When The Cookie Crumbles, You Can Still Pick Up The Pieces
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 concerning children dealing with the different effects of divorce on their lives. The skits are varied, and 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 fairy tale characters dealing with life when it isn't as perfect as a fairy tale. 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"
Show History
Inspiration
When The Cookie Crumbles, You Can Still Pick Up the Pieces (hereafter known as When The Cookie Crumbles) is a musical revue that comprises of vignettes and songs that all focus around parental divorce. It is a collaborative effort originally conceived by Jay Harnick and featuring pieces from over 30 writers, including Tony winners Lynn Ahrens and Stephen Flaherty and 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 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
Under the terms and conditions of your organisation’s Performance Agreement, the following credits must appear on all advertising (including websites) relating to the production.
Credits must be reproduced faithfully in accordance with the following layout. No alterations or deletions can be permitted unless stated below.
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 Carey Gold June Siegel
Lynn Ahrens Jeff Harris Jeff Silver
Roo Brown Allison Hubbard Michael Skloff
Douglas J. Cohen Marta Kauffman Tom Toce
David Crane Michael Kessler Sarah Weeks
Sir Edward Elgar Annie Lebeaux Ed Weissman
Frank Evans Henry Mach William Young
Stephen Flaherty
Conceived and Originally Directed by
Jay Harnick
Commissioned and Originally Produced by THEATREWORKS/USA
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
The videotaping or other video or audio recording of this production is strictly prohibited.