''First Lady Suite'' is a chamber musical by

Michael John LaChiusa Michael John LaChiusa (born July 24, 1962) is an American musical theatre and opera composer, lyricist, and librettist. He is best known for musically esoteric shows such as '' Hello Again'', '' Marie Christine'', '' The Wild Party'', and '' Se ...

. The musical contains four separate segments about four of the First Ladies of the United States of America and the people surrounding them. They are:

Eleanor Roosevelt Anna Eleanor Roosevelt () (October 11, 1884November 7, 1962) was an American political figure, diplomat, and activist. She was the first lady of the United States from 1933 to 1945, during her husband President Franklin D. Roosevelt's four ...

Mamie Eisenhower Mary Geneva "Mamie" Eisenhower (; November 14, 1896 – November 1, 1979) was the first lady of the United States from 1953 to 1961 as the wife of President Dwight D. Eisenhower. Born in Boone, Iowa, she was raised in a wealthy household in ...

Bess Truman Elizabeth Virginia Truman (''née'' Wallace; February 13, 1885October 18, 1982) was the wife of President Harry S. Truman and the first lady of the United States from 1945 to 1953. She also served as the second lady of the United States from Ja ...

, and

Jacqueline Bouvier Kennedy Jacqueline Lee Kennedy Onassis ( ; July 28, 1929 – May 19, 1994) was an American socialite, writer, photographer, and book editor who served as first lady of the United States from 1961 to 1963, as the wife of President John F. Kennedy. A pop ...

. It premiered

Off-Broadway An off-Broadway theatre is any professional theatre venue in New York City with a seating capacity between 100 and 499, inclusive. These theatres are smaller than Broadway theatres, but larger than off-off-Broadway theatres, which seat fewer th ...

in 1993.

Productions

The chamber musical was produced by the New York Shakespeare Festival at the

Public Theater The Public Theater is a New York City arts organization founded as the Shakespeare Workshop in 1954 by Joseph Papp, with the intention of showcasing the works of up-and-coming playwrights and performers.Epstein, Helen. ''Joe Papp: An American L ...

from November 30, 1993 through December 26, 1993, running for 32 performances. Directed by Kirsten Sanderson, it featured

Alice Playten Alice Playten (''née'' Plotkin; August 28, 1947 – June 25, 2011) was an American actress known for her high-pitched, child-like voice. Life and career Born in New York City, Playten began her career at age 11 in the Broadway musical ''Gypsy ...

(Lady Bird Johnson and Mamie Eisenhower), Debra Stricklin (Margaret Truman), Carolann Page (Eleanor Roosevelt), Maureen Moore (Amelia Earhart, Jacqueline Bouvier Kennedy), and David Wasson (Dwight Eisenhower, Bess Truman). The production received the Obie Award, Performance (Playten) and Special Citation (LaChiusa). The Blank Theatre,

Los Angeles Los Angeles ( ; es, Los Ángeles, link=no , ), often referred to by its initials L.A., is the largest city in the state of California and the second most populous city in the United States after New York City, as well as one of the wor ...

, California, presented a revised version of the musical from March 7, 2002 – April 14, 2002. Directed by Daniel Henning, the cast featured

Gregory Jbara Gregory Jbara (; born September 28, 1961) is an American film, television, and stage actor, and a singer. Early life and education Jbara was born in Nankin Township (now Westland), Michigan, the son of an advertising office manager and an insur ...

as Dwight Eisenhower/Bess Truman/Presidential Aide,

Kate Shindle Katherine Renee Shindle (born January 31, 1977) is an American actress, singer, dancer, and AIDS activist. She is currently serving as the President of the Actors' Equity Association. She was Miss America 1998 in 1998 and Miss Illinois in 1997 ...

as Amelia Earhart, Evelyn Halus as Eleanor Roosevelt/Evelyn Lincoln, Heather Lee as Mary Gallagher, Bronwen Booth as Jacqueline Kennedy, Irene Warner as Lady Bird Johnson/Ike's Chauffeur/Margaret Truman, Eydie Alyson as Mamie Eisenhower, Mary-Pat Green as Lorena Hickock and

Paula Newsome Paula Newsome is an American actress. In 2021, she appeared in the crime television series '' CSI: Vegas'', as well as the Marvel Cinematic Universe film '' Spider-Man: No Way Home''. Early life Newsome grew up in Chicago and is a graduate of M ...

as Marian Anderson/The First Lady. A New York revival produced by Transport Group Theatre Company ran at The Connelly Theater in

New York City New York, often called New York City or NYC, is the most populous city in the United States. With a 2020 population of 8,804,190 distributed over , New York City is also the most densely populated major city in the U ...

from April 6, 2004 through April 17, 2004. This production received two Drama Desk Award nominations: Outstanding Revival of a Musical and Outstanding Featured Actress in a Musical (Mary Testa). Directed by Jack Cummings III, the cast included

Julia Murney Julia Kathleen Murney (born January 14, 1969) is an American actress and singer, also known for television commercial voice-overs. Until 2005, she was commonly known as the Broadway actress who had technically never appeared on Broadway. This ...

(Amelia Earhart),

Mary Beth Peil Mary Beth Peil (born June 25, 1940) is an American actress and soprano. She began her career as an opera singer in 1962 with the Goldovsky Opera Theater. In 1964 she won two major singing competitions, the Young Concert Artists International A ...

(Eleanor Roosevelt), Mary Testa (Lorena Hickok), Robyn Hussa (Jacqueline Bouvier Kennedy), Sherry D. Boone (Marian Anderson), Donna Lynne Champlin, Ruth Gottschall (Margaret Truman), James Hindman (Eisenhower, and Cheryl Stern (Mamie Eisenhower). The 2004 revival had the added prologue and epilogue, sung individually and by the group, which explains the theme, to "fly away from the constraints that come with the traditional First Lady's privileged life." The Transport Group Theatre Company's acclaimed 2004 NYC revival was filmed for preservation by The Theatre on Film and Tape Archive, a division of The New York Performing Arts Library at Lincoln Center. The cast album from the Blank Theater production is available on

PS Classics PS Classics is a record label that specializes in musical theatre and standard vocals, founded in 2000 by Grammy-nominated freelance producer Tommy Krasker and singer/actor Philip Chaffin. Recent Broadway cast recordings from PS Classics includ ...

. The show had its London premiere at the Union Theatre between September 29 and October 17, 2009.

Plot

LaChiusa, Michael John. ''First Lady Suite'' (1995), Dramatists Play Service, Inc, , p. 5 The plot contains four unrelated stories and a prologue. Prologue :A nameless, African American First Lady reflects on her place in history. ;Over Texas :Aboard Air Force One on November 22, 1963,

Jacqueline Kennedy Jacqueline Lee Kennedy Onassis ( ; July 28, 1929 – May 19, 1994) was an American socialite, writer, photographer, and book editor who served as first lady of the United States from 1961 to 1963, as the wife of President John F. Kennedy. A po ...

's underpaid, overworked Secretary Mary Gallagher complains about her demanding employer to

John F Kennedy John Fitzgerald Kennedy (May 29, 1917 – November 22, 1963), often referred to by his initials JFK and the nickname Jack, was an American politician who served as the 35th president of the United States from 1961 until his assassination i ...

's secretary

Evelyn Lincoln Evelyn Maurine Norton Lincoln (June 25, 1909 – May 11, 1995) was the personal secretary to John F. Kennedy from his election to the United States Senate in 1953 until his 1963 assassination. Lincoln, who was in the motorcade when Kennedy was ...

before a foreboding dream reconciles herself to her place in history. ;Where's Mamie? :The White House, 1957. Feeling abandoned by her husband's absence on her birthday,

fantasizes a trip through time and space alongside

Marian Anderson Marian Anderson (February 27, 1897April 8, 1993) was an American contralto. She performed a wide range of music, from opera to Spiritual (music), spirituals. Anderson performed with renowned orchestras in major concert and recital venues throu ...

to prevent her husband from having an affair and to alert him to the racial strife that will soon mar his Presidency. ;Olio :1950.

Margaret Truman Mary Margaret Truman Daniel (February 17, 1924 – January 29, 2008) was an American classical soprano, actress, journalist, radio and television personality, writer, and New York socialite. She was the only child of President Harry S. Truman ...

attempts to sing at a Recital, but is constantly upstaged by her mother Bess. ;Eleanor Sleeps Here :Inside Amelia Earhart's plane, 1936. As they fly over Washington in a plane piloted by Amelia Earheart, Hickok bitterly reviews her complicated relationship with her lover, friend and employer

References

External links

Internet Off-Broadway database listing
{{Michael John LaChiusa 1993 musicals Off-Broadway musicals