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I was listening to First Lady Suite and I realized that Michael John LaChiusa reused this little melody from "Eleanor's Letter" later for "There Is A Child" in Giant... interesting to see what was such a quick moment in one song get a second life as a centerpiece of another.
Mary Testa and Mary Beth Peil sing Eleanor’s Letter from First Lady Suite [New York, 2 April 2004]
First Daughter Suite: Writer Michael John LaChiusa and director Kirsten Sanderson aren’t new to the political musical - they teamed up in 1993 for First Lady Suite, which premiered here at The Public!
Mary Testa and Mary Beth Peil perform “Eleanor’s Letter” from the 2004 Transport Group production of First Lady Suite
I was re-listening to this show in preparation of First Daughter Suite, and I never noticed it before, but some of the lyrics that Eleanor sings in this song are taken from actual letters written between Eleanor and Hickok.
Also I just remembered I have this (shoutout to sallydurantplummer1941 for hooking me up) and I figured I should share it.
First Lady Suite is a set of four one act Michael John LaChiusa musicals about the first ladies of the US and the people surrounding them. The final act centers around Lorena Hickok, and concerns her lesbian relationship with Eleanor Roosevelt. (There are a host of letters sent between the two that support this story.) In the Transport Group revival of the show she's played by the goddess Mary Testa, in a Drama Desk Nominated role.
I'm on a "lesbians in musicals" kick right now, so let's remember this little gem from First Lady Suite. I kind of zoned out the first time I listened to this recording, so when I finally caught on to what these songs were about I did a double take.
A powerful number sung by Marian Anderson.
Mary: I can't do anything else.
Evelyn: Sure you can. But this is what you do well.
