Good Theater is pleased to announce its final production of the 2008-2009 season, Light Up the Sky by Moss Hart. This 1948 classic comedy will play at the St. Lawrence Arts Center, 76 Congress Street, on MunJoy Hill, in Portland, April 16 - May 10. In addition to Light Up the Sky, Good Theater will offer several lectures on "Moss Hart and the Golden Age of Broadway" presented by Good Theater Artistic Director, Brian P. Allen, as well as a staged reading of the Moss Hart/George Kaufman play, George Washington Slept Here for two performances on April 29 and May 5. The Moss Hart Festival is made possible by grants from the Davis Family Foundation and the Edward Daveis Benevolent Fund.
Light Up the Sky is a rollicking backstage comedy about a group of theater people (the larger-than-life star, her mother, the tough-as-nails producer, his ice-skating wife, the overly emotional director, the idealistic writer and a host of other zany characters) getting ready to open a brand new play in Boston, prior to Broadway. Act one begins with everyone loving each other as they toast the play and prepare for the first performance. Things do not go well, and in act two everyone hates each other, but encouraging reviews from the first-night Boston critics require everyone to quickly make up and get back to work.
Light Up the Sky stars Denise Poirier as the star,
Mark Honan as the director, Stephen Underwood as the producer, Janice Gardner as his ice-skating wife, Tootie Van Reenen as the star's mother, Bob McCormack as a visiting playwright, Marc Brann as the author of the new play, Mark Rubin as the star's Wall Street husband, with Randall Tuttle and
Laura Graham rounding out the cast. Mr. Honan appears with Good Theater through a special arrangement with Actor's Equity Association. Light Up the Sky is directed by Brian P. Allen with set design by
Craig Robinson, lighting design by Jamie Grant and the period costumes will be rented from the Repertory Theatre of St. Louis. Joshua Hurd is the production stage manager.
Light Up the Sky plays Thursday April 16 through Sunday May 10 with performances on Thursdays 7:30 ($18), Fridays and Saturdays at 8:00 ($24/$21) and Sundays at 2:00 ($24/$21). There is an added Saturday matinee on May 9 at 3:00 ($18). For reservations to receive more information call the Good Theater box office at 207-885-5883.
Good Theater's Artistic Director, Brian P. Allen will offer a lecture on "
Moss Hart and the Golden Age of Broadway." This lecture, which runs approximately 45 minutes, is free of charge and will be offered on Thursday 4/16 at 6:00, Friday 4/17 at 6:30, Sunday 4/19 at 12:30 and Sunday 4/26 at 12:30. Playwright
Moss Hart was a colorful and fascinating man who is best known as the co-author of You Can't Take It With You and The Man Who Came to Dinner. He was the director of the original Broadway production of My Fair Lady, the author of the New York Times best seller, Act One, and the screenwriter for the
Judy Garland/
James Mason version of A Star Is Born. Hart was married to actress
Kitty Carlisle.
Good Theater will offer a staged reading of the
Moss Hart/George Kaufman play George Washington Slept Here on Wednesday April 29 and Tuesday May 5, both performances at 7:00. This comic gem is rarely performed although in the 1940's it was the most performed play in regional theaters. Dan Burson, literary manager for Portland Stage Company, directs the Good Theater reading. It features a cast of 16 including:
Mark Honan, Denise Poirier, Stephen Underwood, Janice Gardner, Kathleen Kimball, Paul Drinan, Erik Moody, Amy Roche, Tony Reilly, Dylan Chestnut, and Bob McCormack. There is no charge to audience members for this reading, but donations are appreciated. Reservations are suggested.
Good Theater is grateful to the support of the Davis Family Foundation and the Edward Daveis Benevolent Fund for their support with this festival.
Good Theater is professional theater in residence at the St. Lawrence Arts Center. Check out the Good Theater website at
www.godotheater.com for more information on all of the activities at Good Theater.
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