Ian Simpson and Alexis Papedo in Lady, Be Good!

In the first of their Ira Gershwin Celebration Shows this season, 42nd Street Moon has done the master proud. Lady, Be Good! with its medley of memorable show tunes has put the fascination in “Fascinatin’ Rhythm” and the good in the title song! 

Written by Guy Bolton and Fred Thompson with music by George Gershwin and lyrics by Ira Gershwin, this musical follows a brother and sister who are out of money and each is eager to sacrifice himself/herself to help the other. Its first production on Broadway in 1924 starred the fabulous brother and sister team Fred and Adele Astaire.

While the story of homelessness in Lady, Be Good! is a glamorous, light-hearted treatment of a dire situation, the siblings’ desperation and hunger drives them to a party just to get some “hors d’oeuvres” is very real. Having missed paying their rent for 18 months, sister Susie Trevor (the brightly energetic, wide-eyed song-bird Rena Wilson) and brother Dick (the sincere, sweet-toned Ian Simpson) find themselves out on the street. Looking for their next meal, and meal ticket, they attend the party of the socialite Josephine Vanderwater (a regal Lisa Shepard Hensley) who has always been enamored with Dicky Boy.  And Dick is willing to forego his real love, sweet Shirley Vernon (the delightful Lexie Papedo), so that Dick and sister Susie can eat. 

Enter Watty Watkins — played with spot-on timing and professional panache by Andrew Boyer — who is followed by South-of-the-Border gangster Estrada (a subtly menacing Rudy Guerrero). Watty is consequently in dire need of ready cash to settle his debts and escape bodily harm. As part of his escape scheme, Watkins engages Susie (also in need of cash to save her brother from a loveless marriage) to impersonate the jailed-in-Tijuana Spanish Senora Robinson to collect the huge inheritance of her deceased husband, Jack Robinson. It turns out that the vagrant who Susie had earlier met on the street and fallen in love with was the same Jack Robinson (the fine crooning Noel Anthony). Following Susie to the party, Jack finds her there, where she spurns him initially to complete her deal with Watkins. 

Having a bit of fun with her at first, Jack rescues Susie as his own soon-to-be real wife, with his legal inheritance making it possible for everyone to end up with the best lover for each concerned! Even the shenanigans of the kiss-kissing comic duo Bertie (Ben Knoll) and Daisy (Lillian Askew Everdell) are happily rewarded. This is one of those instances where there are too many fine highlights to mention them all, but that Little Jazz Bird Quartet number at the Hot Springs Club is so hot!

Kudos to the whole ensemble for bringing the entire show to life! Zack Thomas Wilde fills the Eureka Theatre stage with his well-executed choreography, captained by Rudy Guerrero, and Musical Director Dave Dobrusky accompanies on the piano. Tightly directed by Chris Smith, and with the added panache of Louise Jarmilowicz’ 1920s costumes, this 42nd Street Moon production is not to be missed. 

Fine family entertainment, Lady, Be Good! is a toe-tapping, beautifully-sung rendition of a sweet musical, filled with tunes you’ll be humming for days to come!

Lady, Be Good! continues (Wednesday to Sunday, various times) until April 18 at Eureka Theatre, 215 Jackson Street, San Francisco. Tickets ($34 to $44) call (415) 255-8207 or at 42ndstmoon.org.