Souvenir: A Fantasia of Florence Foster Jenkins

The tone-deaf dame re-animated

Stephen Temperley's two-handed musical memoir of notorious singing socialite Florence Foster Jenkins comes to the Walnut Street Theatre this fall. Revisiting the rise to infamy for the eccentric gal-about-town, Jenkins believes that she is a talented coloratura soprano; so much so that she entertains guests at the Ritz in fabulous costumes and bravura performances. Unfortunately for her, she is missing one key talent; the ability to carry a tune.

Desperate to make it to Carnegie Hall, she teams up with an up and coming pianist called Cosme McMoon, who sees Jenkins' ostentatious wealth and determindness to perform as his own ticket to fame. Together, they create a two-person piano show that showcases her, ahem, talents. Becoming the new albeit, unintended comedy sensation amongst the upper-crust in New York, Jenkins' dream seems sure to succeed.