Souvenir at the Bay Theatre in Baltimore

The Baltimore Sun's Mary Johnson reviewing Ralph Petrarca's Cosme McMoon at the Bay Theatre's production of Souvenir:

A different set of acting challenges exist for Petrarca, who must combine a narrator's art with a comedian's timing while demonstrating a professional musician's piano skills. McMoon must carry much of the first act, communicating directly with the audience in an opening monologue that recalls his meeting Jenkins years earlier when he was an aspiring young composer in need of funds.

Petrarca's McMoon transitions from a middle-age bar pianist to a believable, brash 24-year-old musician who initially is appalled at Jenkins' screeching and astonished to realize that she is oblivious to her vocal shortcomings.

Jim Treanor musing about the mystique of Florence Foster Jenkins, from DC Theatre Scene's review of the same show:

And so Cosmé sits down at the piano, and Florence opens her mouth and emits a lethal injection of music. No – that’s not right. Music is an act of harmony with nature, but what Florence sings is a declaration of war against God. It is the caterwauling of cats in heat, it is a pack of dogs baying after an ambulance, it is a gaggle of insane dentists, high on nitrous oxide and bent on revenge against their unsedated patients. If it is music, then the sound of jackhammers is music, or the bawling of politicians, or the droning of preachers sermonizing after an all-night bender. It is pigs being slaughtered, it is aural waterboarding, it is a hoarding of misery.

Souvenir, of course, is Stephen Temperley's wonderful homage to the unique and dreadful Florence Foster Jenkins and her enigmatic pianist Cosme McMoon. Souvenir runs until June 5 at the Bay Theatre in Baltimore, Maryland.

More Cosme on the Collaborative Piano Blog:

An Interview With Cosme McMoon
Was Cosme McMoon Really Edwin McArthur?
Accompanist for Florence Foster Jenkins, a Poem by Darren Morris

Was Cosme McMoon Really Edwin McArthur?

There is mounting evidence that Florence Foster Jenkins' legendary accompanist Cosme McMoon was not Edwin McArthur (as was previously mentioned here) but was in fact Cosme McMunn, who was born in Mexico and changed his name upon moving to New York in the early 20's. Both McArthur and McMoon played for Florence Foster Jenkins, but the story goes that McArthur was fired for chortling in recital, and Jenkins subsequently hired McMoon (among others). ParlorMobster has assembled a list of interesting sources, including the following:

• The mystery of Cosme McMoon (McMunn) and Edwin McArthur: the lost composer(s) of Florence Foster Jenkins from Dark Knight Dramaturgy
• What happened to Cosme McMoon after Florence Foster Jenkins died? on Answers.com from Mark McMunn, grand nephew of Cosme
• Articles collected by Max Murray

Donald Collup also credits Mark McMunn in his documentary Florence Foster Jenkins: A World of Her Own. It appears that Cosme was an avid body-builder, worked as a clerk in a bathhouse, and also enjoyed chess. An excerpt from Collup's documentary:

The evidence on the identity of McMoon presented by Collup, McMunn, and others looks pretty convincing, although still largely circumstantial.

Incidentally, if you're in Hartford this month, you should check out TheaterWorks' Souvenir: A Fantasia on the Life of Florence Foster Jenkins, which runs until May 23 with Edwin Cahill playing the role of Cosme McMoon (reviewed in the Times a few days ago).

Wikipedia lists Florence Foster Jenkins as "an American soprano who became famous for her complete lack of rhythm, pitch, tone, and overall singing ability."