Heart Failure Synopsis

Act One

Four people, who think that if they fail at love, they’ll die, meet each other and feel a spark. They immediately panic about the enormity of relationships, but realize that they might succeed if they break the relationship into five pieces: Meet, Date, Sex, Marriage, Children. (Heart Failure).

In Generic Musical, Trinka, an advertising executive who hates meeting people, receives birthday gifts from her boss: a cupcake and a new partner, Theo (At My Age). They must come up with an ad campaign for the Generic Company, but are philosophically opposed. Trinka says sex sells a product, while Theo says quality does (Just Because). Theo goads Trinka into trying his way. They discover an answer, and an attraction (What an Idea).

Asking people out is terrifying (Heart Failure Reprise #1). In Lie With Me, Theo is trying to ask Trinka out in Central Park. They are overheard and interrupted by Stella, a compulsive liar (But Enough About Me). Eventually, Theo asks Trinka out, and they exit. Stella is joined by her equally disturbed friend, Bruce. Bruce brings every non-verbal romantic icon he can think of: a tuxedo, flowers, romantic Italian music, and a bottle of champagne. Stella offers to share her lunch and tries not to run away. Finally, Bruce discovers a way to ask Stella out (Nothing to Do with Sex)

Which Side of the Bed opens in a club. In dance, we see Geofrey and Kristin have a great date, which continues to her place, where they go to bed for the first time (Failure Dance). In the morning, Kristin wakes, at first blissful, but then bolts for the shower, when she wonders how he will act. Her teddy bear watches her go, hops down onto the bed, and smacks Geofrey, demanding to know his intentions (Which Side of the Bed Are You On?). Their argument escalates to a fistfight when Kristin re-enters. Geofrey is transfixed, seeing her as if for the first time (Say You Could Love Me).

Act Two

The same 4 people from the opening number return. The guys propose to the ladies, and they all fall to pieces again. (Act Two Opening)

Episode 457: For Whom the Wedding Bells Toll. Superhero Captain Omnipotent and Police Commissioner Rachel Gordon are overjoyed to be on their honeymoon, their first vacation ever (Let The World Take Care of Itself), but they have no idea what to do. Fortunately, tragedy strikes! The ice machine is broken, there’s nothing on TV, and their condoms are missing (Captain Omnipotent)! Convinced their nemesis, Distressa, is behind this plot to ruin their honeymoon, they destroy their suite and interrogate the Bell Boy in their attempts to find her (Duty Calls!). Eventually, they realize nothing is wrong, release the Bell Boy, and resolve to relax (Let’s Just Take Care of Ourselves).

A Suicidal Fish opens with Roy Koi, a fish, on top of a ladder, about to jump out of the pond (Suicidal Fish). He falls off, waking Finn and Shelley, his new neighbors. While Shelley fetches Roy’s wife, Joy, Finn tries and fails to keep Roy from getting back on the ladder. The women let the men know how they feel (Honey, What Are You Doing?). Everyone argues about the best course of action (I Gotta Go). After her threat to divorce him, Roy realizes he doesn’t want to be without Joy, and comes off the ladder to rejoin her.

In the end, the company comes together as a group, having learned that the bigger the obstacle, the greater the reward. (Big Fear, Big Life).