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# Sweet songs for Sundays
- URL: https://www.smdp.com/sweet-songs-for-sundays/
- Published: 2008-03-21T15:00:00.000Z
- Updated: 2026-10-24T18:55:38.000Z
- Author: Cynthia Citron
- Tags: local, Santa Monica, #archive-import

Remember the ballad “I Want a Sunday Kind of Love?” Well, playwright Jerry Mayer has the perfect answer for that. His celebration of the love affair between two legendary entertainers — Marlene Dietrich and Maurice Chevalier — plays every Sunday at the Santa Monica Playhouse. And trust me, you’ll love it!

“Dietrich & Chevalier, the Musical” stars Cissy Conner and Ray Baker singing 15 of the German lady and the French gentleman’s signature songs as they tell the story of their meeting in Hollywood in the 1930s, when they were Paramount’s biggest stars. The fact that they were both married didn’t appear to deter either of them — ever. Dietrich, in fact, was married to assistant director Rudolf Sieber for 54 years, even while carrying on torrid love affairs with most of the attractive men (and some of the women) of her day. (In the show, a jealous Chevalier accuses her of having affairs with all her leading men, including Ronald Colman, Cary Grant, Gary Cooper and Clark Gable, to which she responds by citing his widely-publicized affairs with Merle Oberon and Greta Garbo, among others).

Chevalier, who fought in World War I, was a prisoner for two years in Alten- Grabow, a German POW camp. He returned to that same camp during World War II to sing for that war’s crop of prisoners. “Like a good French wine, I travel well,” he said. Dietrich, meanwhile, had left Germany for good, became an American citizen, and was spending much of her time with the USO, entertaining American troops overseas.

Their paths continued to cross, in Paris and Hollywood, through the years, but in their private lives they had each moved on. Chevalier had taken up with 19-year-old dancer Nita Ray, whom he later married, and they lived together in Cannes. Because she was Jewish, Chevalier was vulnerable to being blackmailed by the Nazis: to save her life he agreed to entertain in Parisian cafes where they congregated. When the war ended, however, Chevalier was charged with treason for his “implied approval” of the Nazis by having sung for them, both in person and over France’s Nazi-controlled radio stations. “I sang to raise French spirits — and my own,” he protested, adding, “My life would be incomplete without an audience.”

Nevertheless, he was brought to trial, and Dietrich rushed to Paris to offer testimony in his defense. When he was finally acquitted, he remained morose. “I’m not a singer, I’m a controversy,” he said. But once again, according to the playwright’s script, Dietrich came to his rescue, dragging him onstage during one of her own performances in Las Vegas. Triumphant, he declared “One does not have to be young to be a star!”

As Chevalier, Ray Baker captures that great star’s twinkling charm. And intermittently, his French accent. Cissy Conner, as Dietrich, has the German accent down pat, as well as the smoky voice. But she sings all the sultry ballads as if they were pop songs: much too bouncy, much too fast, and always with a perky smile. Whereas Dietrich, if you will remember, sang everything mournfully — painfully slow and deadpan. Further, there is very little chemistry between Baker and Conner. They are so intent on singing their songs that they appear to have little time, or passion, for each other.

Mayer’s script, however, is intelligent and warm, and director Chris DeCarlo keeps the pace up, moving the two stars at top speed, as well as third wheel Zack Medway, who plays everybody from Irving Thalberg to German officers to the trial judge, changing costumes almost as fast as Dietrich does.

In “Dietrich & Chevalier, the Musical” the old familiar songs are delicious to hear once again, and you’ll listen with a smile. In fact, all things considered, it’s a lovely way to spend a Sunday afternoon.

“Dietrich & Chevalier, the Musical” is a guest production at the Santa Monica Playhouse, 1211 Fourth St. in Santa Monica, and will be presented every Sunday at 3 p.m. and 7 p.m. through May 4\. Call (310) 394-9779 for reservations.

![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/55/9f/559f9abc-8372-4a2e-8c2d-27386da4e363/content/images/2026/10/032108-18_01.jpg)

SM Playhouse TOP BILLING: Cissy Conner and Ray Baker star in 'Dietrich & Chevalier, the Musical.' (Photo: Photo courtesy)

*Originally published in the Santa Monica Daily Press print edition on March 21, 2008.* [Read the original PDF.](https://s3.us-east-1.amazonaws.com/smdp%5Fbackissues/032108.pdf?ref=smdp.com)