Three Houses is a chamber musical with music, lyrics, book, and orchestrations by Dave Malloy, and direction and choreography by Annie Tippe.

Synopsis

Susan has fled to Latvia. Sadie hides in New Mexico. Beckett longs for Ireland. All three are alone; all three are haunted by their grandparents; all three hear the Big Bad Wolf scratching at the door. Three Houses is a post-pandemic open mic night parable about magic, madness, and the end of the world.

Musical numbers

First House: Susan intro (i) i. birch trees ii. the library iii. weed and wine iv. happy/crazy v. the manuscript vi. the berries and the plums vii. blood

Second House: Sadie intro (ii) i. desert ii. the village iii. dating iv. karaoke night v. too soon vi. quarters vii. haze

Third House: Beckett intro (iii) i. new life ii. boxes iii. stones iv. love always leaves you in the end v. the visitor vi. the summoning vii. wolf dance

Coda

Productions The piece premiered on May 20, 2024, Off-Broadway at the Signature Theatre in New York City.

The production was Directed & Choreographed by Annie Tippe, with Music Supervision & Music Direction by Or Matias, Scenic Design by dots, Costume Design by Haydee Zelideth, Lighting Design by Christopher Bowser, Sound Design by Nick Kourtides, Puppet Design by James Ortiz, and Production Stage Management by Elizabeth Emanuel.

Roles and principal casts

Character Original Cast (2024) Susan/Shelob Margo Seibert Sadie/Pookie Mia Pak Beckett/Zippy J.D. Mollison Grandmother Ching Valdes-Aran Grandfather Henry Stram Wolf Scott Stangland Conductor/Piano/Organ Mona Seyed-Bolorforosh Violin Yuko Naito-Gotay French Horn Blair Hamrick Cello Maria Bella Jeffers

Critical response

Critical response was positive to mixed; Jesse Green of the New York Times saying "Malloy's music remains as hypnotic and embracing as ever"; David Gordon of Theatermania calling it "perhaps the most societally noteworthy new musical to come out of the post-Covid era". Tony Marnelli of Theatrescene.net stated "Malloy always has a clear vision. Tackling the book, music, lyrics and orchestrations for a piece with so much message to it is daunting, yet Malloy's masterwork is a triumph in that it touches us so deeply as it entertains."

Recording

A cast album was released on Bandcamp on February 9, 2025.

References