31 Jan 2023 Love Lucy all over again
The University of Central Arkansas’ Reynolds Performance Hall welcomes L.A. Theatre Works with the hilarious, true story behind one of America’s most beloved TV comedies in “Lucy Loves Desi: A Funny Thing Happened on the Way to the Sitcom” at 7:30 p.m. Thursday, Feb. 16.
Lucille Ball paved the way for many of today’s top comediennes while forcing Hollywood to begin dealing with the rising power and influence of women artists both on-screen and behind the scenes. Her iconic series, “I Love Lucy”, remains one of the most groundbreaking and influential shows in television history.
“Radio style theatre is a creative treat for the audience, and mixed with the amazing story of Lucy and Desi, will make this show a must see in our season,” Reynolds director Amanda Horton said. “Get ready to learn about the unstoppable career of Lucille Ball and the personal history of her relationship with Desi.”
Playwright Gregg Oppenheimer, son of “I Love Lucy” creator Jess Oppenheimer, spins this witty, fast-paced tale of Lucy and Desi’s battles with CBS over the pioneering ideas that changed the face of television forever: Lucy insisted on Desi Arnaz, her Cuban-born bandleader husband, as her TV co-star instead of the “all-American” leading man preferred by the network. The couple wanted the show filmed in Hollywood, where they planned to raise a family, instead of being broadcast live from New York like other major TV programs of the time. They demanded and won the right to own the show themselves. Their writers incorporated Lucy’s real-life pregnancy into the program’s storyline which was an absolute taboo in 1950s America. It resulted in the highest audience share ever recorded. And they proposed the unheard-of notion of airing reruns on the network to accommodate Lucy’s mid-season maternity leave, which was an experiment that ultimately turned the entire TV industry’s business model on its head.
“Lucy Loves Desi: A Funny Thing Happened on the Way to the Sitcom” tells all these stories and more with as much heart and humor as an episode of I Love Lucy itself. The cast includes Laila Ayad, Ellis Greer, Ozzie Rodriguez, Bill Mendieta, Gerard Marzilli and Tom Virtue who is also known for his roles on the Academy Award-winning Best Picture, Green Book, as well as The Bonnie Hunt Show, ABC Family’s Secret Life of the American Teenager, Even Stevens and more.
Tickets are $30-$40 for adults and $10 for students and may be purchased at the Reynolds Box Office from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Monday through Friday, online at uca.edu/reynolds or by calling 501.450.3265.
