StageWest - Souvenir

It is a good thing that I went to the last showing of Souvenir at StageWest this afternoon, or I would have been tempted to go again and again. The show was about a woman named Florence Foster Jenkins. She was a performer who had little sense of pitch and rhythm and was barely capable of sustaining a note. Despite her patent lack of ability, Jenkins was firmly convinced of her greatness. She compared herself favorably to the renowned sopranos Frieda Hempel and Luisa Tetrazzini, and dismissed the laughter which often came from the audience during her performances as coming from her rivals consumed by "professional jealousy." (from Wikipedia)

The play had two characters. Cosme McMoon (her pianist) played by Matthew McIves and Ms Jenkins beautifully played by Gina Gerdes. Both of the actors were masterful and portrayed their characters to perfection. Ms Gerdes opened her mouth to sing the first time and I was reminded of a Tornado Warning siren.

I spent the entire play laughing so much that my sides hurt. Tears of joy every time she opened her mouth to sing. Everyone in the theater was laughing. I sat next to two sixth grade girls who were also roaring with laughter (although not as loudly as I was). I told them that this was a play about a person who had really lived and told them to go and "Google" her and read about her. Then I thought that 6 years ago when I retired the kids were just getting the idea of "googling" for information.

The culmination of her career was a concert at Carnegie Hall on October 25, 1944. She was 76 years old and died a month later. She is reported to have said, "People may say I can't sing, but no one can ever say I didn't sing."

The play ended with her finally doubting her ability when she heard the audience laughing at her rendition of the Ave Maria. Her accompanist reassured her that she was indeed a great artist and told us that they were planning to do the next years concert so of course she did not die of a broken heart as some suggested. The final scene he explained to the audience that he thought that she probably heard herself differently than the audience. He felt that she sounded like this ... and then this wonderful actress came out and sang the Ave Maria for us. Perfectly, beautifully and it moved me to tears. The result of their performances was a standing ovation at the end and they deserved it.

When I was "googling" for this post I found the following recording of this remarable artist.


After the play I met Kurt, Lyssa, and the kids for supper at Old Chicago. So all in all this has been a pretty perfect Sunday. Hope you had as much fun as I did. The Princess has learned to write my name - J - ARTYAL. Hugs,