STUDENT GUIDE to the THEATRE MICHAEL GENNARO Executive Director
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GOODSPEED MUSICALS STUDENT GUIDE TO THE THEATRE MICHAEL GENNARO Executive Director MICHAEL P. PRICE Founding Director presents Book by MARC ACITO Conceived by TINA MARIE CASAMENTO LIBBY Musical Adaptation by DAVID LIBBY Scenic Design by Costume Design by Lighting Design by Wig & Hair Design by KRISTEN ROBINSON ELIZABETH CAITLIN WARD KEN BILLINGTON MARK ADAM RAMPMEYER Creative Consultiant/Historian Assistant Music Director Arrangements and Original JOHN FRICKE WILLIAM J. THOMAS Orchestrations by DAVID LIBBY Orchestrations by Sound Design by DAN DeLANGE JAY HILTON Production Manager Production Stage Manager Casting by R. GLEN GRUSMARK BRADLEY G. SPACHMAN STUART HOWARD & PAUL HARDT Associate Producer Line Producer General Manager BOB ALWINE DONNA LYNN COOPER HILTON RACHEL J. TISCHLER Music Direction by MICHAEL O'FLAHERTY Choreographed by CHRIS BAILEY Directed by TYNE RAFAELI SEPT 16 - NOV 27, 2016 THE GOODSPEED TABLE OF CONTENTS Show Synopsis.........................................................................................................................................................................................4 The Characters.........................................................................................................................................................................................6 Meet the Writers.....................................................................................................................................................................................7 Behind the Scenes: Costume Design..............................................................................................................................................8 Vaudeville, Nickelodeon and Hollywood.....................................................................................................................................9 The Real Characters of Judy Garland's Hollywood..................................................................................................................11 Science Finds, Industry Applies, Man Conforms......................................................................................................................13 Interesting Facts...................................................................................................................................................................................14 Resources..................................................................................................................................................................................15 Theatre Etiquette.................................................................................................................................................................................16 Goodspeed’s Student Guide to the Theatre can be found on our website: www.goodspeed.org/guides The Student Guide to the Theatre for Chasing Rainbows was prepared by: Erin Lafferty, Education & Outreach Manager Joshua S. Ritter, MFA, Education Manager & Library Director Katherine Desjardins, Creative Content Manager Audience Insights updated 09.02.16 3 SHOW SYNOPSIS On a sound stage in On Frances’s first day at The Hollywood 1938, wardrobe puts Professional Children’s School, she meets the final touches on an her teacher Ma Lawlor. The classroom is adolescent Judy Garland full of child-stars-to-be, including Carl for the thirteenth screen “Alfalfa” Switzer, Judy Turner (later Lana test of the day. Judy Turner), Joe Yule (later Mickey Rooney), sports a tall, blonde wig, and Shirley Temple. Ethel explains to Ma curly-toed shoes, and that Frances intends to be in the movies as many layers of petticoats. soon as she “gets out of this ugly duckling Though the production phase.” Judy Turner makes a snide remark, team criticizes her and without missing a beat, Joe Yule tells appearance, Judy finds her off. Ethel turns Frances over to Ma solace in her father’s along with pills prescribed to help Frances presence. concentrate. Frances approaches Joe to thank him for defending her, and the two Flashback to a movie immediately hit it off. Frances continues to theater in Grand Rapids, audition with Ethel at the piano. She sings Minnesota in 1928 for Paramount, RKO, and Warners only to where Frank Gumm be told that she does not suit Hollywood; cheerily readies his wife her voice is too big for her young age. Ethel and daughters Mary Jane, Virginia, and At home, Judy finds a write-up of the Frances “Baby” Gumm Chicago World’s Fair in Variety, and the to leave Grand Rapids. girls once again pack their bags to pursue The Gumms depart a career in show business. In Chicago, the with a police escort, Gumm Sisters perform for an audience of though none of the girls one at Café Mexico. Luckily, their audience know why, and head member tips them off to an opening on west for Hollywood. the bill at the Oriental Theater across Days of traveling later, the fairgrounds. The Gumm women race the Gumms arrive over to the new venue just in time to see Ruby Rakos as Judy Garland and in Antelope Valley, George Jessel perform. Unable to help Michael Wartella as Mickey Rooney. California—a far, three-hour cry from herself, Frances sings along in the wings. ©Diane Sobolewski. Los Angeles where Frank has purchased Jessel hears her voice, and he brings her another movie theater. Finally alone, Ethel out on stage. When he asks her name, he and Frank discuss their untimely departure mishears “Gumm” for “glum” and decides from Grand Rapids, revealing that Frank that she needs a new name. He lands was caught with another man, causing on “Garland,” because it reminds him of scandal in their previous home. Christmas and weddings. Then he invites her, “Miss Garland,” to join him in singing Several years later, Frank Gumm says the song “Judy.” goodnight to his thirteen-year-old daughter, Frances. In the morning, she, When Ethel and the girls return home, her mother, and her sisters will move to they are greeted joyously by their father Hollywood, while Frank stays in Antelope Frank, relocated from Antelope Valley. Joe Valley to run the movie theater even Yule—now MGM actor Mickey Rooney— though the business suffers in the wake of calls to invite Frances—now Judy Garland the Great Depression. In another private —to a studio party. At the party, Mickey moment between Ethel and Frank, she points out Ida “Kay” Koverman, Louis B. reveals that he once again caused a Mayer’s personal secretary and the first scandal that forces them to move. The next person to impress at Metro. Next he morning, Ethel, Mary Jane, Virginia, and introduces Roger Edens, who leads the Frances head to Hollywood to audition as band at the party. Roger invites Judy to a sister act with “Baby” Frances in the lead. sing, and she charms the whole room with her big voice. 4 SHOW SYNOPSIS (CONTINUED) Later in L.B. Mayer’s office, Later, at Clark Gable’s birthday party, Kay Roger and Kay try to reveals that she ended Edna Mae Durbin’s convince Mayer that Judy MGM contract rather than Judy Garland’s. is “the girl next door” the Kay cues Roger, and he introduces Judy average person wants Garland to the stage. As she performs, to see in movies. Mayer, Mayer becomes more and more enamored unable to understand the with her. Kay suggests that Mayer produce appeal of the ordinary, a live-action version of Frank L. Baum’s The maintains that Judy is not Wonderful Wizard of Oz as a vehicle for right for his studio, but Judy. Mayer comes around to the idea for Kay assures Roger with the movie—but he wants a star to carry it. one line: “Just leave it all At the premiere of Disney’s Snow White and to me.” At home, Ethel and the Seven Dwarfs, L.B. Mayer announces Frank argue again, but that MGM will produce The Wizard of Oz Judy stops them when Ida starring none other than Shirley Temple Koverman calls to discuss from Fox Studios. Later in the MGM Judy’s contract at Metro- commissary, Judy and Mickey share a laugh Goldwyn-Mayer. When as Kay enters with a gift: a pair of ruby red Judy and her parents slippers. Clark Gable refused to be loaned arrive at the gates of out to Fox in exchange for Shirley Temple, MGM, they spot stars such and Mayer finally relents, which allows Judy as Jean Harlow, Buddy to star in the film. Judy visits the wardrobe Ebsen, and Judy’s favorite department again, and the designer actor, Clark Gable. As the tells her to lose more weight. L.B. Mayer tour ends, Kay ushers Judy suggests increasing her diet pill dosage. to meet her new vocal Despite Ethel’s claims that the pills make coach, Roger Edens. Later Judy jittery, Mayer insists they are safe. The in the studio two makeup pre-production process is overwhelming artists aggressively for Judy, and the costume crew continually Ruby Rakos as Judy Garland and prepare Judy for the big screen. They makes changes to her appearance. The Michael Wartella as Mickey Rooney. discuss changes they will make to her makeup artist suggests sleeping pills to ©Diane Sobolewski. appearance to befit Hollywood movies, help with her insomnia. particularly ways for her to lose weight. Suddenly, it is 1938 again, and Judy is At home, Judy prepares for her first doing her thirteenth screen test for The national radio broadcast. As soon as she Wizard of Oz in the same tall, blonde wig, leaves the house, Frank collapses. Kay curly-toed shoes, and many layers of joins Judy at the radio station to tell her petticoats from the first scene. This time, that Frank is ill. She assures Judy that he though, her father is absent.