The Gershwin Bros.

Of Thee I Sing – a fictional lampoon through a 1930s presidential campaign by way of a beauty pageant, a marriage, and some corn muffins – and its sequel, Let ‘Em Eat Cake, a dystopian ultimatum plot hatched by a sore-loser president after failing re-election to either overturn the recent depression-era election or overturn the government – bring us an opportunity to revel in a timely critique of America’s presidential tradition with a healthy dose of humor along the way.

Both two-act musicals from the early 1930s are the yield of creativity between collaborative writers George S. Kaufman and Morrie Ryskind and the Gershwin brothers (George and Ira as composer and librettist, respectively.) Though less familiar today, this set of short compositions fit firmly into an early 20^th century American tradition of “Book Musicals.” Both premiered independently on Broadway but met with contrasting receptions. Of Thee I Sing was a hit, going on to multiple Broadway revivals and receiving the Pulitzer Prize for Drama; Let ‘Em Eat Cake perhaps cut too deep with its satirical edge to obtain such a high public profile.

While neither of the pieces are frequently performed today, some songs may be familiar (especially “Who Cares?” and “Love is Sweeping the Country.”) Odyssey Opera with Boston Modern Orchestra Project present a special opportunity to participate in the full sequel set, just in time for a very real election…