Light Up the Sky
by Moss Hart
"Theatre is not so much a profession as a disease." quipped Moss Hart. And he should know. The Pulitzer Prize-winning author of such great American comedies "You Can't Take it with You" and "The Man Who Came to Dinner" also directed the original productions of "My Fair Lady" and "Camelot".
For its fall offering, opening Friday, September 12, Stage 3 Theatre Company has unearthed Hart's "Light up the Sky", a little-known but brilliant theatrical masterwork. This wisecracking, screwball comedy serves up a backstage buffet of Broadway beauties, big wigs and bad guys in a delightful spoof of show business. It is a tour de force that echoes a bygone era of wit, glamour and panache. Renowned critic Brooks Atkinson called "a comic valentine to the theater". The title is drawn from a quote from "The Idle Jeste". "Mad sire? Ah yes – mad indeed, but observe how they do light up the sky."
The play transports us November 18, 1948. The audience finds themselves in the plush Ritz-Carleton hotel suite of actress Irene Livingston. The air crackles with opening night jitters as the comic crew assembles to toast what they believe will be the theatrical triumph of the century. At least that's what they think. Little do they know they are about to wave goodbye to their last sane moment. What becomes pure tragedy for this flamboyant collection of theatre folk turns into pure comedy for the audience. Their play turns out to be the biggest dog ever put on any stage. Fortunes are lost. Careers and reputations are ruined. And if that isn't enough, the Shriners are in town. It's a big show for Stage 3 with 13 speaking roles, not to mention the offstage Greek chorus of Shriners and a talking parrot.
Director Don Bilotti is excited to be working on this production. He says, "This type of comedy has a Fred Astaire sophistication on the surface but underneath it has the spirit of a Dead End Kid. This production was a big risk for Stage 3. To pull it off you need a cast that can recreate a style that has nearly vanished and weld itself into a comic fighting force terrible to behold. It's a miracle, but we got them."
The cast consists of a group of theatrical heavyweights drawn from all over the region. Included are Sarah Grimes, Jay Newington, Terri Wilson, Mike Clarke, Sally Newstetter, Todd Thomas, Dave Lehman, Don Hrdlicka, Sheila Doyle, Mitch Hrdlicka and Stephen Daly.
Costumes will be designed by Lisette Noelpaj, lights by Adrianna Wulfe and set by Denny Anderson and Chris Sutherst. Jay Newington provides scenic expertise and all furniture is provided by Lorain's Gallery of Fine Antiques and Furniture.
This production is made possible by a generous sponsorship from Associate Producer John Richardson.