The Last Night of Ballyhoo

“The Last Night of Ballyhoo” is part of Alfred Uhry’s “Atlanta Trilogy,” which includes “Driving Miss Daisy” and is based upon his experiences growing up in a southern Jewish family. “The Last Night of Ballyhoo” is set in December 1939 Atlanta. The film “Gone with the Wind” is having its world premiere. World War II has begun with Hitler’s invasion of Poland. And Atlanta’s elitist German Jews are focused on who is going to Ballyhoo, the social event of the season. The assimilated Freitag family is in the throes of the “Christmas” season and they are all decked out and in high hopes that this is the night daughter Lala finds a socially acceptable husband. The evening quickly descends into bedlam when Lala’s first choice turns her down followed by unexpected turns full of comedy, romance and revelations.