Tonight, we're pleased as punch to present a Dennis Nyback musical extravaganza - Calvin Coolidge Goes Crazy
A story set in 1927 expanding on the true story of Calvin Coolidge's decision in 1927 to not run for a second term as president of the United States. On August 2 of that year he hosted a press conference where he handed out slips of paper to the press that said "I do not choose to run for president in 1928." He then added "There will be nothing more from this office today."
In addition to Calvin, the story features his wife Grace, their daughter Petunia, the valet Norris, and the jazz trumpet player Jack Purvis. Petunia is mad about jazz music and spends hours listening to jazz records in the White House. Her parents worry she will become a flapper. When Calvin hears a Bix Beiderbecke record he is struck by the beauty of it and he himself goes jazz crazy. During a trip to New York he dons a disguise and travels to Harlem to hear live jazz. He is befriended by the young musician Jack Purvis. On a second trip to New York he is discovered in his disguise by his wife as he tries to sneak back back into their hotel room in the middle of the night. His wife convinces him that it unwise for the president of the United States to be clandestinely hanging out in Harlem. Calvin decides to bring Jazz to the White House. He builds a speakeasy in the basement that is connected to the outside world by a tunnel with many twists and turns to confuse anyone of its location. He then contacts Jack Purvis to create a house band. This brings Jack and the daughter together. Things goes bad when Gangsters try to blackmail Calvin into giving them control of the action.
With songs from the era by Jerome Kern, Rodgers and Hart, Fats Waller, Cole Porter, Rube Bloom and Jack Yellen.
Musical Director: De Henderson
Written, Produced and Directed by Dennis Nyback
This has been months in coming; it's been snowed out already twice this Winter, so keep your fingers crossed and your snow tires at the ready.
- KBOO