Lady, Be Good!

WRITTEN BY: Guy Bolton & Fred Thompson, with songs by George & Ira Gershwin
PERFORMED AT: East High School, Corning, NY
PERFORMED ON: April 5-8, 1995
DIRECTOR: Judy Cross
MUSICAL DIRECTOR: Richard Perry
SPONSORED BY: EHS Drama Club
PRINCIPAL CAST:
* DICK TREVOR- Leo Stermole
* SUSIE TREVOR- Erin Hogan
* JACK ROBINSON- Brian Shillinglaw
* JOSEPHINE VANDERWATER- Aubie Gridley
* DAISY PARKE- Allison Masteller
* BERTIE BASSETT- Colin Wilcox
* WATTY WATKINS- Mike Riviello
* SHIRLEY VERNON- Brianne Moss
* JEFF WHITE- Eric English
* MANUEL ESTRADA- Tim Plerhoples
* RUFUS PARKE- Louis Stermole
* BUTLER [JAMES JENKINS]- David Alan Scott Jr.

PLOT: Down-on-his luck Dick Trevor (Leo Stermole) has to marry a rich woman (Aubrie Gridley) to keep out of the poor house. Meanwhile, his lawyer (Mike Riviello) is trying to escape a Mexican bandit (Tim Plerhoples). A musical comedy.

HISTORY: I'm still debating with myself on whether or not "Lady, Be Good!" was a big thrill or a big mishap, since it felt like both to me.
My butler role in the play was listed as a principal character, and I ended up going to all the early, principal character rehearsals. Despite this, I was not allowed to take my bow with the other principal actors. At the last minute, my role was considered an "anomaly" by the director.
I did, however, manage to sneak into the principal cast's group photo session that was held shortly after the final performance.
And though my role turned out to be small, a lot of people who saw this show remember me as supposedly the most energetic dancer during the ensemble numbers.
I remember being very uptight towards the end of the rehearsals ("Where the hell is my prop?"), and I very loudly chewed out a fellow cast member, whose friend had ripped a page out of one of my magazines, shortly after the group photo session (I apologized shortly afterwards).
All in all, it was a good show, but a far from satisfying experience with the theater. Sadly (or fortunately), this would be my last East High School play.
SIDE NOTE: During March 1995, I attempted to make a video documentary on the making of this play. Due to time constraints (and overall lack of enthusiasm), the film--to have been titled "Lady Be Good: Four Weddings and a Carnival"--was never completed.

PHOTOS:
* The principal cast (photo by Gene Moore)