


To be honest, my interest in this book stemmed from “The Marvelous Mrs. “ ‘Stress and fear”-Papa poked his chest tenderly-“it breaks your heart. Franny knows what she wants – which is to follow in her idol’s footsteps and perform on stage!Īs the narrative progresses, we meet Franny’s family, her fun-loving father who believes in the importance of laughter in the most difficult of times, her mother who is concerned about Franny’s future and would rather Franny find a suitable husband, her brother who returned from the war front in 1945 but suffers from PTSD, friends, neighbors, fellow performers and the wife of a mob Boss, who owns and operated the Blue Moon Lounge as she finds her way in life, at home and in the profession of her choice – healing her own wounds and those of others close to her with the magic of laughter. But Franny is back the next day after a traumatic memory leads to her leaving the wedding party. Earlier, the same day, her family received a telegram informing them that her older brother, who was fighting in the War, was missing.įast forward seven years, Franny and her friends sneak off to the Blue Moon Cocktail Lounge to see a Boopsie Baxter show the day before her best friend’s wedding only to be thrown out because of Franny’s ill-timed comments. On Christmas Eve, 1944 Franny Steinberg, still a teenager, manages to gain entry to the Empire Room of the Palmer Hotel in Chicago to catch a performance by notable comedian Boopsie Baxter and experience the much talked about “Showstopper” that she had been curious about. Happy Publication Day! ( November 1, 2022) And suddenly she has the power to change everything.for herself, for her audience, and for the people who may need it most.

And while each comedian's Showstopper is different, they all have one thing in common: they only work on women.Īfter a traumatic flashback propels her onstage in a torn bridesmaid dress, Franny discovers her own Showstopper is something new. When Franny steps into Chicago's Blue Moon comedy club, she realizes the power of a Showstopper-that specific magic sparked when an audience laughs so hard, they are momentarily transformed. A new marvel that has women flocking to comedy clubs across the nation: the Showstopper. But amidst the war bond sales and factory shifts, something surprising has emerged, something Franny could never have expected. With the men of Chicago off fighting WWII on distant shores, Franny has watched the women of the city taking charge of the war effort.

Nothing is more dangerous than a woman with a showstopping joke.įranny Steinberg knows there's powerful magic in laughter.
