Wee Sing in the Marvelous Musical Mansion

Wee Sing in the Marvelous MusicAL Mansion is a sixty-minute children's video, released in 1992. Like the other videos in the series, it consists of colorful characters that sing songs and imparts lessons on their young viewers.

Plot summary

The video begins with three children at play- Kelly, a would-be detective, Alex, a shy piano player, and Benji, an overall exuberant personality. Alex and Benji are brothers, and Kelly is their best friend. On that particular day, the incredibly eccentric Auntie Annabella (Auntie A for short) is coming to take the kids to the house of Uncle Rubato, who no one has ever met. She is a world traveler, having been to Timbuktu, Japan, and The New York Fair. On the way, Auntie A demonstrates her inability to remember orders of popular phrases and sayings. In her ancient car (possibly an Edsel), the kids and Auntie A sing happy songs on their way to the mansion where Uncle Rubato lives.

When the kids arrive at the sprawling manor, they are amazed at its size. They then meet the talking (and rather creepy) Doorknocker, a rhyming, riddling face that loves a good rhythm. He won't open the door until they solve his riddle-they must spin around in a circle. Kelly manages to figure it out, and the door opens to reveal a man with a white beard waiting for them, who turns out to be none other than Uncle Rubato. He declares that it is "marvelous" to see them, and floats into the air! The kids, amazed at the strangeness of the man and the house, are further surprised by a talking hat rack. They also meet Cadenza, Rubato's cat.

Auntie A, who seems to be used to Uncle Rubato's strange ways, presents a gift. Rubato leads everyone into the parlor, where they discover his amazing music box collection. The people in the boxes seem strangely alive, but Uncle Rubato wants to open Annabella's gift first. It is a new music box, containing Andy Bandy Man, the One Man Band. When the children ask how to turn it on, Auntie A demonstrates the magical powers that the boxes contain-she waves her arms like a conductor, and Andy Bandy Man comes to life! He performs for the children, who discover that the other music boxes contain magic as well. The first is that of the Tap-A cappella Singers, a quartet that demonstrate various areas of singing: Ally Allegro, Lawerence Largo, Flo Fortissimo, and Peter Pianissimo. The next is Nina Ballerina, a ballet dancer. The last group is the Doodledet Quintet, a miniature orchestra who play a violin, clarinet, French Horn, trumpet, and kettle drum.

After the music box fun, Uncle Rubato invites Alex to play on his equally magical piano, but Alex declines-he is shy. Instead, the whole little gang plays with Uncle Rubato's Rhythm Machine. After dancing their cares away, they go to dinner, where they eat various music-themed food, such as Piccolo Pizza, Piano Pudding, Tuba Turnovers, Viola Veggies, Treble-Clef Cookies and Quarter-Note Crunchies. While at dinner, Rubato demonstrates his giant musical scale, which plays notes depending on the letter you call out. After they have fun composing miniature symphonies, Kelly also tries to solve the mystery of why music makes her feel so alive and strange. He explains that it is the "magic of music" that has the power. They go out and discover Meter Mouse, who lives in the Gongfather Clock. He strikes a gong every hour on the hour, and sends the children up the musical stairs and off to bed.

That night, while the whole house is sleeping, footsteps are heard running throughout the house. When Meter Mouse in the Gongfather Clock awakens to strike the hour of one a.m., he discovers that his gong is missing, and hears a strange sound coming from The Rhythm Machine. He calls out, and the footsteps hurry away. The next morning, the clock stops without its gong, and the whole family is shocked. Even more surprising is the other string of thefts that have occurred- Nina Ballerina's scarf is gone, along with the French Horn and violin from the Doodledet Quintet, Lawerence Largo's tap shoes, and one of Andy Bandy Man's shoes. The Rhythm Machine was also attacked, but it remained fine-only a maraca is bent. Determined to solve the case, Kelly splits the whole gang up to search for clues regarding the thefts. Uncle Rubato reminds the children to "just ask" if they need anything-the mansion is marvelous, after all.

Auntie A takes the house grounds, but is unable to find any clues. However, while solving Doorknocker's riddle, he reveals that no one came through his door in the previous night. Uncle Rubato searches the dining room, but finds nothing. Alex asks the piano if it can help, and it plays a strangely familiar song. The stairs offer a similar hint-they play the notes "AD, BD". Upstairs, in the "family" room (the walls have depictions of the string, woodwind, and brass families of instruments), Benji and Kelly gain information as well. A pair of suits of armor reveal that they heard footsteps running, and then hopping away. Two pictures in a family album sing that they heard someone climbing the stairway, and then falling to the ground.

The family meets in the parlor, and discusses what they have found. They are still confused...but then Cadenza offers a clue by swatting something he found in the corner. It is the missing shoe of Andy Bandy Man, and the kids piece the clues together. After trying to steal something from the Rhythm Machine, Andy fell down the steps and lost his shoe, creating the hopping sounds. The piano played the One Man Band's theme, and the stairs played letters in his name. Andy Bandy Man reappears with all of the things he has stolen, and tries to perform a show-but he is overencumbered and collapses. He reveals that he was not properly "deactivated" the previous day, and watched the children's reactions to the other music boxes. He felt that they were better than him, and decided to try and top their acts to gain recognition. The family is shocked, and tells Andy Bandy Man that he does not need to emulate others-they like him just the way that he is. Andy is sorry, and returns all of the things he has stolen.

In the movie's huge finale, Alex decides that he has gained enough confidence to play the piano. He plays "When the Saints Go Marching In", and Andy Bandy Man joins in. Uncle Rubato activates all of the other music boxes, who join in the song happily. Upstairs, the portraits and suits of armor dance around, and even Doorknocker helps out with the song. As musical notes swirl around the mansion, the credits begin to roll.

Characters, songs, and musical terms

Apart from their singing, many of the character's names have to do with a term of musical theory.

Kelly: A young girl who loves to solve mysteries. To her, the biggest mystery is the power of music. Songs: "My Aunt Came Back", "She'll Be Comin' Round the Mountain When She Comes", "Ode to the Doodledets" (horn verse), "Mix 'Em All Together for a Melody", "The Magic of Music", "Viva La Company", "Let's All Go Dancing", "'Round the Clock the Two Hands Go" (a song to the tune of Twinkle, Twinkle, Little Star), "What A Good Question", "Oh When the Saints Go Marching In".

Alex: A shy boy who loves to play the piano. He and Kelly sometimes disagree with each other, but they are best friends nonetheless. Songs: "My Aunt Came Back", "She'll Be Comin'...", "Ode to the Doodledets" (trumpet verse), "Mix 'Em All Together..." "Viva La Company", "Let's All Go Dancing", "Oh When the Saints..."

Benji: Alex's younger brother. He often pals around with Kelly, and likes to snoop and spy-but he's GeneRally nice. Songs: "My Aunt Came Back", "She'll Be Comin..." "Ode to the Doodledets" (drum verse), "Mix 'Em All Together", "Viva La Company", "Hickory Dickory Dock", "Let's All Go Dancing", "What A Good Question", "Oh When the Saints..."

Auntie "A" Annabella Rubinski: An extremely eccentric woman who travels the world in her ancient Edsel. She loves to collect strange and wonderful things. She is also very absent-minded, and sometimes gets her idioms and words confused. Songs: "She'll Be Comin'..." "Ode to the Doodledets" (violin verse), "Mix 'Em All Together", "Viva La Company", "Let's All Go Dancing", "Oh When the Saints"...

Uncle Rubato: A mysterious old man who possesses some magic power-he is able to fly. He loves music in all forms, and fills his house with strange and wonderful things related to it. Songs: "Ode to the Doodledets" (clarinet verse), "Mix 'Em All Together", "The Magic of Music", "Viva La Company", "Let's All Go Dancing", "Oh, Where, Oh Where?", "Oh When the Saints..."

Uncle Rubato's name comes from the musical notation "rubato". This term means "to play a piece freely, not bound by other rules." This makes sense-he is able to fly "freely", and is not "bound by the rules" of gravity.

THE MUSIC BOXES

Andy Bandy Man, the One Man Band: A one-man band, Andy suffers from a crippling inferiority complex. He tries to steal the other music boxes' objects to create a great show, but learns that being himself is best in the end. Songs: "Oh, I Can Play", "Oh, When the Saints..."

The Tap-A Cappella Singers: A harmonizing group of singers that love to tap-dance. Each has a name that reflects their singing style. Songs: "We're the Tap-A cappella Singers", "Oh When the Saints..."

The Tap-A cappella Singers are:

• Ally Allegro- the group's soprano, she wears yellow. Like all allegro pieces, she sings and dances very quickly and breathlessly.

• Lawerence Largo: the group's bass, he wears red. He has a very deep, rich, slow voice in accordance with his name, largo. His tap shoes are stolen by Andy Bandy Man, but restored in the end.

• Flo Fortissimo: the group's contralto, she wears pink. She is very loud, brash, and competitive. Fortissimo means "loudly".

• Peter Pianissimo: the group's tenor, he wears green. He is soft, quiet, and rather flighty in his movements. This is appropriate- pianissimo means "softly".

Nina Ballerina: A young, pretty ballerina who has a music box all of her own. She dances with the aid of her scarf, which is stolen but eventually returned. Songs: "I Am A Ballerina", "Oh When the Saints..."

The Doodledet Quintet: The only music box that doesn't have a song-rather, a song is sung to them. They are a five person orchestra, each wearing a different color (with a hair shade to match) and playing a different instrument. The members of the Rubinski family each sing a verse AbOUT one of them. They are:

• The Violinist: The lavender-wearing man who plays a violin; Auntie A sings his verse. Andy Bandy Man steals his instrument, but in the end, he gets it back.
• The Clarinet Player: The yellow and beehive-hairdo-wearing woman who plays a clarinet; Uncle Rubato sings her verse.
• The French Horn Player: The young lady in pink who plays a French Horn; Kelly sings her verse. Her instrument, like the violin, is stolen, but in the end, she recovers it.
• The Trumpet Player: The man in mint green who plays a trumpet; Alex sings his verse.
• The Timpanist: A man who wears tangerine and plays a huge kettledrum; Benji sings his verse.

ENCHANTED HOUSE ITEMS AND ANIMALS

As Uncle Rubato puts it, "this is a marvelous mansion...just ask for help!" Many of the things and objects in the mansion have some degree of life, and respond to questions.

Doorknocker: A round, rhyming face that hangs on the front door. He likes rhythm and riddles, and locks himself whenever someone goes outside. To get back in, the riddle must be solved. Songs: "How Do You Do, My Friends", "Oh, When the Saints..."

The Hat Rack: A talking hat rack that likes to comment on the hats people hang on him. Songs: "Three Corners", "Oh, When the Saints..."

The Piano: A "player piano". It lifts itself whenever someone is invited to play it, and later provides a clue to the identity of the thief by playing Andy Bandy Man's song on its own keys.

The Stairs: A multi-hued set of stairs that play the notes of the musical scale. When prompted, they offer a clue to the mansion thief by playing the notes "AD, BD" repeatedly.

The Suits of Armor: A rather annoying pair of suits of armor that like to skip, play hand games, and sing whenever they are asked a question. While irritating, they do have a clue to who the mansion culprit is. Songs: "What A Good Question", "Oh, When the Saints..."

Rhonda and Ruben Rubinski: Two old-fashioned photographs in a photo album, they sing about the mysterious sounds they heard the previous night. Songs: "I've Been Thinking", "Oh, When the Saints..."

Meter Mouse: The scurrying mouse whose name stems from meter, the speed of a piece of music. He strikes the gong in his clock every hour on the hour; he is The Famous "mouse who ran up the clock". His gong is stolen by Andy Bandy Man, halting the clock. In the end, it is restored as well. Songs: "Hickory Dickory Dock", "Oh, When the Saints..."

The Dining Room Chairs: These chairs are MUTE, like the piano and stairs, but just as musical. When someone sits in them, they play a musical note, and later reveal that they can play the notes themselves by leaning backwards on their own accord.

Cadenza: Rubato's handsome orange cat. He does not speak, but finds the clue that is necessary for the gang to solve the mystery in the mansion. A cadenza is also the term for a solo for a particular instrument; this factors into Cadenza being the answer to one of Doorknocker's riddles.