Richard Easton, Liz Larsen and More Star in Peccadillo's LIGHT UP THE SKY Reading Tonight

Tony Award winner Richard Easton, Liz Larsen, Steve Vinovich, and Glory Crampton are set to star in The Peccadillo Theater Company's upcoming staged reading of Moss Hart's 1948 play LIGHT UP THE SKY tonight, July 29th at 7 PM at Theatre at St. Clement's, 423 West 46th Street (between Ninth & Tenth Ave.)

Under the direction of Christopher Hart, the cast ofLIGHT UP THE SKY will also feature Peter Cormican (Follies, The Rivalry), Charles E. Gerber ("Royal Pains," "Third Watch"), Lucy Martin (Children of a Lesser God, The Sister Rosensweig), Michael Quinlan ("Blue Bloods," Death of a Salesmanw/Dustin Hoffman), Bruch Reed (Lombardi), Tony Triano (The Man Who Came to Dinner), Marisa Vitale ("Bored to Death"), and John Wernke (The Lyons, The Royal Family).

A hilarious valentine to the Golden Age of the American theatre, LIGHT UP THE SKY is a classic backstage comedy chronicling the agony (and the ecstasy) of bringing a play in trouble to Broadway. LIGHT UP THE SKY opened November 18, 1948 at the Royale Theatre, where it played for 214 performances starring Barry Nelson, Sam Levene, Audrey Christie, Philip Ober, Bartlett Robinson, Virginia Field, Glenn Anders, and Phyllis Povah.

Richard Easton starred on Broadway in Noises Off, The Coast of Utopia and The Invention of Love (Tony Award, Best Actor), and his film and TV credits include "Boardwalk Empire," "Frasier," Henry V, "MildrEd Pierce," Revolutionary Road, "Churchill and the Generals," Finding Forrester, "As You Like It," "Benjamin Franklin," and Dead Again. Liz Larsen received a Tony nomination for her performance in The Most Happy Fella, and her other Broadway credits include Hairspray, Damn Yankees, The Rocky Horror Show, and Starmites. Steve Vinovich appeared on Broadway in The Magic Show, Lost in Yonkers, Loose Ends, The Robber Bridegroom, and The Grand Tour, and his film and TV credits include "Malcolm in the Middle," Awakenings and "A Midsummer Night's Dream." Glory Crampton starred as Luisa in The Fantasticks Off-Broadway, in Japan, and on the national tour with Robert Goulet. She also starred in the York Theatre revival of Carnival! and was selected by Jose Carreras to perform with him in concert at Radio City Music Hall.

Director Christopher Hart, the son of playwright Moss Hart and actress Kitty Carlisle Hart, was born the year LIGHT UP THE SKY premiered on Broadway and has directed several productions of the play around the country.

Moss Hart began his career as playwright, director and producer in 1930 when, with George S. Kaufman, he wrote Once in a Lifetime. Subsequent Kaufman and Hart successes include You Can't Take It With You, The Man Who Came to Dinner and I'd Rather Be Right, among others. In collaboration with Irving Berlin, he wrote As Thousands Cheer and Face the Music, and in solo efforts scored personal triumphs with Light Up the Sky and Lady in the Dark, both of which he also directed. Hart's other directorial credits include My Fair Lady, Camelot, Dear Ruth, Anniversary Waltz, and Junior Miss. Among his screen credits areA Star is Born (for Judy Garland), Gentleman's Agreement, Winged Victory, Hans Christian Andersen, and Prince of Players. His autobiography Act One topped the bestseller list for 41 weeks.

Founded in 1994, The Peccadillo Theater Company is a not-for-profit arts organization dedicated to the rediscovery of classic American theater, particularly those works which, despite their obvious literary and theatrical value, are not regularly revived. Beginning with Eugene O'Neill (generally considered the starting point of modern American theater), Peccadillo concentrates on the era of the so-called well-made play, a period of sparkling wit and sophistication in comedy as well as deepening realism in the drama. It encompasses such diverse and little-known works as Jane by S.N. Behrman, The Shanghai Gesture by John Colton, as well as the neglected plays of celebrated authors like Dorothy Parker and John O'Hara. Collectively, this work represents nothing less than the American experience itself in all its contradictions and screwball energy.

In recent years, Peccadillo has broadened its mission to include original plays and musicals that touch upon the history of the American theater. Such was the case with Jeffrey Hatcher's Ten Chimneys, a delightful comedy about the highly theatrical marriage of Alfred Lunt and Lynn Fontanne, as well as Zero Hour, Jim Brochu's one-man show about the actor/comedian, Zero Mostel.

General admission is $25 and reservations may be made by calling 212-352-3101. Premium seats (including post-show reception) are available for $100. For more information, visit www.ThePeccadillo.com.

To post a comment, you must register and login.