Family Archive Caption Contest #3

There were no takers for the 2nd Walking the Berkshires Family Archive Caption Contest.  Either my readers are too well brought up to make light of other people's relatives - no matter how ridiculously attired - or the ensemble modeled by my Great, great grandmother Mary Athalia Stearns left them speechless with astonishment.  Possibly the laced bodice and penciled caption "B Rough" were too rich a dish for family fare.  If fact, there is a much more innocent explanation which as promised I shall now reveal.

The photograph was taken in November, 1886, when  she was near 44 years old.  As I have previously posted here, this family loved amateur theatricals and took great pleasure in dressing up in fanciful attire for the camera.  They also took part in masquerades and dances in the traditional garb of various European cultures.  This get up is identified on the reverse of the photograph as "the dress of a Normandy peasant", though the idea that a peasant would sport a wig of Marie Antoinette proportions is beyond my comprehension.  One assumes from this black and white photograph that the stripes on the dress may have been red and the bodice blue.  I cannot account for the caption "B Rough."

Since this edition of the contest did not elicit any responses from my esteemed readers, I am unsure whether it should continue as a regular feature here at Walking the Berkshires.  Rest assured I would not offer up my ancestors for the clever commentary and educated insolence of the blogosphere if I (or they) were thin skinned and without a healthy sense of humor.  We shall give it one last try and see whether a fresh photograph will prompt a more robust response.

I'm pulling out all the stops, here.  Caption this:

Comments

[Miss Chestnuts]

I love seeing the Troupe pop up in this blog! My first thought for a caption for this photo was indeed, "I'm bad little buttercup..."

My first year in the Troupe was our last road trip to Southport for the Pequot Library benefit. Twenty years on we haven't found a nicer venue for the road trip than that, but we will be in Norfolk this summer so watch out for lightning bolts and maybe even a snoopy sheet for good measure.

With love from one of your two dear friends in the Blue Hill Troupe (the other one of whom is "glueing and screwing" sets as we speak and preparing for his "super" role as the headsmen/henchman).

[Bill West]

After his talk with his spirit guide John Lennon,
Jack Black decided to make "Nacho Libre"

[Genevieve]

That photo is too scary to joke about! :D

[theo]

evidently the front half of JeZeus. ;)

[fuzzyturtle]

"hey man, were we just struck by lighting man...?"

cute Peanuts sheet.

[Martin Langeland]

Actually they are Connecticut transplantings. I taught for a year at Fairfield Prep sometime in the early Miocene. My wife's God father was then Director of the Pequot Library. Blue Hill came there to do a G&S every Spring. Roy of alicublog was one of my students. I hold him up as proof that I damaged none of them despite the rumors to the contrary.
--ml

[GreenmanTim]

Now these are more like it! Good catch on the lightning bolts, Theo. But who's the apostle/deity in the snoopy bedsheets, then?

Two of my dearest friends are in Blue Hill troop, Marty. You must have NYC roots to go along with your West coast identity! Do tell!

[Martin Langeland]

Zounds! Another Kirby salesman!

Sorry I was dilatory in referring to #2 as:
Another audition for the Blue Hill troop.

Or is that too esoteric?

--ml

[theo]

JeZeus