Addison's City - Stephen Sondheim

No?

Why not?

For one thing, I’ve already built one

Palm Beach?

This isn’t a city, it’s a country club

And for another, there are projects I’m considering that I actually care about

Like, for example-an artists' colony for Hollis…

That’s what I wanted: a city for artists

Versailles by the Florida sea

A kind of haven for hundreds of artists

Whose great patron saint would be me!

And then I meet Willie and he

Says to me:

«Look what Addie’s done

And he’s just begun!

Why be saint to hundreds?

Be saint to one!

Think what he can do!»

Thing what we can do

Willie, me and you!

«Willie»?

And you…

You’ll design a city, Addie

Like no city ever seen before

Think of it: a city, Addie

Every single window, every door-

You could build a Paris, Addie

But Paris made anew

A Paris for today

Paris, USA!

A Paris made by you-

Addison’s city!

Venice and jazz combined-

Addison’s city!

Every last stick and stone designed

By the same screwy brilliant mind-

Addison’s city!

Newport with fizz

Rio with shade

Capri as it is

But not so staid

Not so much a city-a parade!

Addison’s city!

The time is now

The place is now

Your chance to do what you

Were born to do

Is now

A chance like this will never come again

Believe me

Embrace it now

The moment’s now

The door is wide

An opportunity

That mustn’t be

Denied

Don’t muff it now

What do you think?

I think my brother would say anything to get what he wants

Forget about what I want, what do you want?

Look around, Willie.

Did it ever occur to you that I already have everything I

want right now?

And how about what you used to want?

You saw it all, remember?

«Office buildings, concert halls and railway stations!

It’s like there’s a whole

new way America should look, and it’s all up here, between these ears!

«You found your road, Addie, you were heading down it.

You just took a wrong

turn

(sung)

You should build a city, Addie

Not just fancy forts for rich old farts

Much more than a city, Addie

More like an amalgam of the arts

Something international but bold

Everything too much

European verve-

New York City nerve-

Only with the Mizner touch-

Addison’s city!

Don’t you see?

It really is a marvelous idea!

And it’s a perfect fit!

One investor… One promoter… And one artistic genius with a vision that

could change the world!

(sung)

You make it up-

(To Hollis.)

You make it real

Leave it to me to make the spiel

Everyone gets to spin the wheel!

And what else do you get?

A chance for now

To make amends

A chance to ditch the blues

And pay my dues

To friends

And if I chance to make a buck or two

Along the way, and so do you

Why not?

Why not?

Addie, a blank canvas.

Waiting for you to fill it up

Oh, come on, Addie

The three of us together, what fun!

Say yes!

You and me against the world, Brother

You and me against the world!

You and me together

But in very different weather

Now it’s pretty

Don’t you want to build a city?

All right, okay!

The time is now

The place is here

This is the chance to open up a new frontier

And if there ever was a time to pioneer-

(The Company joins them.)

The time is now!