Eileen von Dadelszen plays legendary New York heiress and socialite Florence Foster Jenkins and Robert Hickey plays her partner St Clair Bayfield in the play Glorious!, to be performed at The Little Theatre.
Eileen von Dadelszen plays legendary New York heiress and socialite Florence Foster Jenkins and Robert Hickey plays her partner St Clair Bayfield in the play Glorious!, to be performed at The Little Theatre.
Napier Repertory Players will be performing Glorious! at The Little Theatre for the Art Deco season.
Described as “a play with music”, this delightful comedy is based on the true story of Florence Foster Jenkins - played by Eileen von Dadelszen - a legendary New York heiress and socialite whowas a prominent figure in the New York arts scene for almost half a century.
Born into a wealthy Pennsylvanian family, Nascina Florence Foster took piano lessons up until the age of 15, when she married 30-year-old Dr Frank Jenkins, who most likely gave her syphilis, a then-incurable disease. When the pair separated after three years, she kept the doctor’s name and returned to music, attending the Philadelphia Academy of Music.
She moved to New York City and, with the help of her father’s inheritance, started programming musical recitals. During one performance in 1909, she met St Clair Bayfield, played by Robert Hickey, an accomplished English actor who became her partner and, later, her manager.
Florence had difficulty with basic vocal skills such as pitch, rhythm, and sustaining notes and phrases. Her accompanist, Cosmé McMoon, made adjustments to compensate for her constant tempo variations and rhythmic mistakes. Music will be played live by Amand Gerbault-Gaylor, an accomplished music graduate and musician.
Cosmé (Amand Gerbault-Gaylor), Florence (Eileen von Dadelszen), Dorothy (Joanne Stevens), and St Clair (Robert Hickey) at the Melotone Studios during rehearsal for Glorious!
Florence dreamed of being an opera singer and started giving performances for the groups she supported, such as the Verdi Club. These concerts were greeted with enthusiasm by club members, who were no doubt very grateful for her sizable contributions and support of the arts.
Florence made her own extravagant costumes, and continued to do live performances for several decades.
Director Anne Corney is delighted to be bringing the story of Florence Foster Jenkins to Hawke’s Bay audiences.
“Florence was a woman who dared to dream. She believed in herself, and had the courage and confidence to share her love of music,” Anne says.
Set in New York in 1944, audiences will witness Florence performing at the Melotone recording studio, the Ritz Carlton Hotel, and ultimately, a sold-out concert in Carnegie Hall.
During her last days, Jenkins reportedly said, “People may say I can’t sing, but no-one can ever say I didn’t sing.”
This production has a strictly limited season, with full table service and performance dates selling out fast.
Tickets for these performances are available from:
