Living Comedy

You might say Heidi Turnquist is a woman on her way up. The Eugene thespian was first cast this spring as a lowly member of the ensemble in a production of Lady, Be Good! that opens Friday, July 8, at The Shedd Institute. Next thing she knew, she was asked to also take on a supporting role.

Then, in the second week of rehearsal, director Richard Jessup suddenly withdrew from the production for personal reasons, and Turnquist was invited to step in and direct the entire show.

If this reminds you of the plot of a zany backstage musical, imagine Turnquist’s reaction when she got the call from Shedd Executive Director Jim Ralph asking her to take over. “There was absolutely a lot of, ‘Oh, geez, can I do this?’” she says. “What have I gotten myself into?”

But Turnquist was already involved with the show and knew the overall design laid down by Jessup. She has plenty of experience directing student shows. And, you know, the show must go on. Turnquist said, “Yes.”

“It’s really come together really nicely,” she says. “And the team’s just been fantastic.”

First produced in New York in 1924, Lady, Be Good! is an example of very early American musical comedy that works on the contemporary stage. With music by George and Ira Gershwin, it’s full of tunes like the title song and “Fascinating Rhythm,” which are so much a part of American culture that you probably know them even if you don’t think you do.

The fast-moving book by Guy Bolton and Fred Thompson also contains a lot of timeless comic schtick, from mistaken identity to a pair of handcuffs, and clever multi-lingual wordplay.

In the story, Dick and Susie Trevor, a brother and sister dance team (played by Fred Astaire and his sister, Adele Astaire in the 1924 production), have run out of money and are about to be evicted from their apartment. Their complicated romantic lives and financial pressures fuel the quick-witted hijinks that drive the story from one song to another.

Turnquist says one reason Lady Be Good works for contemporary audiences is that its humor follows a timeless formula. “You know, we always joke that musical comedy is a revue with a chase scene and a wedding at the end,” she says, “This one is a musical revue with a chase scene and an engagement at the end.”

In The Shedd’s production, Dick and Susie Trevor are played by Trevor Eichhorn and Claire Kepple. Other cast principals include Brandon B. Weaver, Tate Foshay, Jim Peerenboom, Lucy Geller, Kara Churchill, Riley Given, Hannah Rudkin and Kelsey Stewart.

Robert Ashens is music director. Choreography is by Laura Sue Hiszczynskyj, and set design is by Jim Ralph.

Lady, Be Good! opens at 7:30 pm Friday, July 8, and runs through Sunday, July 17, at The Shedd Institute’s Jaqua Concert Hall. Tickets are $29 to $39 at TheShedd.org.

A Note From the Publisher

Dear Readers,

The last two years have been some of the hardest in Eugene Weekly’s 43 years. There were moments when keeping the paper alive felt uncertain. And yet, here we are — still publishing, still investigating, still showing up every week.

That’s because of you!

Not just because of financial support (though that matters enormously), but because of the emails, notes, conversations, encouragement and ideas you shared along the way. You reminded us why this paper exists and who it’s for.

Listening to readers has always been at the heart of Eugene Weekly. This year, that meant launching our popular weekly Activist Alert column, after many of you told us there was no single, reliable place to find information about rallies, meetings and ways to get involved. You asked. We responded.

We’ve also continued to deepen the coverage that sets Eugene Weekly apart, including our in-depth reporting on local real estate development through Bricks & Mortar — digging into what’s being built, who’s behind it and how those decisions shape our community.

And, of course, we’ve continued to bring you the stories and features many of you depend on: investigations and local government reporting, arts and culture coverage, sudoku and crossword puzzles, Savage Love, and our extensive community events calendar. We feature award-winning stories by University of Oregon student reporters getting real world journalism experience. All free. In print and online.

None of this happens by accident. It happens because readers step up and say: this matters.

As we head into a new year, please consider supporting Eugene Weekly if you’re able. Every dollar helps keep us digging, questioning, celebrating — and yes, occasionally annoying exactly the right people. We consider that a public service.

Thank you for standing with us!