First Daughter Suite
It takes a lot of talented people to make a lousy show. Michael John LaChiusa 's new musical is First Daughter Suite . You'd think it would focus on the many first daughters to live in the White House, but you would be wrong. Split into four vignettes, First Daughter Suite attempts to get into the minds of the first ladies, particularly in the first and fourth vignettes. (The second is the only one that truly lives up to the title.) We begin with "Happy Pat," set on June 11, 1972, as Tricia Nixon ( Betsy Morgan ) is getting ready for her White House wedding. Her younger sister, Julie Nixon Eisenhower ( Caissie Levy ), is around to help/bother (take your pick) the bride, but LaChiusa's efforts are trained on delving into Pat Nixon ( Barbara Walsh )'s psyche. To do so, he conjures the ghost of Hannah Nixon ( Theresa McCarthy ), Tricky Dick's deceased mother. Levy ( Hair , Les Miserables ) is great as mean girl Julie, and it's nice to see Walsh ( Co...