Photo: #"Hormel Girls" at the History Theatre recreates the story of the Hormel Girls Caravan from its beginnings as a drum and bugle corps to its metamorphosis into a glamorous Hollywood radio program.
Photo: #The cast of 'Hormel Girls,' produced by the Minnesota History Theatre. Left to right: Angela Timberman, Mark Rosenwinkel, Jen Burleigh-Bentz (with trumpet), Tracie Hodgdon, Tinia Moulder, Stacey Lindell (with saxophone), Sondra Norland (with mandolin).
Photo: #"Standing Still" Drum and Bugle Corps. The finale of the Hormel Girls stage show was always a concert performance by the Drum and Bugle Corps, which included every member of the corps.
Photo: #Hormel Girls marched in the 1947 American Legion Convention parade in New York City, after they competed for the first time in the American Legion Convention as the SPAM Post 570 All-Girl Drum and Bugle Corps.
Photo: #From 1947-1953, the Hormel Girls criss-crossed the country in a fleet of all-white Chevrolets, hitting towns big and small, singing, and selling Hormel products everywhere they went.
Photo: #Can-can girls, stage show. Costumes are real gold lame. Left to right: Jacki Altier Roth, Louise (Faville) Austin, Jamie Mockel, Nola (Widen) Black, Doni (Hurd) Stewart, Shirley Wilson, Grace Shipley.
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From 1947-1953, the Hormel Girls criss-crossed the country in a fleet of all-white Chevrolets, hitting towns big and small, singing, and selling Hormel products everywhere they went. (Photo courtesy of Hormel Foods)
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Local theater enlivens history of the Hormel Girls

November 20, 2007

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St. Paul, Minn. — A new musical opens at the History Theatre this weekend, called "Hormel Girls." The show is about how Jay C. Hormel formed an all-girl swing band for G.I. Janes home from World War II.

At their peak, the Hormel Girls had a top-rated radio show, but they were also a prime marketing tool for the maker of Spam. Starting in the late 1940s, the performing saleswomen would caravan into towns across the country. There were always at least 60 of them riding in a fleet of spotless white Chevrolets.

Laurie Flanigan wrote the script for the new show at the History Theatre, and Sari Ketter directs it. MPR's Cathy Wurzer talked with them about the show, and Flanigan explained how the Hormel Girls got their start.

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