BACKWARDS IN HIGH HEELS Play Guide Backwards in High Heels
Backwards in High Heels BACKWARDS IN HIGH HEELS Play Guide Arizona Theatre Company Play Guide Backwards in High Heels TABLE OF CONTENTS CONTENTS 3 WHO WE ARE 4 INTRODUCTION TO THE PLAY 4 BIOGRAPHY OF GINGER ROGERS 7 GINGER ROGERS FILMOGRAPHY 11 TALKING BACKWARDS 14 THE GOLDEN AGE OF HOLLYWOOD 16 TIMELINE OF DANCE IN THE NINETEENTH AND EARLY TWENTIETH CENTURIES 18 THE MOTHER-DAUGHTER RELATIONSHIP 19 GLOSSARY 22 DISCUSSION QUESTIONS AND ACTIVITIES It is Arizona Theatre Company’s goal to share the enriching experience of live theatre. This play guide is intended to help you prepare for your visit to Arizona Theatre Company. Should you have comments or suggestions regarding the play guide, or if you need more information about scheduling trips to see an ATC production, please feel free to contact us: Tucson: Alison C. Terry Phoenix: Cale Epps Education Manager Education Manager (520)884-8210 ext 8506 (602)256-6899 ext 6503 (520)628-9129 fax (602)256-7399 fax Backwards in High Heels Play Guide compiled and written by Jennifer Bazzell, Literary Manager and Juliet Wilhelmi. Discussion questions and activities prepared by Alison C. Terry, Tucson Education Manager; Cale Epps, Phoenix Education Manager. Layout by Gabriel Armijo. Support for ATC’s Education and Community Programming has been provided by: SPONSORS Organizations APS Arizona Commission on the Arts Bank of America Foundation Blue Cross Blue Shield of Arizona City Of Glendale City Of Peoria Community Foundation for Southern Arizona Freeport-McMoRan Copper & Gold Foundation Ford Motor Company Fund JP Morgan CHASE National Endowment for the Arts Phoenix Office of Arts and Culture PICOR Charitable Foundation Scottsdale League for the Arts Target The Boeing Company The Marshall Foundation The David C. and Lura M. Lovell Foundation The Hearst Foundation, Inc. The Maurice and Meta Gross Foundation The Max and Victoria Dreyfus Foundation The Stocker Foundation The Stonewall Foundation Tucson Electric Power Company Tucson Iron & Metal Tucson Pima Arts Council Union Pacific Foundation Phoenix Suns Charity Arizona Theatre Company Play Guide Individuals Mr. Craig Altschul Anonymous (1) Mr. and Mrs. Rob Aronoff Ms. Beth A. Bank Mr. Robert Begam Ms. Gayle Bentley Mr. and Mrs. Joel Bez Mr. Tom Bobo Ms. Gayle Brezack Mr. Randy Brookshier Ms. Penny Buckley Mr. Tom Carlson Mr. and Mrs. Larry A. Cesare Mr. and Mrs. Robert Clark Mr. and Mrs. Tyrone Clark Mr. Thomas Chapman Ms. Mimi Cohen Mr. and Mrs. Leonard Coris Ms. Kathleen Cummings Mr. Craig Dean Mr. and Mrs. Darryl B. Dobras Ms. Jill Doddy Mr. Jerry D. Drossos Mr. and Mrs. Bruce L. Dusenberry Mr. and Mrs. Burton and Zelda Faigen Mr. Peter Faur Mr. and Mrs. Robert Glaser Ms. Roseanne Gonzalez Ms. Florence M. Goldwater Ms. Laura Grafman Mr. Greg B. Hales Mr. Brian Hauser Mr. and Mrs. Richard F. Imwalle Mr. Bill Kelley Drs. Steven and Marta Ketchel Mr. Rich and Kraemer Mr. and Mrs. David Krogen Mr. and Mrs. John Lamse Mr. Raul Leon Mrs. Ann C. Lynn Mr. and Mrs. Doug McClure Mr. and Mrs. James J. Meenaghan Ms. Thelma Miller Ms. Barbara Montandon Mr. and Mrs. Fred A. Nachman III Ms. Dana Pitt, Donald Pitt Family Foundation Mr. Michael Ratliff Steve Ratliff Vicki Ratliff Susan Rollins Ms. Sandra D. Rutherford Mr. Marc Sandroff Ms. Karen T. Scates Drs. John and Helen Schaefer Mr. and Ms. Mark and Amy Schiavoni Mr. and Ms. Michael and Enid Seiden Ms. Gretchen H. Shine Ms. Peggi Simmons Ms. Wendi Sorensen Mr. Jeffrey Sorrentino Ms. Val Sundberg Mr. Joe Tarver and Ms. Peggy Johnson Ms. Janet Traylor Mr. Brad Trebing Mr. Chuck Watson Mr. Tom Whalen Ms. Rebecca Winninger Ms. Teresa Welborn Dr. Raymond L. and Mrs. Julianne Woosley 2 Backwards in High Heels ARIZONA THEATRE COMPANY: WHO WE ARE Thousands of people make our work at ATC possible! WHO WE ARE Arizona Theatre Company is a professional, not-for-profit theatre company. This means all of our artists, administrators and production staff are paid professionals, and the income we receive from ticket sales and contributions goes right back into our budget to create our work, rather than to any particular person as a profit. Each season, ATC employs hundreds of actors, directors and designers from all over the country to create the work you see on stage. In addition, ATC currently employs about 100 staff members in our production shops and administrative offices in Tucson and Phoenix during our season. Among these people are carpenters, painters, marketing professionals, fundraisers, stage directors, computer specialists, sound and light board operators, tailors, costume designers, box office agents, stage crew -the list is endless- representing an amazing range of talents and skills. Herberger Theatre in Phoenix, Arizona We are also supported by a Board of Trustees, a group of business and community leaders who volunteer their time and expertise to assist the theatre in financial and legal matters, advise in marketing and fundraising, and help represent the theatre in our community. Roughly 150,000 people attend our shows every year, and several thousands of those people support us with charitable contributions in addition to purchasing their tickets. Businesses large and small, private foundations and the city and state governments also support our work financially. All of this is in support of our mission: to create professional theatre that continually Temple of Music and Art in Tucson, Arizona strives to reach new levels of artistic excellence and that resonates locally, in the state of Arizona and throughout the nation. In order to fulfill its mission, the theatre produces a broad repertoire ranging from classics to new works, engages artists of the highest caliber, and is committed to assuring access to the broadest spectrum of citizens. Arizona Theatre Company Play Guide 3 Backwards in High Heels INTRO BACKWARDS IN HIGH HEELS INTRODUCTION TO THE PLAY She danced her way into our hearts in the arms of Fred Astaire, setting the gold standard for grace and elegance on the silver screen. In her surprising true-life story, we follow Ginger Rogers from the vaudeville stage at the age of 15 through her ascension to Hollywood goddess. Backwards in High Heels is the story of a smalltown girl from Texas who dazzled the whole wide world, playing everything from 'the girl next door' to the modern woman with a mind of her own. It's a candy box of show-stopping dance numbers, great songs and some surprising revelations about the movie legend. Anna Aimee White and Matthew LaBanca in Backwards in High Heels. Photo by Frank Atura. BIOGRAPHY OF GINGER ROGERS BIOGRAPHY Ginger Rogers was born Virginia Katherine McMath in Independence, Missouri on July 16, 1911. Her parents, Lela and William Eddins McMath, separated soon after their daughter’s birth and continually fought for custody of their daughter until William’s death when Ginger was eleven. In her early youth, Rogers stayed with her grandparents in Kansas City while her mother had a short screenwriting career in Hollywood. Many individuals who knew Rogers as a child claim that she could dance before she could walk. Lela eventually married John Rogers, a Marine, and mother and daughter followed him to Dallas, Texas. Though he never formally adopted Ginger, she took his surname. In Dallas, Virginia began to perform with her stepfather in local shows. At age sixteen, she emerged the champion of a Charleston Ginger Rogers contest in Ft. Worth, earning her a spot on an interstate theatre tour known as the Orpheum circuit (a company that toured vaudeville shows). About this time, Rogers took to calling herself “Ginger,” inspired by the nickname “Ginja” (shorthand for Virginia) she was given by her cousins as a young girl. Her first act Arizona Theatre Company Play Guide 4 Backwards in High Heels on the Orpheum circuit, “Ginger and the Redheads,” was so popular that she stayed on tour for another four years. During this time, she met her first husband, circuit dancer Jack Culpepper; the marriage was brief, only lasting from 1929-1931. BIOGRAPHY On tour, Rogers appeared in St. Louis with the Skouras Brothers and in Chicago’s Oriental Theatre with Paul Ash before settling in New York to pursue her dreams of Broadway. In 1929, her first musical, Top Speed, played for a promising 20-week run, getting her noticed by executives at Paramount. She had previously appeared in several short films, but Paramount provided her first opportunity to appear in a full-length film with Young Man of Manhattan. Next, she starred with Ethel Merman on Broadway in George and Ira Gershwin’s Girl Crazy (one of the choreographers for this show was an up-and-coming Fred Astaire). The show was an overnight sensation, and Ginger Rogers became a star. Following her success with Girl Crazy she made a large number of films in a short period of time, including The Sap from Syracuse and Follow the Leader, both in 1930; Honor Among Lovers in 1931; and The Tenderfoot and Hat Check Anna Aimee White who plays Girl in 1932. In 1933, she played Anytime Ginger Rogers in ATC’s production Annie in 42nd Street, solidifying her status as an icon of the screen. She also sang “We’re in the Money” and “Sitting Pretty” in Gold Diggers of 1933. By the time she made her first appearance with Fred Astaire in Flying Down to Rio (1933), Rogers had nineteen films to her name. The Rogers-Astaire combination lit up the screen and kept audiences cheering. Though Rogers had never had any classical dance training, she found her own expressive style that Americans embraced. She and Astaire starred together in nine additional musicals, becoming a lasting symbol of elegance in American film. Rogers eventually decided to end her career with Astaire and try for serious acting roles. The decision ultimately paid off; her dramatic role in the non-musical Kitty Foyle earned her the Academy Award for Best Actress in 1941. Throughout the rest of her life, Rogers continued her career in film and theatre, though she was never able to recapture the magic of her early career. Her starring role in Hello, Dolly! helped revamp the show for a second Broadway run in 1965. In 1985, she directed the movie Babes in Arms. She also appeared on TV and radio shows across the country. Rogers was married five times; all of her marriages ended in divorce. In addition to Jack Culpepper, her husbands included star of All Quiet on the Western Front Lew Ayres, comedian Jack Briggs, French lawyer and actor Jacques Bergerac and Arizona Theatre Company Play Guide 5 Backwards in High Heels BIOGRAPHY director and producer William Marshall. The only constant relationship throughout her entire life was her close-knit relationship with her mother, who passed away in 1977. In 1995, Ginger Rogers died of congestive heart failure in her home in Rancho Mirage, California at the age of 83. "The magic of Astaire and Rogers cannot be explained; it can only be felt. They created a style, a mood, a happening. They flirted, chased, courted, slid, caressed, hopped, skipped, jumped, bent, swayed, clasped, wafted, undulated, nestled, leapt, quivered, glided, spun - in sum, made love before our eyes. We have not seen their like since." –Garson Kanin, Hollywood writer and director Ginger Rogers & Fred Astaire For many people, Fred Astaire and Ginger Rogers embody the quintessential dance partnership. Garson Kanin, it seems, could only attempt to describe the wordless chemistry that has charmed moviegoers by the millions for decades. Fred and Ginger were acquainted through their work on Broadway before stepping onto the set of Flying Down to Rio in 1933. They had even dated for a time.Their pairing in this first film was somewhat accidental; Ginger was brought in as a replacement for Fred’s partner Dorothy Jordan. Though both played supporting roles, Ginger and Fred inadvertently stole the show with their adorable charm and unparalleled elegance. Interestingly, this film marked the only instance in which Ginger was billed ahead of Fred, because of her film experience. Needless to say, the Astaire-Rogers duo was the centerpiece of RKO’s next film, The Gay Divorcee (1935), a timely tale of marriage norms and love at first sight. Fred and Ginger stayed on for a total of nine films with RKO, all of them lighthearted musicals. They starred in Top Hat in 1935 (featuring the famous number “Cheek to Cheek” and other Irving Berlin standards), Shall We Dance in 1937, and Carefree in 1938, among others. MGM produced the duo’s tenth and final musical, The Barkleys of Broadway, in 1949. Many of the Gershwin melodies from this movie would find their way into the Great American Songbook. Though none were Academy Award winners, the Astaire-Rogers movies endure as American film classics. Through an expert blend of aesthetics and personality, they call to audiences today just as they staved off the effects of the Great Depression almost eighty years ago. - Arizona Theatre Company Play Guide Written by Juliet Wilhelmi and Jenny Bazzell 6 Backwards in High Heels FILMOGRAPHY GINGER ROGERS’ FILMOGRAPHY Ginger Rogers made an amazing 77 films in her 35 year film career, most of which were concentrated into the first six years of work. She continued to make occasional television appearances up through 1987, including several episodes of The Red Skelton Hour, a televised version of Rodgers and Hammerstein’s Cinderella (also starring Lesley Anne Warren, Walter Pidgeon, Celeste Holm, Jo Van Fleet and Pat Carroll) and a two-part episode of The Love Boat, among others. 1935 Romance in Manhattan Roberta Star of Midnight Top Hat In Person 1929 A Day of a Man of Affairs 1930 A Night in a Dormitory Campus Sweethearts Young Man of Manhattan The Sap from Syracuse Queen High Office Blues Follow the Leader 1931 Honor Among Lovers The Tip-Off Suicide Fleet 1932 Carnival Boat The Tenderfoot The Thirteenth Guest Hat Check Girl You Said a Mouthful First promotion of the Rogers-Astaire pairing for Flying Down to Rio 1933 Broadway Bad 42nd Street Gold Diggers of 1933 Professional Sweetheart Don't Bet on Love A Shriek in the Night Rafter Romance Chance at Heaven Sitting Pretty Flying Down to Rio 1934 Twenty Million Sweethearts Upperworld Finishing School Change of Heart The Gay Divorcee 1936 Follow the Fleet Swing Time 1937 Shall We Dance Stage Door 1938 Vivacious Lady Having Wonderful Time Carefree Actor Matthew LaBanca who plays Fred Astaire and other roles in ATC’s production Arizona Theatre Company Play Guide 1939 The Story of Vernon and Irene Castle Bachelor Mother 5th Ave Girl 7 Backwards in High Heels 1946 Heartbeat Magnificent Doll FILMOGRAPHY 1947 It Had to Be You 1949 The Barkleys of Broadway 1940 Primrose Path Lucky Partners Kitty Foyle: The Natural History of a Woman 1954 Forever Female Twist of Fate Black Widow 1941 Tom Dick and Harry 1955 Tight Spot 1942 Roxie Hart Tales of Manhattan The Major and the Minor Once Tender Comrade Upon a Honeymoon 1956 The First Traveling Saleslady 1944 Lady in the Dark I'll Be Seeing You 1945 Week-End at the Waldorf 1950 Perfect Strangers 1951 Storm Warning The Groom Wore Spurs 1952 We're Not Married! Dreamboat Monkey Business Teenage Rebel 1957 Oh, Men! Oh, Women! 1964 The Confession 1965 Harlow Heather Lee who plays Lela in ATC’s production Arizona Theatre Company Play Guide 8 Backwards in High Heels ABOUT THE COMPOSERS COMPOSERS Christopher McGovern: (Co-Creator/Book/Original Songs/Musical Arrangements) returns to ATC where he music directed, conducted and performed in Hair, [title of show] and The Pajama Game. He is the Author/Composer of Lizzie Borden (Goodspeed Musicals), Backwards in High Heels, A Visit To Roswell and many original songs. He has worked Off-Broadway on That’s Life (Outer Critics Circle nomination), The Jazz Singer, Sheba, The Fishkin Touch and Totie, among others. His national tours Christopher McGovern, co-creator of include Fame and The Presidents with Rich Little, and Backwards in High Heels international arrangements for Disney Worldwide (The Lion King/Hong Kong and Aladdin/Tokyo). His favorite regional credits include Sisters of Swing (Carbonell nominations), Beehive, Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat, Little Shop of Horrors, Godspell, Grease, World Goes ‘Round, Last Five Years and A Marvelous Party. He received this year's Carbonell Award and Silver Palm Award for Cagney (music and lyrics) and Some Kind Of Wonderful (Co-Creator/Arranger.) He has worked as Producer/Arranger/Orchestrator and Songwriter on recordings by Tony-nominees Rebecca Luker (Leaving Home), Susan Egan (Coffee House, Winter Tracks, Live) and Alison Fraser (Men in My Life). Mr. McGovern has performed in concert with Susan Egan (national tour including Carnegie Hall), Karen Mason, Liz Callaway, Roslyn Kind and many others. In addition to the original songs created by Christopher McGovern, many old favorites appear in Backwards in High Heels. Below is a list of some of the famous composers whose music appears in the musical. The Gershwins: Brothers George Gershwin (1898 – 1937) and Ira Gershwin 1896 – 1983) worked together to create some of the most memorable songs in the American Jazz repertoire. Some of their most famous songs include “Let’s Call the Whole Thing Off,” “S’Wonderful,” “Someone to Watch Over Me,” “Summertime,” ”Fascinating Rhythm,” “Embraceable You” and countless others. Though each brother had a solo career, the music they created together was unparalleled and continues to inspire generations. George Gershwin/ Ira Gershwin Arizona Theatre Company Play Guide 9 Backwards in High Heels COMPOSERS Jerome Kern: Jerome David Kern (1885 – 1945) was an American composer of musical theatre and popular music. One of the most important American theatre composers of the early 20th century, he wrote more than 700 songs, used in over 100 stage works, including such classics as "Ol' Man River," "Can't Help Lovin' Dat Man," "A Fine Romance," "Smoke Gets in Your Eyes," "All the Things You Are," "The Way You Look Tonight," "Long Ago (and Far Away)" and "Who?". Irving Berlin Jerome Kern Irving Berlin: Irving Berlin (1888 – 1989) was an American composer and lyricist, widely considered one of the greatest songwriters in history. Composer George Gershwin called him "the greatest songwriter that has ever lived” and composer Jerome Kern concluded that "Irving Berlin has no place in American music - he is American music." Famous Irving Berlin songs include “Cheek to Cheek,” “God Bless America,” “Blue Skies,” “Let's Face the Music and Dance,” “Puttin’ on the Ritz,” and “White Christmas” among hundreds of others. Al Dubin: Al Dubin (1891 - 1945) was a Swiss-born lyricist who ultimately made his mark on American music. He wrote lyrics for several famous Broadway shows, but his perhaps most famous for his lyrics for the film 42nd Street (which was later adapted into a Broadway musical). Some of his most famous lyrical compositions include "42nd Street,” "I Only Have Eyes for You," "Lullaby of Broadway" and "The Anniversary Waltz." Harry Warren Arizona Theatre Company Al Dubin Harry Warren: Harry Warren (1893 – 1981) was an American composer and lyricist. Warren was the first major American songwriter to write primarily for film. He wrote the music for the first blockbuster film musical, 42nd Street. Other wellknown Warren hits included "I Only Have Eyes for You," "You Must Have Been a Beautiful Baby," "Jeepers Creepers," "The Gold Diggers' Song (We're in the Money)," "That's Amore," "The More I See You," "At Last" and "Chattanooga Choo Choo” One of America's most prolific film composers, Warren's songs have been featured in over 300 films. Play Guide 10 Backwards in High Heels Dorothy Fields: Dorothy Fields (July 15, 1905 – March 28, 1974) was an American librettist and lyricist. She wrote over 400 songs for Broadway musicals and films and was one of the first successful Tin Pan Alley and Hollywood female songwriters. Her most famous compositions include “I Can't Give You Anything But Love,” “Don't Blame Me,” “On The Sunny Side Of The Street,” “A Fine Romance,” “I'm In The Mood For Love,” “The Way You Look Tonight,” “Big Spender,” “If My Friends Could See Me Now” and “On the Sunny Side of the Street." *some bios above adapted from www.wikipedia.com Dorothy Fields McGOVERN TALKING BACKWARDS Just how did Backwards in High Heels come to be? Literary Manager Jenny Bazzell put questions about the show’s development and history to creator Christopher McGovern, an ATC favorite for his role as Music Director for ATC hits like The Pajama Game and Hair. Chris was kind enough to give us some background about the show so we could share it with you! Jenny Bazzell: How did the initial idea for BACKWARDS IN HIGH HEELS come about? Christopher McGovern: I was Music Directing a biographical musical for another theatre company and it got me to thinking about the nature of celebrity, and why people are so drawn to stories about famous people. We have become a 24-hour news cycle and a reality TV culture, and I was interested in exploring someone who got to be a celebrity the old fashioned way: with talent and hard work! It was also interesting to me to use dance in the story-telling, and of course I love the 1920s and 1930s. The films Ginger made in that period were so glamorous and classy. It's fascinating that one of the Stanley Bahorek, Kelly McCormick Christopher many peaks of Ginger's career was during McGovern, Sal Sabella and Lauren Lebowitz in Arizona Theatre Company's [title of show]. Photo by Tim Fuller. the worst of the Great Depression - and she was playing these upscale roles in luxurious settings. The height of "escapism." Arizona Theatre Company Play Guide 11 Backwards in High Heels McGOVERN JB: Were you already an expert about the life of Ginger Rogers when you began work on this musical? Were there aspects of Ginger Rogers’s life that surprised you or presented difficulties in the writing? CM: I have written a few musicals based on life stories (Cagney, Lizzie Borden) and I think the biggest trick is balancing the actual events of a person's life with what is dramatically important to be placed on the stage. So in my research on Ginger, her most critical and lasting relationship was with her mother, Lela. And suddenly her story seemed like it could leap over the particulars of her life and become more universal and relevant to a contemporary audience. While the times may have changed, parent-child relationships remain as complex, rich and emotional as ever. The fact that Ginger and Lela's relationship had show business as a backdrop made it a natural to put on the stage. Ginger never had a child, so I think show business and her career filled that place in her life. Perhaps the biggest surprise in my research was that Ginger was such a tough cookie with the studios. It is easy to imagine Bette Davis standing up to Jack Warner for more money, better treatment, more challenging projects, but you just don't think of Ginger that way, at least initially. But she actually might have paved the way for those other ladies that came after her. She demanded equal pay, and was willing to risk her career to take on roles that she might not have gotten without a struggle. To win the Oscar for a drama was both a triumph and a well earned reward for her going out on an artistic limb (I am speaking of Kitty Foyle, of course.) Hard to imagine, but women getting the right to vote happened in Lela and Ginger’s lifetimes. The largest writing challenge was how to work her five marriages into the storytelling. I am quite pleased with how we were able to compact them into the surprising use of a Berlin number (I hope anyhow!). Her first romantic relationship is explored in more detail, but as in every biographical piece, you have to keep what's important front and center, and that is her complicated relationship with Lela. It is also challenging not to make the show become "And then I wrote" (or in this case "And then I danced"), so finding new uses of the source songs as well as interesting ways to tell the story hopefully mix that formula up a bit. This version was directed by Scott Schwartz - an amazing director who asked me a lot of questions, and was very interested in treating this production as a World Premiere, even though it had been produced previously. Scott had a fresh take on the piece, which inspired me to re-examine my writing. Scott and I shared an understanding of what the show could be, and he is the consummate chief: adept at handling all personalities and all departments. He's an artist and a gentleman, and I hope this is the first of many future collaborations. JB: Some of the music is by classic American composers like George Gershwin, Irving Berlin and Jerome Kern, but there are also original songs that you created specifically for the show. What was it like trying to combine the two types of music? Arizona Theatre Company Play Guide 12 Backwards in High Heels McGOVERN CM: By far, it is one of the things I am proudest of. I wanted to use some of those famous songs associated with Ginger in her films - and I think an audience has an expectation to hear them. But it was critical to me to make the songs work as "book songs." In other words, I did not want to stop the action just to do an unrelated number. After settling into the show, I wanted the audience to become unaware of the "famous" songs and to be involved in the story. So when you see "Embraceable You," it is used as a proposal for example, or "Change Partners" frames Lela's account of Ginger's marriages. When a stagehand sings "There may be trouble ahead..." it precedes Ginger about to tangle with the head of the studio. As far as the four original songs (and tons of original dance music I created for the show), it is much easier writing within the restrictions of a time period. Many people have commented or written about how well the original songs fit into the whole "score." I take that as a huge compliment. I would never compare myself to the songwriting giants whose works appear in the score...but there were a few moments where a "source song" just didn't do what I needed it to do for the story. I hope when an audience leaves the show, it feels like they have heard an entirely new score, even though it has been fashioned out of songs culled from many sources, as well as songs newly written for the production. Of course Patti Colombo, the choreographer, did a brilliant job using movement to help tell the story as well, and the dance music was altered for her. I would imagine a show about Ginger would be a dream show for a choreographer, as well as really hard work! JB: So often when ATC audiences see you, you’re onstage serving as music director for ATC shows like The Pajama Game, Hair and [title of show]. For this show, is it nice to sit back and not have to be on stage every night? CM: It's TERRIFIC! Don't get me wrong, I love playing and conducting shows, and ATC is one of my favorite theatres to play in (actually TWO of my favorites.) But it is healthy to let a show go - and let someone else contribute their vision and their interpretation. Stepping back, I was able to see the bigger picture since so much had been created in the rehearsal process. I loved seeing this brilliant cast and Scott and Patti's vision of the piece, and I took it as a great compliment that they lavished it with such smarts and love. On Opening Night, I just let it all go and became a part of the audience. It really is a lovely production of the show, due in large part to Scott, Patti and the gorgeous designs of Walt Spangler (set) and Alejo Vietti (costumes). Plus, you can't ask for better than this cast. Better yet, since I'm not playing or conducting, it's fun to be able to have a glass of wine BEFORE the show starts! Arizona Theatre Company Play Guide 13 Backwards in High Heels GOLDEN THE GOLDEN AGE OF HOLLYWOOD The “Golden Age of Hollywood” describes the period in movie history when output of highquality films was intense, studios reigned supreme and stars were created and shined brightly for decades, forever endearing themselves to the hearts of the American public. During the Golden Age of Hollywood, which lasted from the late 1920s silent-film era to the late Stars of Hollywood’s Golden Age 1940s, thousands of classic movies were issued from Hollywood’s studios. Though scholars and historians argue, many individuals date the start of the Golden Age to the release of The Jazz Singer in 1927. Starring Al Jolson, The Jazz Singer was the first “talkie” and thus ended the silent film era. With the creation of “talkies,” the film industry began a period of increasing box-office profits for films as sound was introduced, replacing the live music that previously accompanied silent films. At this point in history, Hollywood operated under the studio system of film making and the “Big Five” studios were responsible for almost all films produced in America. Throughout the teens and twenties, well-known ambitious men like Samuel Goldwyn, William Fox, Carl Laemmle, Adolph Zukor, Louis B. Mayer, and the Warner Brothers (Harry, Albert, Samuel, and Jack) consolidated their filmmaking power in the form of movie studios. The each had a role in forming what came to be known as the “Big Five,” which refers to the five large studios that made the vast majority of all films (20th Century Fox, RKO Pictures, Paramount Pictures, Warner Bros., and MetroGoldwyn-Mayer). The major studios kept thousands of people on salary — actors, producers, directors, writers, stunt men, craftspersons, and technicians. They owned or leased movie ranches in rural Southern California for location shooting of westerns and other large scale genre films. In addition to creating films, the studios also owned hundreds of theaters in cities and towns across the nation that showed their films and that were always in need of fresh material (essentially creating a monopoly on the film industry). Arizona Theatre Company Play Guide 14 Backwards in High Heels GOLDEN Throughout the Golden Age, most Hollywood films fell into clearly defined categories: western, slapstick comedy, musical, horror, animated cartoon, biopic (biographical picture), etc. Though formulaic, the public clamored to see the myriad of films released, especially the uplifting films and musicals that were popular escapism during the Great Depression. Exact numbers are uncertain, but it is estimated that in the late twenties and early thirties, 90 million people went to the movies weekly (including repeat attendees). That number dropped during the worst years of the Great Depression, though is still estimated at an astounding 60 million despite the economic hardships the country was facing. In addition to the “Big Five” studios there were also the “Little Three” which included Universal Pictures, Columbia Pictures, and United Artists. The studio era of Hollywood history meant that stars were contracted with a particular studio, outlining the actors’ responsibilities and the number of films they were required to make. Incomes and choice of roles were limited for actors compared to today’s open market approach to film production. Thus, during the Golden Age, audiences could usually guess which studio made which film based on the actors who appeared in it. For example, MGM claimed it had contracted "more stars than there are in heaven.” MGM boasted such stars as Clark Gable, Lionel Barrymore, Jean Harlow, Norma Shearer, Greta Garbo, Jeanette MacDonald and husband Gene Raymond, Spencer Tracy, Judy Garland, and Gene Kelly during the Golden Age. Many film historians have remarked upon the many great works of cinema that emerged from this period of highly regimented film-making. One reason this was possible is that, with so many movies being made, not every one had to be a big hit. A studio could gamble on a medium-budget feature with a good script and relatively unknown actors: Citizen Kane, directed by Orson A movie still from Citizen Kane Welles and often regarded as the greatest film of all time, fits that description. In other cases, strong-willed directors like Alfred Hitchcock and Frank Capra battled the studios in order to achieve their artistic visions. The apogee of the studio system may have been the year 1939, which saw the release of such classics as The Wizard of Oz, Gone with the Wind (still the most successful film of all time when numbers are adjusted for inflation), Stagecoach, Mr. Smith Goes to Washington, Wuthering Heights, Only Angels Have Wings, Ninotchka, and Midnight. Other films from the Golden Age period that are now considered to be classics include Casablanca, It's a Wonderful Life, It Happened One Night, the original King Kong, Mutiny on the Bounty, City Lights, Red River and Top Hat. Arizona Theatre Company Play Guide 15 Backwards in High Heels GOLDEN The Golden Age began to draw to a close through a Supreme Court decision, United States v. Paramount Pictures, Inc. In short, the decision decreed that the studios had been engaging in monopoly behavior of the film industry and determined they were no longer allowed to practice business in the same fashion. The studios had to change their operational practices, ending many of the procedures that had garnered them so much power (and allowed the Golden Age to flourish). Striking the final blow to the Golden Age was the advent of television, which provided people with a way to watch stories in the privacy and comfort of their own home, rather than having to go to a movie theatre. Though some historians define the Golden Age as continuing into the 1960s, by the middle of the 1950s, the true Golden Age was ending, though its impact will never be forgotten. The invention of television brought the Golden Age to a close -Based loosely on www.wikipedia.com, modified by Jenny Bazzell TIMELINE OF DANCE IN THE NINETEENTH AND EARLY TWENTIETH CENTURIES Fred Astaire and Ginger Roger’s elegant dance style did not exist in a vacuum. Their influences and the influences of the choreographers who created many of their famous routines were varied. Below is a timeline of the history of dance in the nineteenth and early twentieth century leading up to the emergence of Ginger Rogers and Fred Astaire’s explosion of popularity. 1834: The first Waltz is reportedly danced in Boston. 1900: The Floradora Sextet performs the first synchronized tap routine. 1907: The first tapping chorus line appears as part of Ziegfield’s Follies. 1912: The Argentine Tango first appears in Britain. 1914: The American Foxtrot makes its way across the Atlantic to England, where it is danced at a faster tempo and renamed “The Quickstep.” Artist Renoir’s depiction of the Waltz from the 1880s Arizona Theatre Company Play Guide 16 Backwards in High Heels TIMELINE 1926: The Savoy Ballroom opens in New York City. It will be a premiere dance venue throughout the next decades. 1927: “Shorty George” Snowden coins the term “Lindy Hop.” While watching a local dance contest at the Savoy, a reporter asks Snowden for the name of the dance being performed. He glances down at a newspaper headline about Charles Lindburgh which reads, “Lindy Hops the Atlantic,” and announces “The Lindy Hop!” The Savoy Ballroom 1930s: The Jitterbug, a six-beat variant of the Lindy Hop, emerges. In time, the terms “swing,” “lindy,” and “jitterbug” become interchangeable. 1935: Herbert White starts the dance group “Whitey’s Lindy Hoppers”, which grows to be wildly popular on the Savoy scene. 1938: Innovative swing choreographer Dean Collins arrives in Hollywood. His work on over forty movies paves the way for the Hollywood dance musical. 1940s: A “world dances” craze sweeps the ballroom realm. Dances that received new or revived attention include the Tango from Argentina, the Samba from Brazil, the Paso Doble from Spain, and the Waltz from Austria. The American Foxtrot regains popularity as well. Formal teaching of lindy, jitterbug, and swing begins.The Arthur Murray Dance Studio establishes the divide between “East Coast Swing” and “West Coast Swing”. Other swing variants that emerge include the Balboa, the Shag, and the Jive. The East-West Divide: In the 1940s, the Arthur Murray Dance Studio commissioned instructors around the country to study and teach the popular dances of their respective cities. This challenged dance teachers to “condense” the complex, individualized footwork of the regional swing dances into simplified forms for the general public. As a result, they coined the categories of swing that are familiar today. “East-Coast Swing” is a simple, 6-beat cycle that evolved from the Lindy Hop and the Foxtrot. “West-Coast Swing” is a more quick-footed variant that can have up to 8 counts and is danced in a smaller radius than its Eastern equivalent. -Written by Juliet Wilhelmi Arizona Theatre Company Play Guide 17 Backwards in High Heels MOTHER/DAUGHTER THE MOTHER-DAUGHTER RELATIONSHIP “Behold, every one that useth proverbs shall use this proverb against thee, saying, As is the mother, so is her daughter.” – King James Bible The relationship between mother and daughter is a complex, multi-dimensional one. Throughout history, mothers have encouraged, cajoled, nudged, prodded and sometimes outright shoved their daughters into following the path in life that they thought best for their offspring. Of course, every mother is different and every mother-daughter relationship is unique in its own way. The relationship between Ginger Rogers and her Lela and Ginger Rogers mother Lela was complicated by Ginger’s success (as well as her headstrong nature) and Lela’s insistence she knew what was best for Ginger’s life. As Ginger never had any children, she never experienced the mother-daughter relationship from a mother’s point of view – who knows how that would have changed her perception of her mother’s “interference” in her life. Below is a list of famous mother-daughter pairs from history, today and fiction, each filled with its own unique challenges. Marie Curie (1867-1934) and Irene Joliot-Curie (1897-1958) Mary Wollstonecraft (1759-1797) and Mary Shelley (1797-1851) Anne Boleyn (c.1504-1536) and Elizabeth I of England (1533-1693) Goldie Hawn & Kate Hudson Blythe Danner & Gwyneth Paltrow Janet Leigh & Jamie Lee Curtis Jaid Barrymore & Drew Barrymore Judy Garland & Liza Minnelli Mary Wollstonecraft Shelley Tippi Hedren & Melanie Griffith & Mary Wollstonecraft Michelle Philips & Chynna Philips Sharon Osbourne & Kelly Osbourne Joan Rivers & Melissa Rivers Ivana Trump & Ivanka Trump Sharon and Kelly Osbourne Hillary Clinton & Chelsea Clinton Kathy Hilton & Paris and Nikki Hilton Diana Ross & Tracee Ellis Ross Debbie Reynolds & Carrie Fisher Jayne Mansfield & Mariska Hargitay Priscilla Presley & Lisa Marie Presley Diane Ladd & Laura Dern Ingrid Bergman & Isabella Rossellini Sarah Palin & Bristol Palin Vanessa Redgrave & Natasha Richardson Lisa Marie and Priscilla Presley “Mama” Rose & Gypsy Rose Lee Wilma Flintstone & Pebbles Flintstone Sarah and Bristol Palin Marge Simpson & Lisa Simpson Arizona Theatre Company Play Guide 18 Backwards in High Heels GLOSSARY GLOSSARY Abott and Costello: A famous comedy duo who worked extensively in radio, film and television in the 1940s and 1950s. Their most famous routine, “Who’s on First” is perhaps the most well-known comedy routine of all time and set the bar for all comedians that followed. Comedy duo Abbott & Costello Bette Davis: An actress well-known for her intense portrayal of dramatic roles (and her forceful nature both on and offscreen) made Bette Davis one of the most iconic film stars of her day. Though Ginger Rogers and Bette Davis had very different onscreen personas for many years, they were good friends. Bette Davis Busby Berkeley: A highly influential Hollywood movie director and musical choreographer, Berkeley’s musical numbers are still some of the most famous screen moments of all time. He was known for using shots that looked down from above on his dancers while they created complex geometric patterns with their bodies. Ethel Merman: An actress and singer who dazzled both Busby Berkeley stage and screen with her powerful voice and persona. She appeared in Girl Crazy alongside Ginger Rogers in 1930, as well as in I Got Rhythm in 1930, Anything Goes in 1936, and There’s No Business Like Show Business in 1954. A star of both the stage and the screen, she has been called "the undisputed First Lady of the musical comedy stage." Feathers: A nickname that Fred Astaire used for Ginger. It came about on the set of Top Hat, perhaps their most famous film, made in 1935. For the principal number “Cheek to Cheek,” Ginger insisted on wearing a lavish ostrich feather dress. While the dress moved well, it would scatter feathers when she danced - all across the floor, in front of the cameras, and in Fred’s hair and clothes. Fred Astaire and Hermes Pan jokingly rewrote the lyrics to “Cheek to Cheek” to say “Feathers, I see feathers…” In the end, Fred apologized to Ginger with a gold feather charm and a note reading “You were right.” Arizona Theatre Company Play Guide 19 Backwards in High Heels GLOSSARY Flying Down to Rio: A Hollywood reporter recalls when Astaire and Rogers “flew down to Rio.” This is a reference to their first film, Flying Down to Rio, made in 1933. (The reporter next says that Astaire and Rogers “got a gay divorce”… this refers to their second film, The Gay Divorcee.) George Shaefer: A producer at RKO. He served as the company’s president starting in 1941. Harper’s Magazine: When Ginger waxes romantic about Jack Culpepper, Lela tells her not to believe everything she reads in Harper’s. This general interest magazine, still in publication today, came out with its first issue in 1850 and covers a broad range of subjects, including finances, fashion, politics, writing, and art. Hermes Pan: A celebrated choreographer who worked with Fred Astaire on many of his films. Hermes Pan (with Fred Astaire working out a dance routine) Jimmy Stewart Jack Briggs: Ginger’s third husband, Briggs was an actor and radio broadcaster throughout the 1940s. The two of them met on the set of Tom, Dick, and Harry in 1940. James (Jimmy) Stewart: An actor who was the “nice guy” of Hollywood for many years. He made a wide variety of movies of different genres, including his classic films Mr. Smith Goes to Washington, The Philadelphia Story, Harvey, It's a Wonderful Life, Rear Window, Rope, The Man Who Knew Too Much, and Vertigo. Katherine Hepburn: A film and stage actress who was wellknown for her quick tongue and New England accent. She won four Best Actress Oscars during her career, a feat no other actress has matched. In 1999, the American Film Institute ranked her as the greatest female star in the history of the American cinema. Katharine Hepburn Lew Ayres: This film actor, Ginger’s second husband, is best remembered for his starring role in All Quiet on the Western Front in 1930. “Little pitchers have big ears”: An idiom that Ginger refers to as a teenager, meaning that children hear and understand more than adults might give them credit for. Arizona Theatre Company Play Guide 20 Backwards in High Heels GLOSSARY Marlene Dietrich: A German-American actress known for her glamorous style and beauty. She played femme fatales throughout her long career. Her most famous films include Morocco, Dishonored, Shanghai Express, Blonde Venus, The Scarlet Empress, and The Devil is a Woman. Orpheum Circuit: Ginger’s first tour is with Orpheum Circuit, Inc., an entertainment company started by Martin Beck in 1880. Beck owned a series of vaudeville and movie theatres throughout the country. Those that remain open are called Orpheum Theatres to this day; Orpheum Theatres still exist in Pheonix and Flagstaff, though no longer as part of a circuit. A show like Ginger’s would have travelled from Orpheum theatre to Orpheum theatre. Prohibition: A portion of the play occurs during the period between 1920 and 1933 in which the Eighteenth Amendment to the Constitution outlawed the trade and consumption of alcohol in the United States. Shirley Temple: Perhaps the most famous child star of all time, Shirley Temple got her start in film at the age of three. She was a singer, a dancer, and an actress by the time she was five, beating out adult stars for parts in major films. Shirley Temple Speakeasy: A venue in which alcohol was illegally served. During Prohibition, speakeasies operated in the United States in secret locations. RKO, or Radio-Keith-Orpheum Pictures: RKO was one of the “Big Five” movie production and distribution companies of Hollywood’s “Golden Age” (which spanned approximately from 1920 to 1950). This studio gave Ginger her start in film and produced nine of the ten Astaire-Rogers movies. Theda Bara: Ginger refers to this American silent film star repeatedly: “Theda Bara always said, ‘the spots in the front and the scoops in the back.’” While Ginger praises Bara’s film expertise, most remember her as one of American film’s first sex symbols, sporting a distinctive “gothic” look. Theda Bara Arizona Theatre Company Play Guide 21 Backwards in High Heels GLOSSARY Vernon and Irene Castle: A husband-and-wife ballroom dancing pair popular on Broadway around the turn of the century. In the show, Ginger supposes that she and Jack could become “the next Vernon and Irene.” This reference is subtly ironic, as one of Ginger’s last films with Fred Astaire tells the story of the Castles. The World’s Fair: A large public exhibition held in any country that displays products of science, technology, and culture. In 1939, the World’s Fair to which Ginger refers was held in New York. It covered over 1,000 acres and drew a crowd of 206,000. - Vernon and Irene Castle Prepared by Jennifer Bazzell DISCUSSION QUESTIONS AND ACTIVITIES Discussion Questions 1. Think about the lyrics to Fascinating Rhythm by George and Ira Gershwin, and its use in Backwards in High Heels. Do you think Ginger Rogers felt conflicted about her career? Why or why not? 2. Ginger really wanted to get out of Texas. Why did she want that so badly? Do you ever feel like you just want to get away from where you are and do something else? Why or why not? 3. Discuss Ginger’s relationship with her mother, Lela. Do you feel that they had a good relationship? How did being in show business impact that relationship? 4. Do you think that Lela is a little jealous of Ginger’s success? Why or why not? What did Lela give up in order to give Ginger a better childhood outside of Hollywood? How do you think Lela felt when Ginger just wanted to be in show business? 5. Many of the songs found in Backwards in High Heels were not written specifically for this musical. How does the presence of these songs move the plot forward? Do you feel that each song has a purpose within the play? Why or why not? 6. How do you think that musical theatre and dance influence television shows today? Do you watch shows about dance or that contain musical numbers? Why do you think that this kind of television has come back at this point in history? 7. How do you think that Ginger Rogers’ career impacted her personal life? What Arizona Theatre Company Play Guide 22 Backwards in High Heels DISCUSSIONS evidence can you find in the play that backs up your assertion? 8. Ginger Rogers worked very hard to be in control of her career, almost from the beginning. Given the time period during which she was rising up through the Hollywood ranks, why is this significant? Using examples from the play, discuss the ways in which Ginger managed her career. 9. Several of the actors play multiple characters in Backwards in High Heels. Using specific examples from the play, discuss how these actors use their acting tools (voice, physicality, imagination) to distinguish one character from another. Are the actors successful in differentiating one character from another? 10. Some of the actors in this play are portraying iconic film actors from the Golden Age of Hollywood. How do you think that developing one of these iconic characters might differ from developing a character with whom fewer people are familiar? How is it the same? As an actor, do you think you would like to play one of these famous actors? Why or why not? RELATED POST-SHOW ASSIGNMENTS: (Based on Language Arts State Standards) 1. Select one of America’s great dancers other than Ginger Rogers and write a research paper that develops a logical argument or thesis about this person’s influence on dance (particularly in film), contains comprehensive, supporting information from a variety of credible and cited sources, and conforms to the MLA style manual. 2. Select one of America’s great dancers other than Ginger Rogers. Write an expository essay in which you compare/contrast his or her dance style(s) to that of Ginger Rogers. 3. Select and view one of Ginger Rogers’ movies and a few episodes of So You Think You Can Dance. Write an expository essay in which you compare/contrast the dance styles exhibited in the film with those found in So You Think You Can Dance. Which dance styles are exhibited in each? How has dance on film/television evolved over time? 4. Write a summary of Ginger Rogers’ life that presents information clearly and accurately and contains the most significant details. 5. Write a letter from Ginger Rogers to her mother, Lela, once her mother is no longer touring with Ginger. What does Ginger need to tell her mother in this moment? Use examples from the script to determine what Ginger writes to her mother about. Use standard letter format, complete sentences, and appropriate punctuation. 6. Write a research paper tracing the history and evolution of tap dancing. Out of what dance styles did tap evolve? What are the cultural roots of this style of dance, and what is its significance, particularly in the African-American community? Has tap influenced other styles of dance, and if so, how? What is the significance of the fact that it was ultimately white film stars like Ginger Rogers and Fred Astaire who brought this style of dance to mainstream audiences? Arizona Theatre Company Play Guide 23 Backwards in High Heels DISCUSSION 7. Write a research paper detailing the evolution of song and dance in film beginning during The Golden Age of Hollywood and continuing through contemporary film and television. How did this trend start? How is the use of song and dance in film related to musical theatre? When did this trend begin to die out? When did it begin again? How has television continued or reinvented the use of song and dance as a method of storytelling? RELATED POST-SHOW ASSIGNMENTS: (Based on the Theatre Arts State Standards) The writers of Backwards in High Heels, Lynnette Barkley and Christopher McGovern, have created a musical that combines original compositions with popular songs of Ginger Rogers’ era. This music, regardless of the composer, is used to push the story of Ginger Rogers’ life forward in a way that is compelling and entertaining to an audience. When a performer steps onto the stage, he simultaneously commits himself to an act of giving and storytelling. The story he tells may take a myriad of different forms- catharsis, joy, music, dance- but the performer’s audience comes to the theatre to be led by the hand and told an amazing story. A musical might be described as a story of such heightened emotion that its characters have no choice but to express themselves by means of impromptu song and dance. That said, the skeleton of a musical is always its story. The singing and dancing always propel that story in someway. 1. Instruct your students to pick a piece of music of any genre. The only guidelines are the music must move the students in some way (i.e. inspire them, fill them with energy, move them to tears, make them laugh, etc.) and it must be classroom appropriate. Students may work individually or in groups of up to three. For this exercise, group work is ideal. Group work will allow interaction between the students and collaboration in order to determine what is eventually created. 2. Ask your students to listen to their piece of music enough times so that a story is created in their minds. In other words, let the way the music moves them become images in their imaginations. Then instruct them to allow those images to connect to each other until they form a story that has linear movement and can be communicated and understood by an audience. • If the students in the group have different stories in mind, encourage them to explore ways of combining those stories for maximum dramatic or comedic impact. Arizona Theatre Company Play Guide 24 Backwards in High Heels DISCUSSION 3. Ask your students to plot out a beginning, middle, and an end to this story. These parts should correspond somehow with the music. They should use mainly body language in the telling and if the music has words, instruct them that they may sing along. Additional dialogue should not be used, the idea being that if your students trust their imaginations fully and effectively use non-verbal communication to create the world of the story (the way a professional performer does), the audience will see and follow the story as well. 4. When the basic outline of the story is mapped out, ask your students to consider the trajectory of their stories. In much the same way as a musical, ask your students to decide where a moment of random and impromptu a dance would best move the story forward. Dance is this instance may be thought of as a basic expression of any emotion utilizing the body. This “dance break” can be as loose as mosh pit style movement, or it may be a stylized and choreographed set of movements. The strongest choice that can be made in terms of type of movement is that which fulfills and propels the story they have created. The story is the skeleton and the movement is the muscle that propels the skeleton. 5. Now ask your students to create a script of their story they will use to realize their performance. Since the ‘dialogue’ of this scene is the song lyrics (if present), the scene might be plotted out using the lyrics to indicate specific pieces of action. Example 1 (Using Its Too Darn Hot from Kiss Me Kate, written by Cole Porter) Lyric: “It’s too darn hot.” Action: Jack, Jill, and Debbie fan their faces with their hands and pretend to swoon in the heat. Etc. Example 2 (Using “Dream of a Witches Sabbath”, the 5th Movement of Symphonie Fantastique by Hector Berlioz) 1 minute 43 seconds – At crescendo Action: Alex and Sam jump onto the stage, running from Amy, who is the Monster, startling her and causing her to fall down. 1 minute 53 seconds – Clarinet featured Action: Alex and Sam consider the situation, and wonder if the Monster is really a monster at all…they begin to explore. Etc. Scripting the scene in this way will allow the students to think more concretely about how to most effectively communicate their story to the audience. Arizona Theatre Company Play Guide 25 Backwards in High Heels 6. Ask your students to perform their stories for the class. The music should be used as the backdrop. Once all of the groups have performed, ask the following debriefing questions. 1. Was it difficult to agree on a song with your group? How did you ultimately decide on your song? What was it about that song that spoke strongly to all of you? 2. Did your group agree immediately on the story, or did you have to make compromises? Was this easy or difficult? 3. As you developed your story, did it change from your first idea? How did you handle this? 4. Ask the class to go through each scene. Were the stories clear? What could have been clarified? Ask the students if they now hear different things in the song(s) then they did before. What do they hear now? 5. Do you feel you have a better understanding of how songs might be chosen or written for a musical? Why or why not? Sources Include: http://www.centralhome.com/ballroomcountry/swing.htm http://www.savoystyle.com/whiteys_lindy_hoppers.html http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Swing_(dance)http://www.imdb.com/name/nm0000073/bio http://en.wikipedia.org/ http://thedabara.net/ http://www.answers.com/topic/world-s-fair http://www.imdb.com/name/nm0001677/bio (The Internet Movie Database) http://www.gingerrogers.com/about/bio.html (Ginger Rogers official site) Arizona Theatre Company Play Guide 26
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