Lady, be Good!

Lady, be Good! (1924), a musical comedy by Guy Bolton, Fred Thompson (book), George Gershwin (music), Ira Gershwin (lyrics). [Liberty Theatre, 330 perf.] After Dick Trevor ( Fred Astaire) rebuffs Josephine Vanderwater ( Jayne Auburn), she evicts him and his sister Susie ( AdeleAstaire) from an apartment building she owns. By coincidence both the Trevors and Josephine have the same lawyer, “Watty” Watkins ( Walter Catlett), so he sets about righting matters. Since Watkins himself is in a jam, his fee to the moneyless Trevors is to demand that Susie pose as a Mexican wife in order to collect money from a divorce case. In the end, Susie marries Jack Robinson ( Alan Edwards), and Dick ditches Josephine permanently for Shirley Vernon ( Kathlene Martyn). Notable songs: Fascinating Rhythm; Oh, Lady Be Good!; So Am I. This was one of the most important of American musicals, for its Gershwin score established the ascendancy of native, jazz‐based lyricism in American musical comedy and helped promote a clear distinction between musical comedy and operetta. The first collaboration of George and Ira Gershwin to reach Broadway, the Alex A. Aarons and Vinton Freedley production brought them instant fame as a team. It also consolidated the growing reputation of the Astaires.