Overview
Synopsis
Nomax, a broke and down-on-his-luck man, has just been left by his girlfriend Lorraine. While listening to the radio at 5:00AM, his bedroom is transformed as five guys named Moe appear from his radio. A sexy, jazzy tribute to the jukebox king of R&B, composer and saxophonist Louis Jordan, Five Guys Named Moe uses an iconic R&B/Jazz score to help Nomax turn his life around. The Five Moe’s teach Nomax the error of his ways and get him set back on the right path. This is a perfect show for a small cast looking to feature African-American actors.
Show Information
- Book
- Clarke Peters
- Music
- Louis Jordan
- Lyrics
- Louis Jordan
- Category
- Musical
- Age Guidance
- Thirteen Plus (PG-13)
- Number of Acts
- 2
- First Produced
- 1990
- Genres
- Jukebox/Revue, Comedy
- Settings
- Unit/Single Set, Simple/No Set
- Time & Place
- Nomax's bedroom, 5:00AM
- Cast Size
- small
- Orchestra Size
- Small
- Dancing
- Some Dance
- Licensor
- Music Theatre International
- Ideal For
- All-Male Cast, Diverse Cast, College/University, Ensemble Cast, Professional Theatre, Regional Theatre, Small Cast, Includes Adult, Mature Adult, Young Adult Characters
Context
Plot
Characters
| Name | Part Size | Gender | Vocal Part |
|---|---|---|---|
|
Lead |
Male |
Tenor |
|
|
Lead |
Male |
Tenor |
|
|
Lead |
Male |
Tenor |
|
|
Lead |
Male |
Tenor |
|
|
Lead |
Male |
Tenor |
|
|
Lead |
Male |
Tenor |
Songs
ACT ONE
- Early in the Morning - Nomax
- Five Guys Named Moe – No Moe, Little Moe, Four-Eyed Moe, Big Moe, Eat Moe
- Brother, Beware - No Moe, Little Moe, Four-Eyed Moe, Big Moe, Eat Moe
- I Like 'em Fat Like That - No Moe, Little Moe, Four-Eyed Moe, Big Moe, Eat Moe
- Messy Bessy - No Moe, Little Moe, Four-Eyed Moe, Big Moe, Eat Moe
- Pettin' and Pokin’ - No Moe, Little Moe, Four-Eyed Moe, Big Moe, Eat Moe
- Life Is So Peculiar - No Moe, Little Moe, Four-Eyed Moe, Big Moe, Eat Moe
- I Know What I've Got – No Moe
- Azure Te – Four-Eyed Moe
- Safe, Sane and Single - No Moe, Little Moe, Four-Eyed Moe, Big Moe, Eat Moe
- Push Ka Pi Shi Pie - No Moe, Little Moe, Four-Eyed Moe, Big Moe, Eat Moe
ACT TWO
- Saturday Night Fish Fry- No Moe, Little Moe, Four-Eyed Moe, Big Moe, Eat Moe
- What’s the Use of Getting Sober - No Moe, Little Moe, Four-Eyed Moe, Big Moe, Eat Moe
- If I Had Any Sense (I'd Go Back Home) - Nomax
- Dad Gum Your Hide, Boy - No Moe, Little Moe, Four-Eyed Moe, Big Moe, Eat Moe
- Let The Good Times Roll - No Moe, Little Moe, Four-Eyed Moe, Big Moe, Eat Moe
- Reet, Petite and Gone - No Moe, Little Moe, Four-Eyed Moe, Big Moe, Eat Moe
- Caldonia - No Moe, Little Moe, Four-Eyed Moe, Big Moe, Eat Moe
- Ain’t Nobody Here But Us Chickens- No Moe, Little Moe, Four-Eyed Moe, Big Moe, Eat Moe
- Don't Let the Sun Catch You Crying - No Moe, Little Moe, Four-Eyed Moe, Big Moe, Eat Moe
- Choo, Choo, Ch’boogie- No Moe, Little Moe, Four-Eyed Moe, Big Moe, Eat Moe
- Look Out, Sister - No Moe, Little Moe, Four-Eyed Moe, Big Moe, Eat Moe
- Hurry Home - No Moe, Little Moe, Four-Eyed Moe, Big Moe, Eat Moe
- Is You Is or Is You Ain’t Ma’ Baby- No Moe, Little Moe, Four-Eyed Moe, Big Moe, Eat Moe
- Don’t Let the Sun Catch You Cryin’ (Reprise) - No Moe, Little Moe, Four-Eyed Moe, Big Moe, Eat Moe
- Five Guys Named Moe (Reprise) - No Moe, Little Moe, Four-Eyed Moe, Big Moe, Eat Moe
A song with an asterisk (*) before the title indicates a dance number; a character listed in a song with an asterisk (*) by the character's name indicates that the character exclusively serves as a dancer in this song, which is sung by other characters.
Monologues
Scenes
Key Terms
A musical that features hit songs of a popular music group or genre.
Videos
Quizzes
Themes, Symbols & Motifs
Sorry! We do not currently have learning modules for this guide.
Quote Analysis
Sorry! We do not currently have learning modules for this guide.
Guide Written By:
Emma Houlahan
Canadian vocalist and actor now based in London.