Break a Leg, Betsy Maybe!

by Lee Kingman

Book Overview

No Synopsis Available.

• Format: Hardcover
• Language: English
• ISBN: 0395247411
• ISBN13: 9780395247419
• Release Date: January 1976
• Publisher: Houghton Mifflin
• Length: 245 Pages
• Weight: 1.10 lbs.
• Age Range: 12 years and up
• Grade Range: Grade 7 and higher

Customer Reviews

Great Teen Story About Theater, Love, & Self-Identity

"Break a Leg, Betsy Maybe!" is about Elizabeth Cythera Wilkersen Maybe (aka Betsy Maybe), a 17-year-old girl starting her senior year at Stoney Neck High School. Three years ago, her mother and stepfather died in a car accident, and now, after spending some time at a private school, she's come to live with her aunt and uncle. Her real father was a world traveler who's been missing for thirteen years, but still remains her biggest inspiration.One day, Betsy is invited to sit-in on a meeting of the school's drama club, Spotlighters. Before she knows it, she's involved in the upcoming play "The Madwoman of Chaillot" and two other plays later that year. Her decision to join the club mainly had to do with Nick Gretschkin, the attractive senior who's also in Spotlighters. Unfortunately, he's already involved with another fellow drama member (Stackie Delahay), but that's not going to stop Betsy from trying.During the remaining year of high school, Betsy is overwhelmed with her feelings of "being distressed with Harry, happy with Jan, angry with Stackie, annoyed by Pierrot" --(all fellow actors)-- "inspired by Bar" --(her drama teacher)-- "communicating with Aunt Val and Uncle Win, and baffled, frustrated, agonizingly in love with, and worried about Nick."Since being bitten by the acting bug, Betsy has made plans, like her friends, to pursue acting after high school. Even though she's lucky and is accepted at London Academy of Dramatic Art, most of her friends are rejected and left completely clueless about their futures in theater. To further the upset, one of Betsy's friends has been diagnosed with Hodgkin's disease and expects a long battle with the radiation treatment."Break a Leg, Betsy Maybe!" is a pretty good book about a young woman who is troubled by her double-identity (no, not a split personality). Part of her remains as Betsy Maybe, a nervous, insecure girl who breaks out in hives when anxious, but part of her wants to be Cythera Wilkersen, her alter ego. Cythera was the name her missing father gave her, so Betsy has a certain attachment to it. "Cythera" is everything she's not but wants to be: an adventurer like her father, beautiful, strong, confident. Yet, Betsy realizes she can't compete with the unrealistic expectation and, instead, learns to grow comfortable with herself.There are a few more complaints I do have about this book though. One, Betsy seemed too self-assured around Nick for someone who breaks out in hives sporadically. And Nick didn't seem too interested in her anyway, or, at least, I never picked up on a "vibe" between them. Two, Betsy rarely speaks about her dead mother and stepfather. I began to wonder if she was even affected by their death. She seemed more impacted by her father's disappearance and living up to his christening than being orphaned. Perhaps the author didn't want to be too depressing, but I thought a few reminiscent scenes of her mother and stepfather would have been appropriate. Otherwise, why even menti