First Lady Suite

First Lady Suite is an evening of four one-act chamber musicals about the lives of celebrated first ladies: Over Texas takes place aboard Air Force One on November 22, 1963 and focuses on Mary Gallagher, the First Lady’s personal secretary, and Evelyn Lincoln, personal secretary to the President, who try to relax as they fly to Dallas on that fateful day; Where’s Mamie? becomes a time-travel fantasy as Mamie Eisenhower, melancholic, and alone on her birthday, is paid a visit by Marian Anderson; Olio presents Margaret Truman at a recital trying her best to sing as she is constantly upstaged by First Lady Bess; and Eleanor Sleeps Here is a heart-rending examination of the relationship between Eleanor Roosevelt and Lorena Hickock as they’re flown over Washington by Amelia Earhart.

The cast of 11 included several Broadway veterans including Mary Testa (2-time Tony nominee), Mary Beth Peil (Tony nominee), and Julia Murney (Drama Desk nominee), Cheryl Stern, Ruth Gottschall, Sherry D. Boone, Donna Lynne Champlin, James Hindman, Diane Sutherland and Robyn Hussa. Orchestrated for two pianos and cello, First Lady Suite turned out to be smash hit, receiving rave reviews from every major critic in New York and beyond.

The entire run of First Lady Suite was sold out and audiences were standing room only. During the run, Patrick Hoffman, Head of Lincoln Center Theatre on Film and Tape Archive, attended the show and immediately decided to film First Lady Suite for their archives. Now, future researchers can go to The New York Performing Arts Library at Lincoln Center and view First Lady Suite for scholarly purposes. Transport Group was further honored on April 29, 2004 when the Drama Desk Awards nominated First Lady Suite for Outstanding Revival of a Musical and Outstanding Featured Actress in a Musical (Mary Testa).