Lady Be Good
A Musical Comedy in 2 Acts, 6 Scenes.
Book by Guy Bolton and Fred Thompson. Music by George Gershwin. Lyrics by Ira Gershwin. Orchestrations by Robert Russell Bennett, Charles N. Grant, Paul Lannin, Stephen Jones, Max Steiner, William Daly.
Globe Theatre, Broadway - 22 January, 1923 (128 perfs)
Liberty Theatre, Ney York - Opened 1 December, 1924; Closed 12 September,
1925 (330 Perfs)
Prince of Wales Theatre, London 14 April, 1926 (326 perfs)
Story
The brother / sister team of Dick and Susie Trevor are down on their luck having been evicted from the family home for failing to pay their rent. In an effort to silence their growling stomachs they head for wealthy Jo Vanderwater's garden party.
Dick is in love with Shirley Vernon but because he is broke, steers clear of her and is vulnerable to Jo's affluent charms. Meanwhile Susie is captivated by a charming "hobo" but tries to convince herself to like the eligible Jeff White instead.
So the web is woven with the siblings listening to their heads, not their hearts.
Watty Watkins the local lawyer tries to get Jo to help but discovers that it was Jo, with designs on Dick, who was behind the eviction in the first place. Jack the "hobo" expresses his affection for Susie but then leaves town.
Flamboyant Manuel Estrada hires Watty to find a Jack Robinson because Manuel's sister married him in Mexico. This is important as Jack has become a millionaire on the recent death of his uncle. Watty begs Susie to help him in the task of getting the Robinson estate to pay off Senorita Estrada. This will require Susie to don a disguise which, for a payment of $50,000, she agrees to do. Dick, believing he can never afford his true love Shirley, proposes to Jo.
Order is eventually restored in Act II. Dick professes his true love to Shirley and Watty and Susie (disguised) try to claim the money left by Jack Robinson's uncle. Jack, still dressed as a hobo, returns when he hears he is the heir to a fortune, but is shocked to find Susie, the lovely young girl he met earlier, claiming the money as his "widow". Susie does not know that her "hobo" is newly-wealthy Jack, nor that she is being used by Manuel Estrada, whose sister never really married Jack.
Dénouement: Jack saves Susie from disgrace and proclaims his love, Dick and Shirley are reunited, Jo and Watty form a happy love knot. A multiple wedding is sure to close the curtain.
Musical Numbers
- Hang on to Me - Dick Trevor, Susie Trevor
- A Wonderful Party (Numberette) - Guests
- End of a String - Ensemble
- We're Here Because - Daisy Parke, Bertie Bassett, Guests
- Fascinating Rhythm - Susie Trevor, Dick Trevor, Jeff
- So Am I - Jack Robinson, Susie Trevor Oh, Lady Be Good J. Watterson Watkins, Girls
- Piano Specialty
- Finale - Ensemble, (Susie Trevor, J. Watterson Watkins)
- Weatherman/Rainy Afternoon Girls (Opening Act 2) - Ensemble *
- The Half of It Dearie Blues - Shirley Vernon, Dick Trevor
- Juanita - Susie Trevor, Boys
- Leave It to Love - Susie Trevor, Jack Robinson, Shirley Vernon, Dick Trevor
- Little Jazz Bird - Jeff †
- Insufficient Sweetie (Music and Lyrics by Cliff Edwards and Gil Wells)
- Jeff
Who Takes Care of the Caretaker's Daughter (While the Caretaker's Taking Care)? - (Music and Lyrics by Chick Endor) - Jeff
It's All the Same to Me - (Music and Lyrics by Chick Endor) - Jeff - Carnival Time - Ensemble
- Swiss Miss - (Lyrics by Arthur Jackson and Ira Gershwin) - Susie Trevor, Dick Trevor
- Finale - Entire Company
* Replaced by "Linger in the Lobby" - Ensemble
† Replaced by a Speciality act during the original run.
Scenes and Settings
Act 1
Scene 1: Sidewalk in front of the old Trevor Homestead, Beacon Hill, Rhode Island.
Scene 2: Entrance of the Vanderwater Estate.
Scene 3: The Vanderwater Garden Party.
Act 2
Scene I: The Anchorage Hotel, Eastern Harbor, Connecticut. Three days later.
Scene 2: Garden of the Hotel. Scene 3: The Eastern Harbor Yacht Club.