Stream now with KPBS+ / Watch Saturday, May 23, 202 at 10:30 p.m. on KPBS TV
This half-hour-long documentary that follows the comedy musical act Hot Stuff as they prepare for their final performance at their retirement community in Chapel Hill, North Carolina. Performing in front of sold-out audiences, friends Karen, Mary, Jane and Pat bring joy to others and one another. As they arrange their last show, the women reflect on finding independence, hidden talents and their true selves in retirement.
“'Show Must Go On!' started when my wife and I wanted to film the final performance of Hot Stuff for her mom and friends,” said director J.R. Jones. “After a phone call with my mother-in-law, Pat, I was so intrigued by why she and her friends spent three years doing this that I knew there was an inspiring story to tell. What unfolded was a story of loss, resilience and purpose.”
Friends Karen, Mary, Jane and Pat have had many roles in life—housewife, mother, teacher, musician, adventurer—each of which has made them the resilient woman they are today.
- Through the stage, Karen, the accompanist and reluctant comedian, has found her voice.
- Mary, who has always been a committed wife, mother, grandmother and teacher, finds even more purpose in bringing joy to those in her community.
- Jane, whose late husband always believed in her raw talent, discovered the courage to continue her adventures through performing.
- Pat, who spent her life teaching her students and children to be independent, embraces a newfound independence of her own.
“Making 'Show Must Go On!' has encouraged me to view every stage of life as an opportunity to rediscover myself and what I have to offer those around me,” Jones noted. “Everyone who worked on this project took something special away from the experience, and I think that can be seen in the final film. This is not another heartwarming film about ‘seniors’ doing something unexpected. This is a film about four incredible women who show us that there is hope in our shared human experience of pursuing purpose."
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Credits: Director J.R. Jones. About Lomaland Co. / American Public TV
