Around 1980, Tom Wilson Weinberg wrote a song about the presumed love affair between Eleanor Roosevelt and Lorena Hickok. More than 30 years later, that piece will make an appearance in his latest production, “Sunrise at Hyde Park,” presented at William Way LGBT Community Center.
Weinberg became interested in musical theater while studying at the University of Pennsylvania. He started writing musical reviews, which eventually turned into gay satirical political reviews, and finally Weinberg realized he loved telling complete stories — like “Sunrise at Hyde Park.”
He has written words and music for “Ten Percent Revue,” “Get Used To It!,” “The Teachings of Chairman Rick,” “After Guantánamo” and “Sixty Years with Bruhs and Gean.” He has toured as a performer, released five albums and won many prestigious awards for his work.
Weinberg has been working on his latest on and off for about 12 years.
“During that time I’ve written and staged four other musicals plus eight cabaret shows, a few of which traveled and had multiple performances. But this piece keeps coming back,” he said.
The production follows the relationship between First Lady Roosevelt and Hickok, a talented reporter for the Associated Press. In 1932, Hickok, played by Ezra Berkley Nepon, is assigned to interview Roosevelt, played by Heidi Hayes. Hickok would rather be covering hard-hitting news stories, and Roosevelt would rather be left alone. But the interview changes their lives.
In 1962, Ray Corry, played by Andrew Peter Crowley, is the curator at the Franklin D. Roosevelt Museum, and he attempts to persuade Hickok to donate her 30-years’ of intimate letters with Roosevelt. Corry is shocked when he discovers the passion and complexity of the correspondence.
Inspiration for Weinberg’s newest musical stemmed from childhood experiences and his fascination with the relationship between Roosevelt and Hickok, which formed the basis for his earlier musical, “Eleanor and Hick.”
“Franklin Delano Roosevelt was a hero in my house growing up,” Weinberg said. “I’ve always been fascinated with the Roosevelts, and F.D.R. and Eleanor were a presence in my childhood.”
Igniting Weinberg’s interest in the subject matter even further was a 1980 Hickok biography written by Doris Faber, which some have described as being homophobic. Faber asserted that Hickok and Roosevelt were merely friends, but Weinberg disagrees.
“[Faber] did not see Eleanor Roosevelt as a woman who loved another woman,” he said. “[Faber] felt the two women had a close relationship but not a love affair. Since then, a lot of people have written about it as a love affair. We’ve written it that way. Their letters are more than just friendly letters — they’re love letters, and they’re filled with wonderful political information.”
“Sunrise at Hyde Park,” which runs about 75 minutes, is primarily told through song.
“The songs tell the story with a little connecting dialogue here and there,” Weinberg said. “The story is set in the New York governor’s mansion, the White House, the Roosevelt home in Hyde Park, Hick’s apartment and on a train. All this is managed without scene changes or props. It’s small in scale, big in content.”
Weinberg expressed his gratitude for his cast’s unique presentations.
“The actors have taken to the material in a personal way, developing their own ideas on how to portray them. They bring themselves into the material in such an interesting way.”
“Sunrise at Hyde Park” will be presented at 8 p.m. July 23-25 at the center, 1315 Spruce St. Tickets range from $10-$20. On Aug. 2, the show will go on the road to Fire Island. To reserve tickets, email [email protected], or visit www.TomWilsonWeinberg.com.