Side Show (November 2002)

Cast (in alphabetical order)

Buddy Foster	Matthew A. Anderson
Harem Girl #2	Erin Bishop
Harem Girl #3	Jennifer Blanton
Snake Lady	Celia de Blas
Bearded Lady	Joe Cannon
Fakir	Jose Antonio Casanez
Dolly Dimples	Marie Coyle
Lobster Lady	Elizabeth French
Terry Connor	Christopher E. Furry
Fortune Teller	Gayle Gillespie
Sheik	Doe B. Kim
Stigmata	Paul Mattocks
Reptile Man	Pavel Pivonka
The Boss	Diego Prieto
Jake	Aaron Reeder
Daisy Hilton	Cynthia E. Russell
Tattooed Lady	Joey Schaljo
Albino Man	Quintin Katrelle Strange
Violet Hilton	Katie Walsh
Harem Girl #1	Nora Leslie Zanger
Geek	Kevin Zarcone

The Side Show cast also plays Reporters, Vaudevillians, the Follies Company, Party Guests, Radio Show Singers and Hawkers.

Background

Violet and Daisy Hilton
Two of the most scandalous and dramatic conjoined twins in modern history were undoubtedly Violet and Daisy Hilton. They were born joined at the hip in Brighton, England, on February 5, 1908. According to the official biography written as part of their stage act, their mother was unmarried so the babies were quickly and quietly sold to a local midwife. Their guardian, Mrs. Mary Hilton, was a tyrant who held the twins against their will for nearly twenty years. She forced them into a life in show business where they sang, danced, and played the saxophone and violin. They spent their youth touring Europe and Australia, they were taken to San Antonio, Texas, and by 1931 were a hugely popular act on the American vaudeville circuit. Following a dramatic escape and court case, Violet and Daisy finally gained their independence.

The Hilton sisters' career, now under their own control, blossomed. They performed in the 1932 film "Freaks" and several years later starred in "Chained for Life," a lurid tale in which one sister stands accused of murder, but questions are raised as to the fairness of sending her to jail if her innocent sister must go as well. Both sisters eventually married, but neither of their marriages were successful. Daisy's marriage to performer Buddy Sawyer lasted ten days; Violet's wedding in The Cotton Bowl as part of the 1936 Texas Centennial was perhaps the peak of the Hiltons' fame. By the 1960s, their careers had ended. Violet and Daisy lived for several years in North Carolina, where they worked in a local grocery store as check-out clerks. In January, 1969, Violet and Daisy died of complications from influenza.

Synopsis

Act I
The Boss introduces the exhibits in his sideshow "Come Look at the Freaks," including his star attraction the Siamese twins, Daisy and Violet. Buddy Foster, an aspiring musician, brings Terry Connor, a talent scout for the Orpheum Circuit, to see the Siamese twins. Buddy thinks he could help them create an act and convinces Terry to meet them. After the Boss rudely refuses Terry's offer to be cut in on the twins' potential vaudeville career, Terry devises a scheme whereby Buddy will teach the girls a song. Jake, an African-American who plays the Cannibal King in the sideshow and is the twins' friend and protector, begs them to consider what they're getting into and the whole sideshow family adds its opinion. Before their secret late-night performance, the twins confess to each other how infatuated they are with the two men who've come into their lives. The Hilton Sisters' secret debut is a great success, but the Boss discovers the subterfuge and physically threatens the twins when they tell him they're leaving the sideshow. Jake comes to their rescue and the other attractions threaten to leave also, causing the Boss to back down. Daisy, Violet and Jake, whom Terry has invited to help backstage on the twins' tour, bid farewell to their sideshow family. Before their vaudeville debut, the twins argue about their different ways of expressing interest in men. After the twins' performing triumph, Terry and Buddy shower them with kisses. A hostile reporter asks tough questions about the girls' love life. Terry and Buddy deny any romantic inclinations, leaving the twins to wonder if they will ever find romantic fulfillment.

Act II
The Hilton Sisters are at the height of their success. Daisy's dream of stardom has come true but Violet seems no closer to her dream of finding a husband. At a fancy New Year's Eve party, Buddy tries to cheer up Violet and ends up proposing marriage. Afterwards, Terry imagines what it would be like to be alone with Daisy. In an onstage number, Buddy, Violet and Daisy issue an upbeat invitation to their wedding. But backstage both Daisy and Buddy separately express doubts as to how the arrangement will work. Jake overhears Buddy and, in an effort to save Violet from seemingly imminent heartbreak, confesses that he has loved her for years. The night before Violet and Buddy's wedding as the grand finale of the Texas Centennial, Daisy is feeling left out. To appease her, Terry suggests going where they could be more-or-less alone together, the tunnel of love. The big day arrives. Hawkers sell tickets and souvenirs. But in the dressing area, complications arise. Jake announces he is leaving. Buddy confesses he's not strong enough to marry Violet. Daisy offers a solution which will ensure a movie contract dependent on the wedding publicity. Terry cannot bring himself to publicly acknowledge what he feels for Daisy. She dismisses him and insists that Violet and Buddy go through with the ceremony, which will at least benefit everyone's career. Left alone, the twins find solace in each other. As the wedding proceeds, they reprise "Come Look at the Freaks" with full understanding and acceptance of who they are and what they are doing.