The Fitzgeralds of St. Paul musical

The Tony Award nominations were released last week, and theater fans have their eyes on Broadway in anticipation of the awards ceremony on June 7, live from Radio City Music Hall. Getting a show to Broadway can take years, and even after it arrives, the reception can be tepid. (Who’s seen Beaches?). Other stories, more intimate in nature, might resonate best in smaller venues, where audience and story are within arm’s reach. A recent industry presentation of The Fitzgeralds of St. Paul proves just how precarious the theatermaking process can be, and how joyous it is to see the best of the best at work.

The myth belonged to him, the story is hers

1 Minute Critic recently attended a staged reading of Christie Baugher’s new musical about F. Scott and Zelda Fitzgerald. This two-hander welcomes audiences inside the world of one of the 20th century’s most famous literary couples.

Baugher joins the ranks of theatermakers inspired by the couple’s story. Their jet-setting lifestyle (“I hate a room without an open suitcase in it,” says Zelda) fueled a relationship riddled with highs and lows, jealousy, literary success, and mental health struggles.

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The recent reading featured Julie Benko (Funny Girl, Ragtime) and Bobby Conte (Company) in the title roles, staged at the newly renovated Laurie Beachman Theatre, a legendary cabaret venue west of the Theater District. The 1920s-infused score, accompanied by a trio of piano, percussion, and bass, lures audiences into the couple’s passionate and often volatile world.

Dismantling the myth beyond F. Scott’s works (most notably The Great Gatsby, now a Broadway musical), Baugher focuses the narrative on the couple’s complex creative struggles and Zelda’s mental health. Herself an accomplished writer, what success might she have achieved had the world been more welcoming to female literary voices?

For those interested in finding out, one published work, Save Me the Waltz, survives.