A Conversation with Playwright/Actress/Composer Shelley Cooper, "Rag Doll on a Bomb Site," Hudson Guild Theatre, Hollywood Fringe, by James Scarborough

Shelley Cooper's solo musical "Rag Doll on a Bomb Site" brings to life a crucial moment in theatre history clearly and purposefully. Set in 1928 Berlin, the piece shows Lotte Lenya facing a crisis minutes before the premiere of "The Threepenny Opera." Her name is missing from the playbill, and her husband Kurt Weill demands the show be cancelled. The drama unfolds in Lenya's dressing room as she tries to calm Weill while revealing fragments of her past - poverty in Vienna, abuse by her father, and compromises made to survive.

Cooper, who previously played Maria Callas and Jenny Lind in acclaimed solo shows, brings focused intensity to Lenya's dilemma. The title comes from a critic's comment on Lenya's resilience: "She was like a rag doll on a bomb site... She has survived all defeats." This image captures both Lenya's vulnerability and fierce determination.

The 50-minute show is more than historical recreation; it explores the tension between dignity and artistic fulfillment. Lenya's identification with Jenny Diver—the character she's about to play - creates a compelling theatrical mirror. With songs from the Weill/Brecht catalog anchoring the narrative, Cooper transforms a backstage crisis into an examination of artistic identity and determination to perform despite both personal and career setbacks.

Below follows an email conversation with Shelley Cooper.

JS: Your show centers on a specific historical incident—Lotte Lenya's name being omitted from "The Threepenny Opera" playbill. What challenges did you face in researching this moment? How much creative license did you take in showing Lenya and Weill's backstage confrontation?

SC: One of the major challenges I faced is that there is SO much content on Lenya’s career post the premiere of The Threepenny Opera, especially once both Lenya and Weill fled Nazi Germany to move to America. I went to the Kurt Weill Foundation of Music, and they were incredibly helpful in providing me with access to their archives specifically on Lenya’s upbringing and the premiere of The Threepenny Opera. The foundation informed me they did not have much in their archives about this topic, but what I found was truly the key to make this solo show authentic.

 I’d say I took some creative license for sure. This incident may have only last 5-20 minutes and yet I have stretched it out to a 50 minute solo musical. I knew Lenya did not care that her name was not in the program, she was dying to perform, and this incident was arguably catapulted her career as a landmark performer.

JS: You've previously portrayed Maria Callas and Jenny Lind in solo performances. What aspects of Lotte Lenya's life and art drew you to this project, and how does she differ from your previous subjects?

SC: Maria Callas, Jenny Lind, and Lotte Lenya all face serious adversity, yet overcame through their fierce resiliency. What drew me to Lotte Lenya at first was she was she was instrumental in working with Kurt Weill and Bertolt Brecht on creating epic theatre, which in my opinion, changed the way we think about theatre and entertainment today. Once I did further research, I saw Lenya was a bit rough around the edges. She did not have a conventionally beautiful voice, but she was a captivating actor; never forced, always honest. This level of genuine performance is something I strive for as an actor, so I thought by writing this show, through my research, I could tap into aspects of my performing and writing I had no explored. I also have been dying to write and explore gritty subject matter. I wanted to zero in on troubled past, yet also honor her resiliency.

JS: The title "Rag Doll on a Bomb Site" suggests both fragility and resilience. How does your musical composition reflect this contrast? What elements of Weill's musical style have you incorporated in your original score?

SC: My musical composition demonstrates a child like fragility of her past coupled with the intensity to overcome such a tumultuous past. The song structure is simple pop music structure with verse, chorus, verse, bridge, chorus, and outro. Within that, I’d say the lyric writing is poetic and evokes a lot of imagery that aligns with fragility and resilience. The main elements of Kurt Weill’s musical style I took was his inspiration from Lenya herself. He truly believed Lenya, an untrained singer, a singer who was once told “I love that voice of Lenya, it’s an octave below laryngitis” was the vision of his work. If this was truly the case, as a singer first, I knew I wanted to write my score in a low/speech quality vocal range. I am also always impressed with how Kurt Weill’s music can transform you to a location with a simple, repetitive theme, specifically for a moment when Lenya recalls rowing across the lake with Kurt.

JS: Your character identifies with Jenny Diver "on a number of levels." Can you explain how Lenya's personal history shaped her performance of this character, and how you show these parallels in your portrayal?

SC: Jenny Diver is the whore of The Threepenny Opera. Lotte Lenya was a prostitute starting at the age of 12. She could truly empathize with the grittiness, the desperation, and the overall life experience of this role. Jenny is not only a whore, she is smart and resilient, just like Lenya. She truly felt like she saw herself on the stage and that was important. The first monologue I wrote for the show is a flashback confession to Kurt about how she was a child prostitute in the slums of Vienna. This moment is the emotional climax of the show and with Lenya playing Jenny Diver, she is reclaiming her story.

JS: Director Kelsey Miller has experience with both psychological drama and musical theatre. How did your collaboration affect your approach to balancing the biographical elements with the musical parts of the piece?

SC: This solo musical explores parental abuse, physical violence, poverty, rape, and child prostitution. All of these subjects require big emotions, but rooted in authenticity. Kelsey’s experience and and expertise were paramount for the writing and how to genuinely get in the mindset of someone who has experience intense trauma like Lenya’s. In terms of the music, Kelsey was able to help me adjust keys, tempos, and certain words to make sure every moment tapped into genuine emotion. 

SC: The JS: Given that the Kurt Weill Foundation for Music worked with you on this production, what responsibility did you feel to honor Lenya's legacy while still creating a compelling story that speaks to today's audiences?

SC: I feel a HUGE responsibility to honor Lenya’s legacy and through honoring her legacy, I am able to share her timeless story of resiliency. This is what I hope to achieve at least! Many people know Kurt Weill, but not many know Lenya’s story…and its a good one! So I want to share that.

Performances are Sunday, June 8 at 6:30 p.m. (preview), Sunday, June 15 at 6:30 p.m., Wednesday, June 18 at 7:00 p.m., and Saturday, June 21 at 8:30 p.m. Tickets are $10 (preview is Pay What You Can). The Hudson Guild Theatre is at 6539 Santa Monica Boulevard, Hollywood, California. For more information, click here.