Musical theatre historian Gerald Bordman writes in American Musical Theatre, a Chronicle:

"Though the show was not the biggest smash of the season -- Rose-Marie won that accolade -- it may well ahve been its most important musical. For with this show the rhymths, tensions and color of stage jazz were defined ... Gershwin had deonstrated the grammar of the style in "Somebody Loves Me" and a few other, earlier songs. Now he supplied the entire, consistent score in the idiom. Coupled with his brother Ira's fresh, colloquial, and often sassy lyrics, a new tone was introduced to the American musical stage. It was an abrupt contrast to the arioso style of operetta."

Critical reception to the Broadway opening fell just short of raves, with most of the papers hailing the new show as "the best musical in town." All the reviews singled out the "startling" Gershwin score and the performances of the Astaires as the highlights of the new show. Many critics noted the cleverness of the placement of the title song, which was not sung by Dick or Jack to his girl, but by the lead comic, Watty, as a plea for Susie to participate in his masquerade. Four other solid hits emerged from e score: "Fascinating Rhythm," "The Half-Of-It, Dearie, Blues," "So Am I," and "Little Jazz Bird."

In 1937, Adele Astaire visited her brother in Hollywood, and rumors abounded that the pair were going to make a film version of Lady, Be Good! RKO (astaire's studio) was not keen on the idea of giving competition to the successful pairing of Astaire and Ginger Rogers, and Adele herself felt that Fred had far surpassed her in technique with his film work. The idea was soon abandoned. A motion picture called Lady, Be Good! was finally made in 1941, starring Eleanor Powell and Ann Sothern, but only the title and the songs "Oh Lady, Be Good" and "Fascinating Rhythm" were retained from the original property.

The most noteworthy recent revival was in the mid-80's at the Goodspeed Opera House in East Haddam, Connecticut. gershwin archivist Tommy Krasker revised the book, sticking closely to the Broadway original but inserting the Charleston number from the London production. The production was successful enough to warrant a tour (also successful) after it closed at Goodspeed, but a planned Broadway transfer never materialized. It is essentially this version of the show which is being presented by 42nd St. Moon, although the Ukulele Ike character has been deleted.

SAN FRANCISCO (6 November 1996) -- The fascinating rhythms of the first great jazz age musical, George and Ira Gershwin's LADY, BE GOOD!, will wrap up 42nd St. Moon's acclaimed 1996 Lost Musical Series. A trend-setter on the musical stage, LADY, BE GOOD!, was the Gershwin's first Broadway musical as a team, and starred the brother and sister duo of Fred and Adele Astaire. 42nd St. Moon's Lost Musical Series presents LADY, BE GOOD! in staged-concert version, November 29 - December 15, 1996 (Preview: Wed., Nov. 27), at the New Conservatory Theatre Center, 25 Van Ness Avenue. For tickets and information, the public may call 415/861-8972.
A comedy farce with leading roles designed for the Astaires, LADY, BE GOOD! (originally titled "Black-Eyed Susan") was created by Guy Bolton and Fred Thompson in keeping with Adele's comedic flare and Fred's guise of sophisticated straight man. The show's loose-jointed plot revolves around the exploits of the brother-and-sister vaudeville team, Dick and Susie Trevor, who, through a series of madcap adventures hinging on missing wills and haughty heiresses, find themselves rocketing from the state of the dispossessed to wealth and popularity among the Long Island haut monde.

LADY, BE GOOD! marked George and Ira Gershwin's first complete score to be produced on Broadway. Marching into the jazz-age, the show featured such adventurous and jazzy numbers as the hit "Fascinating Rhythm," "Little Jazz Bird," "So Am I, "I'd Rather Charleston," and "Lady, Be Good." In an innovative move, George Gershwin included duo-pianists in the pit orchestra, effectively establishing a trend that would come to typify the sound of 1920's theatre orchestration. After a well-received opening at the Liberty Theatre in Manhattan in December of 1924, where the show enjoyed a ten-month run of 330 performances, LADY, BE GOOD! moved on to a successful national tour and West End edition, with the Astaires recreating their roles.

Greg MacKellan will direct 42nd St. Moon's staged concert version of LADY, BE GOOD!, with Peggy Gorham providing musical direction. Steve Zee will provide special tap choreography. Michael Farbstein and Casey Seymour star as "Dick and Susie Trevor," the roles originally played by Fred and Adele Astaire. Farbstein has appeared in numerous Peninsula Light Opera productions, including ME & MY GIRL, and will be remembered for last season's AMERICA'S SWEETHEART with 42nd St. Moon. This will be Casey Seymour's first appearance with 42nd St. Moon. Mark Silence, introduced earlier this season as the suave American film agent in SILK STOCKINGS, will portray "Jack Robinson." Silence's credits include several local A.C.T. productions such as GOOD, CHARLEY'S AUNT, A CHRISTMAS CAROL, and CAT ON A HOT TIN ROOF. He also has held a recurring part on the T.V. series Beverly Hills 90210. Robert Weinapple, recently seen in the A.C.T. production of SCHEMIEL THE FIRST, makes his second appearance with 42nd St. Moon as "Watty Watkins." Weinapple has previously performed with Diablo Light Opera Company, Aurora Theatre Company, TheatreWorks, Marin Theatre Company, and Marin Shakespeare. Jenny Lord, seen in BOYS FROM SYRACUSE and OH, KAY! for the San Francisco Shakespeare Festival, will hit the stage as "Shirley Vernon." Also included in the company: Milissa Carey, Natasha Burr, Don Cima, Keith Vitali, Marti Berg, Karin Tucker and Paul Plain.

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