Mrs. Gould Welcomes Lillian Russell

Born Helen Louise Leonard in Clinton, Iowa, Lillian Russell initially studied voice with the goal of becoming an opera singer. Ultimately, however, she settled on a career on the popular musical stage, and in 1879 she made her New York stage debut in the chorus of Gilbert and Sullivan’s H.M.S. Pinafore. By the late 1880s, she reigned supreme as America’s favorite star of light opera and musical revues. Though married four times, Lillian was probably best known as the woman on the arm of the flamboyant Diamond Jim Brady. Join “Lillian Russell” for an unforgettable tea with “Mrs. Gould,” and enjoy a lyrical afternoon.