Three Houses (musical)

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.

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."