ABSTRACT
The first theme, including its lyrics, suggests that Brenda and Jasmin’s friendship successfully provides the intimacy that their marriages didn’t; the second theme suggests that their relationship magically transforms the community around them. The rag theme signifies as a genre, carrying meaning in much the same way that Baroque music does in Dangerous Liaisons; “I Am Calling You” functions more in the modality of Patsy Cline in Desert Hearts, connecting the friendship with a realm of desire within the audience members’ experiences. The rag theme signifies as a piece of music from a historically black genre that became popular internationally and that was repopularized by The Sting in 1973. In that way, its bright, cheerful (interracial) sound serves perfectly to represent the black, Native American, and white community of the cafe.
