I Like Ike - Call Me Madam and the Election of 1952

Right after opening night I overheard two Moonies talking about the election of 1952.  Not all that odd considering one of the great comedic songs of Call Me Madam is entitled, "They Like Ike."

But I realized I too had no idea who had actually won that particular election. 

Had Harry S. Truman bested Eisenhower who would come back later to win the Presidency?  I could have sworn it was Adlai Stevenson that lost to Eisenhower.

I would say this is one of those times where my public education failed me.

For those of you, who like me, are a little fuzzy on the details... here they are.

Truman took over the post of the Presidency when FDR passed away.  He then won re-election (just barely) against Thomas Dewey in 1948 leading to this now famous picture ---------------->

He was a good two years into his second term when Irving Berlin wrote "They Like Ike" for Call Me Madam.  Madam's Democratic Senators Brockbank and Gallagher (played by DC Scarpelli and John-Elliot Kirk) could not have known how unpopular Truman would become shortly after the Korean War began to escalate toward the end of 1950.

(DC Scarpelli and John-Elliott Kirk)

So unpopular in fact, that he lost the New Hampshire primary to Senator Estes Kefauver.  A loss that surely would have made Madam's Congresswoman Betsey "I'm the Republican" Wilkins (played by Scarlett Hepworth) very happy indeed.

(Scarlett Hepworth)

Truman bowed out of the election.  Adlai Stevenson received the democratic nomination and lost to Dwight "I Like Ike" D. Eisenhower.  Berlin, a life long conservative, lent his song to Ike.  It would become a fixture in the campaign.

Eisenhower recalled Perle Mesta for political reasons in the spring of 1953.  There is a lovely letter from Mesta to Eisenhower currently on display at the Eureka Theatre.  Make sure to look it over when you come to see Call Me Madam, now playing through Oct. 18th.

Tell us your recollections of the Election of 1952.  Who did you, or your family vote for and why?  Do you think history looked more kindly upon Truman than his contemporaries did?  Leave a comment and let us Moonies what you think about this time in our past.

The Host with the Most - Consul General of Luxembourg Throws His Own Party

Relationships...

Like the Hokey-Pokey "that's what it's all about."

(Photo: Charlie Levy)

(Photo Giana DeGeiso)

Call Me Madam is no exception. There is the relationship between the dashing young press attaché (Charlie Levy) and pretty princess (Giana DeGeiso); a handsome Prime Minister (Rob Hatzenbeller) and a brassy confident Ambassador (Klea Blackhurst).

 (Photo: Rob Hatzenbeller)

(Photo: Klea Blackhurst)

But these aren't the only relationships in the show. There is also the relationship between the people and their government officials; a nation and their traditions; and of course the relationship between "two mythical countries. One is called Lichtenburg, the other the United States of America."

If you know the show, or have been following the blog for the past month, you know that Call Me Madam is based somewhat on the very real relationship between the European Country of Luxembourg and the United States of America. What you may not know is that Call Me Madam is still strengthening the relationship between our two countries!

(Taken during Klea Blackhurst's trip to Luxembourg to star in a concert version of Call Me Madam produced by the Hon. Georges Faber, former U.S. Ambassador to Luxembourg Ann Wagner and Klea Blackhurst hold a picture of the first U.S. Ambassador to Luxembourg Perle Mesta.)

Tonight the Honorable Georges Faber, Consul General of Luxembourg, is hosting a reception after our final preview performance. In keeping with the show's themes, it will feature wine and cheese. The Consul General has also generously donated a number of photographs of Perle Mesta, which will be on display at the Eureka for the duration of Call Me Madam's run.

(The Hon. Georges Faber, Consul General of Luxembourg and his wife, Barbara Faber-Mohr)

Moonies, audience members, and friends of the Consul General will be mingling, discussing the show, and enjoying wine from Luxembourg's wine growing region along the Moselle river. The region produces some lovely whites and a sparkling Crémant.  The wines featured tonight will be a creamy-textured medium bodied Pinot Blanc (2007) with hints of apricot, apple, and pear; and a Crémant made from mostly Chardonnay and Reisling grapes, giving this well structured bubbly good acidity and a crisp, fruity finish.

The cheese selection is a traditional cheese from Luxembourg, Kachkeis. It is a cooked cheese best spread on country bread with Luxembourg mustard.  The spouse of the Consul General, Mrs. Barbara Faber-Mohr prepared both the cheese and a special pistachio hors d'oeuvres.

For those of you who have tickets to tonight's performance, you are encouraged to join in the festivities and help cement the friendship that Perle Mesta began some 59 years ago. Then come back to the blog and leave a comment about the party!

If you don't have your tickets for tonight, I'm afraid we are sold out. But don't forget, 42nd Street Moon also hosts a champagne and hors d'oeuvres reception after Opening Night (tomorrow), and there are still some good seats available. For tickets call (415) 255 8207 or click here.

Cheese, hors d'oeuvres, and wine for "Luxembourg Night" generously provided by the Hon. Georges Faber and Mrs. Barbara Faber-Mohr.

Hors d'oeuvres for Opening Night are generously provide by L'Olivier Restaurant.

The Klea Chronicles - An Interview with Klea Blackhurst in Three Parts (Part 2)

(Photo: Klea Blackhurst)

Part two of our conversation with Klea Blackhurst, Star of 42nd Street Moon's production of Irving Berlin's Call Me Madam.

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Not many Moonies will probably know this, but you play the Ukulele?

               

I do play the ukulele, I do.  I’m glad you know that.  Yeah I do play the ukulele.

I grew up in a house that we loved ukulele.  We had this box with 30 ukuleles in it.  When people came over… we were weird. We played songs on the ukulele.  We had a big flip chart of like “Froggy Went a Courtin’’” and we just all played along.  We knew our C and our G our D7…

So I sort of incorporated that into my acts as I grew up.  My very first song I did – professional, in an act – was a version of “Mountain Greenery” with my ukulele.  I liked it so much that every show I did, I put it in.

For my Merman show, Everything the Traffic Will Allow, I chose to do, “Life is Just a Bowl of Cherries.” 

It’s kind of a fun thing.  I actually only play well enough that it takes me a long time to learn a song, so I really only work myself up to one for every show.

Tell me about your Ukulele Collection.

Once people know you like things, you better like what you think you like.  You say, “I love owls” and you’ll get every figurine of an owl. 

A lot of people let their little ukuleles find their way to me. My friend just gave me a gorgeous one from… it must be from the 30’s.  I think she had it when she was a little girl.  It’s beautiful.  I get them kind of cleaned up professionally, you know give them the once over. For my birthday this year, a couple of my friends gave me this fabulous ukulele that is really made out of a cigar box, like you can open up the back.  This guy makes these amazing ukuleles. I have all kinds of different ones.

Will Sally be strummin’ a tune for the people of Lichtenberg?

I can’t imagine that Sally will be pulling out a ukulele, although we’re very early in the rehearsal process and you never know what will change.  I won’t put the final ix-nay on that, but I can’t imagine anyone… it’s already got an ocarina in the show.  I mean come on, you don’t need a ukulele after the ocarina has taken center stage.

(Yes ocarinas do exist)

Where does your characterization of Sally Adams come from?

It’s all kinda there. I think Call Me Madam is a little more evolved, in a way, from the golden age of musical comedies. I mean there’s some kind of like baddy-bing badda-boom lines. You say what’s there and be present in the moment.  It’s just written.

In the Irving Berlin score it’s really clear who she is and the cadence in which she speaks.  Like CALL ME MADAM, you know what you’re supposed to do there.

And [the characterization] is sort of new. I did a concert version of Call Me Madam, but I’ve never got to play the part and do the full script and everything.  So, I’m finding her. I try it out.

I let the script… and also a little bit of work on Perle Mesta, who this is based on.  But you know, I think it’s really more Merman than Mesta. It’s the concept of an Ambassador going to a tiny country – which was Perle Mesta – but I think Call Me Madam is definitely Ethel Merman as an Ambassador to a small country.

I just do what’s on the paper.

Can you tell me more about the Concert version you did?

It was so exciting.  I was asked in the late 2007 [by] The Rodgers and Hammerstein Company, which also handles the Irving Berlin catalogue. There were doing this concert that was going to Luxembourg – which is the real country that Lichtenberg is based on – they were going to do this concert version of the show and they invited me to come and play Sally Adams.

We did it in the “Carnegie Hall” of Luxembourg, then we did it in Perle Mesta’s house – which is still the Ambassador’s.  We did it there… a command performance with Marines and guests… her honored guests. Then a third performance, we did at the air force base for the troops stationed over there and it was… it was fantastic! It was really a once in a lifetime thing.  

We were guests of Luxembourg. So, we were taken here and there and got to go to their concert halls and museums.  It was really fun. 

It was a big honor to do it. 

Call Me Madam had never been done in any form in Luxembourg; I guess that’s kind of a badge of distinction… 

Who produced that evening concert?

[The Honorable Consul General] Georges Farber and he’s doing a Luxembourg night for us right? 

He’s handsome and adorable and the Consul General, and he’s stationed here in San Francisco now.  But he was in NY for a long time.  He is exactly what you’d want – like this fantasy.  He’s dashing and charming and a wonderful guy. He gave us a fantastic trip through his country.

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Check back on Friday for the rest Klea about her concert career and her first audition!

Do you have any questions for Klea?  Leave them in the comments section and I’ll make sure to ask her!

Call Me Madam begins previews Wednesday September 23 and opens September 26 at the Eureka Theatre.  For tickets click here, or call us at (415) 255 - 8207.  

Will the Real Sally Adams Please Stand Up: Perle Mesta and Call Me Madam

(Photo: Perle Mesta on the Cover of Time)

Before Klea, before Tyne, before Ethel… there was Perle.

Who?

Perle Mesta! The original “Hostess with the Mostes’”

I knew that Call Me Madam was based on a real story, but I had no idea who inspired Sally Adams. I also had no idea that the lives of Sally Adams and Perle Mesta were so closely aligned.

Perle Mesta (originally Pearl Skirvin) was born in 1889 and, like Sally Adams, was the daughter of a wealthy Oklahoma oilman. She married a millionaire Steel manufacturer George Mesta in 1916, but was widowed in 1925 – the only heir to his fortune.

In 1940, she moved to Washington D.C., became active in the National Woman’s Party, was an early supporter of the Equal Rights Amendment, and switched party affiliations (becoming a Democrat). She also became D.C.’s No. 1 hostess, and quickly discovered a useful and economical secret: her kind of guests like to entertain each other. At Perle Mesta's soirées, Harry Truman played the piano, (then) General Ike Eisenhower sang “Drink to Me Only with Thine Eyes” (in a shaky baritone), and Mrs. Cornelius Vanderbilt whistled in a duet.

A staunch supporter of Truman, she served on the Democrats' finance committee during his 1948 campaign and then acted as co-chairman of his inaugural ball.

(Photo: at Truman's Inauguration.  L-R Bess Truman, Perle Mesta, Harry Truman, Margaret Truman)

In 1949, Truman named her minister to Luxembourg. She was the first to hold the post – diplomatic relations with the country were previously handled by the U.S. ambassador to Belgium – and the third woman appointed to a foreign diplomatic post.

She served until 1953, becoming the first woman to receive Luxembourg's highest honor, the Grand Cross of the Crown of Oak.

(Perle Mesta in Luxemburg. Photo by Demitri Kessel)

A woman Ambassador being such a rarity, when asked how she wished to be referred to… she replied, “Call me Madam Minister.” Irving Berlin shortened this retort to the title of his show.

She also relished her new found moniker of “Hostess with the Mostes’” taken from Berlin’s song from the show “Hostess with the Mostes’ at the Ball”.

After leaving Luxembourg in 1954, Mesta spent much of the next decade traveling the world. She met with the heads of 19 different governments, even touring Soviet Russia. She narrowly escaped death in 1955 after getting caught up in a riot between Communist and anti-Communist factions in Saigon, Vietnam.

Mesta died on March 16, 1975, aged 85. However, her memory lives on in Sally Adams and the hearts and minds of many Luxembourgians where she is still thought of fondly.

For more about Perle check out this mini documentary:

Or you can read about her in Paul Lesch's Book Playing Her Part:Perle Mesta in Luxemburg, which he then made into a documentary entitled Call Her Madam.  Also check out this fascinating google time line.

Call Me Madam starts previews Sept 23, opening night is Sept 26, and it runs through Oct 18th at the Eureka Theatre, 215 Jackson St. For tickets click here, or call (415) 255-8207.

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Perle Mesta was a colorful figure for over three decades. She could be brash, having once remarked “Any B***h with a million dollars and a nice dress can throw a party in Washington.”

Do you remember reading about her? Or did any of you get a chance to meet her? Share your stories in the comments section and win prizes!