LAFPI

Pageant Productions and Canon Theatricals present Miss America’s Ugly Daughter: Bess Myerson & Me written by Barra Grant.

Writer/performer Barra Grant is back with her darkly hilarious mother-daughter story: the true, inside tale of Grant’s seismic relationship with her mother, Bess Myerson. Performed by Grant and Monica Piper, Eve Brandstein directs.

Grant’s critically acclaimed play is her fascinating account of growing up a confused ugly duckling in the shadow of her spectacular mother. An awkward, chubby kid with frizzy hair, buck teeth and no obvious talent, Barra was beauty queen Myerson’s only child. The first and only Jewish Miss America, Myerson was famous — an accomplished pianist, television personality, New York City’s first Commissioner of Consumer Affairs, a close advisor to Mayor Ed Koch, and a national spokesperson against anti-Semitism — until she became infamous, falling in love with the wrong man and going down with her Mafia boyfriend in a judge-bribing scandal.

In the play, Barra takes us on the journey of her life: a feisty struggle as she tries to fit in at school, meet the right man, find a career and forge her own place in the universe. But Bess (voiced off stage by Piper) is ever-present, fixated on “improving” Barra by molding her into a version of herself. Barra’s final challenge occurs when she has a daughter of her own and has to discover a whole new set of parenting skills.

Miss America’s Ugly Daughter opens on Friday, Feb. 8 at 8 p.m., with performances thereafter on Saturdays at 8 p.m.; Sundays at 6 p.m.; and Mondays at 8 p.m. through March 24 (dark Sunday, Feb. 24).

Three preview performances will take place on Saturday, Feb. 2 at 8 p.m.; Sunday, Feb 3 at 6 p.m.; and Monday, Feb. 4 at 8 p.m.,

More info: www.missamericasuglydaughter.com