If I Embarrass You, Tell Your Friends
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
If I Embarrass You, Tell Your Friends is a musical about the life of comedian Belle Barth, written by Joanne Koch. The title derives from a catchphrase of Barth's.[1]
Koch had previously written about Barth in her 1996 Off Broadway play Sophie, Totie, & Belle.[2]
The musical presents a fictionalised 1961 rehearsal between Barth and her pianist, set shortly after an unsuccessful performance at Carnegie Hall. The Carnegie Hall show was a real event, at which Barth, under advisement, had toned down the ribald material in her act and received a disappointing reception. The musical shows Barth contemplating the changes she should make to return to success with a forthcoming Miami show. The musical features a series of comic songs and uses several of Barth's own trademark jokes.[3]
Cast
The show featured Bethany Thomas as Barth, Courtney Crouse as a number of male characters representing men from Barth's life, and Gerald H. Bailey as Barth's pianist.[4]