Is Anybody There?

So here's how it stands at present:

Trude (yes we're on a first name basis) does pop up in a lot of people memoirs. There is often a brief description of her personal appearance-she had a short mass of curly hair and thick glasses-and that she was a remarkable pianist. Clearly anyone could tell you that because that's all they tell you. But what really intrigues me is her relationship with Mary Rodgers. I'm sure they were aware of each other but I have no idea what kind of interaction they would have had. I was especially moved by an interview Mary Rodgers gave when she said she had no women composers to look to as role models. At some point in her life she must have been made away of Rittman's contributions because she demanded that the R&H organization compensate her for them, but could Rittman's public anonimity have accounted for Rodgers not counting her amoung the women who were doing what she was doing...or is the arranging process so different. It's all very mysterious to me and as Steven Suskin admits (and I'm totally stealing the phrase from him now) "I'm a musical theatre detective." (or something to that extent). He also talks about Trude in his new book but I need to get a hold of a copy before I can find out at what length.
Another thing that bothers me about the Mary Rodgers issue is that she credits that she was not talented enough to continue composing. I think that's bullocks. I don't think her music is any less complexe and tuneful than her father's...I mean maybe with Sondheim as a friend she felt inadaquet but I think her father had way more to do with it. And then here's the kicker...she goes on to write kids books right. Young adult novels about young girls growing up. Well you know who the one other female composer of the musical theatre was before Mary Rodgers...oh that's right...Kay Swift. And what does she do after Gershwin dies and she gives up composing to marry a cowboy...write books. I thougth she wrote children's books too but now I can't find that source... I'll get back to you on that.

Next subject of contention: The Diary of an Ex-President by John P. Wintergreen. Just in case anyone who has any swear over book entries of any kind...John P. Wintergreen did not write this book. In fact, John P. Wintergreen is a fictional character. Morrie Ryskind wrote this book...he didn't just edit it as the cover says....I mean really how many intelligent people believe S. Morgenstein wrote the Princess Bride....same thing folks. My concern is that this is an important book. Not in terms of content by any means but I feel fairly certain that this is the first musical fan fiction to get published. Not only that it gets published in 1932! Who was buying fan fic then? We're thick in the depression and here comes this comic book (taking people away and poking fun at politics much the same way the musical it came from did) and I can't find one stincking review. Somebody must have reviewed this! Somebody must have bought it and read it and thought something about it! And I'm getting annoyed that I can't find anything on it...anywhere. Harry L. Taskey did some beautiful comic illustrations and I found a very small amount about him...including some awesome etchings of New York, he did do some work under the WPA, but can't find out much about his life. The publishing company, Minton, Blach & Company, appears to be defunct. It was printed at the Knickerbocker Press in New Rochelle, which is now a historic monument (probably something else entirly with a small plaque outside). So I'm a bit frustrated. Why can't anyone tell me who read it, how it was recieved, who was buying these things, what effect it had on books about musicals in the future? I have questions!

So these are just a few of the mondane, possibly soon to be thesis topics that keep me up at night. Any enlightenment would be greatly appreciated.

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