Chapter 7 “The Lullaby of Broadway”: Summary, Themes, and Analysis

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Summary

Molly Shannon opens the chapter with a childhood fantasy: being signed by a big New York City talent manager, after which she would eat only salads to stay fit as a professional actress. That dream leads her to audition for what she believes is the All New Mickey Mouse Club when it comes to Ohio. Her father drives her, her sister Mary, and friend Ann across town, but they miss the actual audition. Instead, Molly ends up auditioning for a completely different show—the New Little Rascals, a low-budget traveling act that performs at carnivals and Greek restaurants. She sings “Tea for Two” and is accepted, still thinking she’s joined the Mouseketeers.

The New Little Rascals turns out to be a “crappy show,” but it gives Molly valuable live performance practice. The woman running her group is a heavy drinker, and Molly becomes fascinated by her, studying her as a character rather than focusing on the performance. One of the other girls, Connie, has a mother who helps Molly get ready, washing her hair backstage. That maternal touch is something Molly craves, since her own mother died years earlier and her father’s leg braces prevent him from climbing stairs to bathe her.

After the New Little Rascals, Molly auditions for Heights Youth Theatre, a professional-level children’s theater group that performs big musicals for large audiences. She wins the lead role of Dorothy in The Wizard of Oz at age eleven, even though most of the cast are seventeen or older. The production is a major success, and Molly starts being recognized around town. She loves the script’s mimeographed pages, the professional costume fitting (the previous Dorothy’s dress has to be taken in significantly), and especially the affectionate, tactile culture of the theater kids. They braid each other’s hair, give massages, and are warm in a way Molly has missed since losing her mother. She meets George Cheeks, the only other cast member her age, who plays the Scarecrow, and falls madly in love.

George is half African American and half Greek, with a mother who is a famous Cleveland DJ. Molly and George share a summer of swimming in Lake Erie, kissing underwater, and even a potato-sack ride behind a Dairy Queen. Molly believes kids can truly fall in love, and she feels a deep, genuine affection for George.

Around the same time, Molly attends a formal ballroom dancing class at Mrs. Batzer’s Dancing School, a pre-cotillion for wealthy kids that her father manages to get her into. A chubby boy named Mickey Covington consistently asks her to dance, but Molly initially wishes for other boys. Eventually, at a country club party, she realizes she genuinely likes Mickey—he’s sweet, thoughtful, and comfortable to be with. She learns a lesson about embracing the person who consistently cares for you rather than chasing after someone who ignores you. She brings that comfort into her relationship with George, which is why, when their romance fades, they remain close friends.

George introduces Molly to his best friend Debbie Palermo, and the three become inseparable. They share an obsession with Bette Midler, especially the film The Rose and its soundtrack. They also sneak into the scandalous movie Making Love, which has a gay subplot. Debbie and George are both closeted at the time, and Molly later learns that Debbie was in love with Bette and even dated George while imagining he was Bette.

Molly transfers to Hawken School, a private prep school with a 70–30 boy-to-girl ratio, where she gets a financial aid package. She participates in a foreign exchange program, staying in Paris during the spring of her sophomore year. The following summer, two French exchange students, Amelie and Beatrice, live with Molly’s family. Amelie is sophisticated and bossy, while Beatrice is more of a tomboy. Molly’s father is miserable hosting them, jealous of their confidence and their French cooking. The girls amuse themselves by pretending not to speak English when stopped by police, and they dominate the town in a Chevy Malibu convertible.

Molly, George, and Debbie take a trip to New York City, staying at the Milford Plaza in Times Square, where they can get a room, dinner, cocktails, and breakfast for $43. The hotel’s TV ad, featuring “Lullaby of Broadway,” becomes a running joke.

Back home, Molly’s father struggles financially but sends her and Mary to Palm Beach by themselves so they won’t feel left out of the wealthy kids’ vacations. They stay at Testa’s, a cheap motel for elderly women, where they watch General Hospital on a communal TV. They bond over wanting to get tan to appear rich, and they swim at the fancy Breakers hotel, observing the actual rich kids who charge cheeseburgers to their rooms.

Molly’s father often takes solo trips to Palm Beach, and when he drinks, he frequents piano bars. He meets a woman with a sign “Have Piano—Will Travel,” a character Molly later uses on SNL. He also meets Elizabeth Taylor backstage after a play, though she dismisses him. On one trip with Molly, he drinks too much, and Molly wakes at dawn to find him dozing with a lit cigarette. She puts it out, runs crying down the beach, and later confronts him, begging him to go back to AA. He listens and agrees, but Molly feels the unfairness of having to be the parent.

The chapter also covers Molly’s early attraction to “bad boys.” As a child, her father took her and Mary to visit juvenile jail, bringing cigarettes and chips to the young inmates. Molly is fascinated by them. She recalls Patrick Byrne, a boy held back in first grade who sneaked into bed with her and Ann, and who later breaks into her bedroom window, exposing himself. Patrick is charming to adults but deviant, and he once organizes a group to beat up a boy who wrote a mean note about Molly’s dead mother. Molly feels protected by him. Patrick later accumulates a criminal record, goes to prison for attempted murder, escapes, and is eventually killed in a high-speed chase. Molly reflects on how quickly he turned from a charismatic kid to a hardened convict.

Key Events

Molly auditions for what she thinks is the All New Mickey Mouse Club but ends up in the New Little Rascals, a low-budget traveling show.
She performs live for the first time and becomes fascinated by a drunk woman running the group.
Connie’s mom washes Molly’s hair backstage, giving her a rare moment of maternal care.
Molly wins the lead role of Dorothy in The Wizard of Oz at Heights Youth Theatre, meeting George Cheeks and falling in love.
She attends Hawken School, participates in a foreign exchange to Paris, and hosts French students Amelie and Beatrice.
Molly, George, and Debbie take a trip to New York City, staying at the Milford Plaza.
She and Mary vacation in Palm Beach, staying at Testa’s and observing wealthy kids at the Breakers.
Molly confronts her father about his drinking after a frightening incident with a lit cigarette.
She recalls visiting juvenile jail with her father and her attraction to bad boys, particularly Patrick Byrne, who later goes to prison and dies in a car chase.

Character Development

Molly grows from a child with a fantasy about being a professional actress into a young woman who understands the realities of showbiz—both its warmth and its dysfunction. Her early experiences on stage teach her to observe people, like the drunk show-runner, and turn them into characters. She also learns to value comfort and genuine affection over dangerous excitement, as seen in her shift from wanting the unattainable boy to appreciating Mickey Covington. Her relationship with her father deepens as she takes on a protective role, confronting his alcoholism with both anger and love.

Jim Shannon is portrayed as a loving but flawed father. He drives Molly to auditions, sends her to Palm Beach to avoid class shame, and takes her to visit juvenile inmates as a form of Catholic charity. Yet his drinking creates fear and instability, and his jealousy of the French exchange students reveals his insecurity. Molly’s confrontation shows his vulnerability and willingness to listen, but also the burden placed on her.

George Cheeks evolves from a childhood crush into a lifelong friend. Their romance is sweet but ultimately fades, and Molly’s decision to end it with a note shows her maturity. George’s closeted identity and his friendship with Debbie add layers to his character, and his later openness about his sexuality is hinted at.

Debbie Palermo becomes a surrogate sister, offering Molly the warmth of a big Italian family. Her own hidden sexuality and her love for Bette Midler connect her to George and Molly in a shared secret.

Patrick Byrne serves as a cautionary figure, representing Molly’s early attraction to danger. His transformation from a charming, protective boy to a violent criminal is stark, and Molly’s reflection on it shows her growing awareness of the consequences of bad-boy allure.

Themes, Symbols, or Motifs

Showbiz Aspirations: Molly’s fantasy of being signed by a manager and her eventual live performances highlight her drive to become an actress, even when the reality is far from glamorous.
Maternal Affection: The washing of Molly’s hair by Connie’s mom and the affectionate theater kids fill the void left by her mother’s death, showing how showbiz provides a surrogate family.
First Love: Molly’s deep feelings for George Cheeks demonstrate her belief that children can experience genuine love, and her later comfort with Mickey Covington shows a more mature understanding of relationships.
Class Consciousness: The contrast between Hawken’s wealthy students and Molly’s own financial struggles, as well as the Palm Beach trips to appear rich, underscores her awareness of class and her desire to fit in.
Alcoholism Relapse: Her father’s drinking, despite periods of sobriety, creates recurring fear and responsibility for Molly, culminating in her confrontation.
Bad Boy Attraction: Molly’s fascination with Patrick Byrne and the juvenile inmates reflects a youthful thrill in danger, which she later recognizes as misguided.
Live Performance Practice: The New Little Rascals and Heights Youth Theatre provide Molly with the stage experience that becomes the foundation of her career.
Cultural Contrast: The French exchange students’ sophistication versus her father’s discomfort highlights cultural and class differences, and Molly’s enjoyment of their wildness shows her openness to new experiences.
Comfort vs. Pursuit in Love: Molly’s lesson with Mickey Covington—choosing the person who consistently cares for you over the one you chase—becomes a guiding principle in her friendships and relationships.
Character Observation: Molly’s habit of studying people, like the drunk show-runner and the piano-playing woman, foreshadows her future as a comedian who creates characters from real life.
Found Family Warmth: The Palermo household and the theater kids provide the affection and support Molly lacks at home, reinforcing the idea that family can be chosen.
Closeted Identity: George and Debbie’s hidden sexuality, and their shared love for Bette Midler, adds a layer of secrecy and intimacy to their trio.
Wealth Disparity: The Breakers pool scene and the rich kids charging burgers to their rooms highlight the gap between Molly’s family and the wealthy world she observes.
Juvenile Incarceration: Visiting the jail with her father introduces Molly to the consequences of bad behavior, and Patrick’s later fate serves as a grim reminder of that world.

Why This Chapter Matters

This chapter is pivotal in Hello, Molly! because it establishes the formative experiences that shape Molly Shannon’s comedic voice and her resilience. Her early exposure to live performance, her ability to find humor in dysfunctional situations, and her habit of observing people as characters all trace back to the events described here. The chapter also deepens her relationship with her father, showing the complexity of loving someone with alcoholism. The friendships with George and Debbie provide a foundation of loyalty and acceptance that Molly carries into adulthood. Finally, the chapter’s exploration of class, first love, and the allure of danger gives readers a nuanced understanding of the young woman who would go on to create iconic SNL characters.

Study Questions and Answers

1. How does Molly’s experience with the New Little Rascals differ from her fantasy of being signed by a talent manager, and what does she learn from it?

Molly fantasizes about a glamorous career with salads and professional discipline, but the reality is a low-budget show at carnivals and Greek restaurants. She learns that even a “crappy” show provides valuable live performance practice, and she becomes more interested in observing the drunk show-runner as a character than in singing. This teaches her that showbiz is not always glamorous, but it can still be a training ground, and that human observation is a key skill for an actress.

2. What role does maternal affection play in Molly’s attraction to theater and to the Palermo family?

Molly’s mother died when she was young, and her father’s physical limitations prevent him from giving her baths. When Connie’s mom washes her hair, Molly feels a rush of love, and the theater kids’ affectionate touching—braiding hair, giving massages—fills the void. Similarly, the Palermo household, with its big Italian family and warm grandmother, offers a surrogate maternal presence. These experiences show Molly that showbiz and friendship can provide the nurturing she lacks at home.

3. How does Molly’s relationship with Patrick Byrne illustrate her early attraction to “bad boys,” and what does she ultimately learn from it?

Patrick is charming to adults but deviant, and Molly is drawn to his dangerous edge, even feeling protected when he defends her. However, his later criminal behavior—prison, escapes, and eventual death—shows the dark consequences of that allure. Molly’s diary entry about losing patience with him and her reflection on how quickly he turned bad indicate a growing maturity. She learns that the thrill of danger is not a sustainable basis for affection, and she later values comfort and genuine care, as seen with Mickey Covington and George.

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