‘The Hello Girls’ tells unknown story of women in WWI
Published: 28 February 2024
By Maria Brunetta
via the Badger Herald (UW-Madison) website
Four Seasons Theater Hello Girls cast
Abi Johnson as Suzanne Prevot, Sheridan Hearn as Louise LeBreton, Kelsey Anne Johnson as Bertha Hunt, Natalie Davies as Helen Hill Photo Credit: Eric Schwierske, Jepp Photography
Four Seasons Theater brings forgotten story of bilingual switchboard operators to life
The Four Seasons Theatre in Madison, WI presented “The Hello Girls: A New American Musical” at the Playhouse in the Overture Center through March 3.
“The Hello Girls: A New American Musical” tells the story of the heroic women of the U.S. Signal Corps, introducing audience members to the hidden history of the first bilingual telephone operators who served on the front lines and helped turn the tide for World War I. They then returned home to fight a decades-long battle for equality and recognition, paving the way for future generations.
Four Seasons Theatre is no novice to historical shows centered around WWI, having put on “The Greatest War,” a show about Wisconsin in World War I and “All is Calm: The Christmas Truce of 1914.”
Producing Artist Director Sarah Marty thought “The Hello Girls” was a perfect fit for Four Seasons Theatre because of its small ensemble cast of 10, its connection to history and its female-centered story — the perfect counterpoint to their previous historical productions.
Not only does this show allow audience members to learn about the role of women in WWI, but also to see the humanity behind history.
The audience can connect with events that happened 100 years ago and people who were not at the forefront of history lessons.
“It’s that chance to connect with another person across centuries and to see yourself or a friend or a colleague or a neighbor in one of those stories on stage and to realize we’re not that much different than we were then,” Marty said. “When we think of technology today versus 1914, or 1917, or 1918, it feels like it’s such a long time ago but in reality, it’s not.”
Read the entire article on the Badger Herald website here:
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