face reality without assuming guilt. ...Its peppy, articulate score suggests a gloss of Rodgers and Hammerstein, Marvin Hamlisch and the zippier Stephen Sondheim. ...Compared with most children's musicals, When the Cookie Crumbles, which was conceived and directed by Jay Harnick, is superior in its craftsmanship."
– The New York Times

"The fact is that as much as your kids will love Theatreworks, you'll probably love it even more."
– Parents Magazine

Billing

Requirements

You must give the authors/creators billing credits, as specified in the Production Contract, in a conspicuous manner on the first page of credits in all programs and on houseboards, displays and in all other advertising announcements of any kind.
Percentages listed indicate required type size in relation to title size.
WHEN THE COOKIE CRUMBLES,
YOU CAN STILL PICK UP THE PIECES
 
 
Written by
 
MICHAEL ABBOTT
LYNN AHRENS
ROO BROWN
DOUGLAS J. COHEN
DAVID CRANE
SIR EDWARD ELGAR
FRANK EVANS
STEPHEN FLAHERTY
CAREY GOLD
JEFF HARRIS
ALLISON HUBBARD
MARTA KAUFFMAN
MICHAEL KESSLER
ANNIE LEBEAUX
HENRY MACH
JUNE SIEGEL
JEFF SILVER
MICHAEL SKLOFF
TOM TOCE
SARAH WEEKS
ED WEISSMAN
WILLIAM YOUNG
 
Commissioned and Originally Produced by THEATREWORKS/USA
Conceived and Originally Directed by Jay Harnick
 
In addition, you agree to credit the writers in your program as follows:
"D-Word" by Crane, Kauffman & Skloff
"Dad Said, Mom Said" by Gold
"Josh & Emily" by Crane, Kauffman & Skloff
"Peanut Butter & Jelly" by Brown, Weissman & Young
"Home" #1 by Crane, Kauffman & Skloff
"Fairy Tale Family" by Crane, Kauffman & Skloff
"Amy" by Toce & Cohen
"Peanut Butter & Jelly" #2 by Brown, Weissman & Young
"Home" #2 by Crane, Kauffman & Skloff
"Tap A Tin Can" by Harris & Mach
"Ken & Barbie" by Weeks
"Middle Of Nowhere" by Evans & Silver
"Peanut Butter & Jelly" #3 by Brown, Weissman & Young
"Home" by Crane, Kauffman & Skloff
"Circumstance" by Lebeaux & Elgar
"Step By Step" by Ahrens & Flaherty
"I Met Ronnie Today" by Kessler & Hubbard
"Peanut Butter & Jelly" #4 by Brown, Weissman & Young
"It's Not My Fault" by Roberts & Siegel
"D-Word" Reprise by Crane, Kauffman & Skloff

MTI Billing

In accordance with the Performance License, all advertising materials (posters, programs, websites, etc.) MUST include the following credit:
When the Cookie Crumbles, You Can Still Pick up the Pieces
Is presented through special arrangement with Music Theatre International (MTI).
All authorized performance materials are also supplied by MTI.
  • www.mtishows.com

In addition, all press releases and press kits MUST indicate the production is licensed by Music Theatre International.

Video Warning

In accordance with the Performance License, you MUST include the following warning in all programs and in a pre-show announcement:

ANY VIDEO AND/OR AUDIO RECORDING OF THIS PRODUCTION IS STRICTLY PROHIBITED.

Included Materials

ItemQuantity Included
LIBRETTO/VOCAL BOOK10
TYA PERFORMANCE TRACKS1

Production Resources

Resource
HOW DOES THE SHOW GO ON-10/CS
HOW DOES THE SHOW GO ON?
LOGO PACK
LOGO PACK DIGITAL
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