Miss America's Ugly Daughter
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Cititour.com Review
Most of us have been taught not to speak ill of the dead (at least in the public), but that old prohibition has been completely ignored by Barra Grant. In her onstage memoir, “Miss America’s Ugly Daughter: Bess Myerson & Me,” now at the Marjorie S. Deane Little Theatre, the now 71-year-old Grant spends nearly 90 minutes primarily excoriating the many flaws of her late mother (who died in 2014 at age 90).
The first (and only) Jewish woman to be crowned Miss America – way back in 1945 – Myerson quickly became a beloved television celebrity, role model, and influential woman around town, raising millions for charity and playing a substantial role in New York City politics. And while Grant doesn’t completely ignore her mother’s achievements, the play’s focus is squarely focused on convincing us that Myerson wasn’t a much better parent than Medea.
Unquestionably, she made her daughter feel unattractive, choosing to dress her in unflattering prints, subjecting her to a particularly ill-chosen haircut during adolescence, and harping on her weight her whole life. Moreover, Myerson constantly hogged the spotlight at the expense of others (including Grant), made horrendous choices in her choice of romantic partners, and took the idea of frugality to extreme and, in one case, essentially criminal levels. Much of the audience already knows most of these stories; although, if you don’t, you may occasionally be shocked at Myerson’s shocking lack of judgment and penchant for self-centeredness.
Still, as Grant spins out these tales, she does so with a hint of bitterness, a dash of resignation, and just enough humor and self-awareness to make her a reasonably engaging companion. She navigates Eve Brandstein’s mostly smart direction with finesse, often running here and there around Elisa Schaefer’s well-decorated set to prevent the show from feeling too static (although the brief musical interludes prove to be extremely awkward, due to Grant’s complete lack of dancing skills).
Grant is also unquestionably a fine writer and her sharp way with words makes even the nastiest medicine go down easier than one might imagine. Wisely, she also lets Myerson speak for herself, with an offstage actress (Margaret Reed at my performance; Anna Holbrook at others) giving actual voice to her mother at her neediest, whiniest and bitchiest.
Most of all, though, one wishes that Grant had tried a little bit harder to explain – or fully understand -- the causes of her mother’s behavior. There are a few offhand comments about Myerson’s Depression-era mentality; her poor Bronx childhood where her mother served chicken with the feathers on and warm Jell-O; and the fact that once someone becomes famous, it’s very hard to revert to anonymity, but they all feel like breadcrumbs thrown to a pigeon .Indeed, Grant saves the big kicker until the very end of the play: two incredibly horrendous things Myerson’s mother said to her that likely shaped her behavior her entire life.
In fact, if we had known about these statements earlier in the play, “Miss America’s Ugly Daughter” would have become a less ugly and more fairly balanced story. And, let’s be honest, unlike Medea, Myerson didn’t kill Grant – no matter what damage she might have caused.
By Brian Scott Lipton
Visit the Site
https://www.missamericasuglydaughter.com/
Open/Close Dates
Opening 1/17/2020
Closing 3/1/2020
Theatre Info
Marjorie S. Deane Theater
10 West 64th Street
New York, NY 10023
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