BACKSTAGE WEST

May 14, 2003

Reviewed By T.H. McCulloh
"Light Up The Sky"

Moss Hart lit up the theatrical sky for many years, frequently working with his early mentor George S. Kaufman but sometimes, especially later on, on his own. Many of his works are classics today, among them this loving, delicious comedy about an out-of-town opening night in Boston and the volatile personalities involved in it. In a way it's Hart's valentine to a world he adored and was nourished by, what the director character in the play calls "magic time."

Hart's classy little comedy frames the personalities that are ever present at openings, even today: the over-emotional director, the blazing star actress, the naive novice playwright, the crass star's mother, and various hangers-on. When the Boston audience laughed at the very serious lines and then left early, the company's other side blossoms: jealous, vindictive, full of blame at one another, but just as funny as before. The playwright has captured them perfectly if a bit stereotypically. But theatre folk are usually stereotypes, though lovable and endearing. The play is truly a gem from the Golden Age of New York theatre.

This is a marvelous piece of writing, and the actors couldn't be better. Hart's son, Chris Hart, directs this outing and has cast it impeccably with actors who know the style and its sources. They play all out but never overboard, and they're a joy, loving the heavy intellectual play they're doing, loving one another and themselves. Unfortunately, director Hart allows the comic timing to flag at many moments during the evening, letting some very funny lines and business slip by the laughs they should get. Only half the humor hits us smack in the face. What should be crisp and immediate often passes by unnoticed, until suddenly the tempos quicken, the rhythms jiggle, and the playwright's wit has the proper effect.

Some of the actors rise above this, particularly Suzanne Ford as the volatile leading lady and Mary Gregory as her mother. Michael Laskin is very solid in the timing of his bombast as the producer, based on Billy Rose, as is Virginia Hamilton as his Eleanor Holm-type wife. Others stand out: Gene Lythgow scores best in a marvelously contrived physical performance as the young truck-driver-turned-playwright, being both rough-hewn and ultra sensitive. As the older playwright and close friend of the group, Mark Arnott is excellent and buoyant. Greg Zerkle's director is very funny indeed, and will be familiar to anyone who has been around theatre much, but sometimes is too leisurely in his delivery for best effect. Smaller parts are played in the right style and with the proper elan.

The only fault here is Chris Hart's leaving some moments without the kinetic timing that would garner the yuks. The staging works, but not as riotously or as brightly as it should.

May 15, 2003

Malibu Stage Company production lights up night
By Lori Porter
Acorn Staff Writer
The Malibu Stage Company is currently presenting playwright Moss Hart’s comedy "Light Up the Sky" in its Pacific Coast Highway theatre. Director Chris Hart says he’s thrilled to be directing his father’s classic play which originally opened on Broadway in 1948 during the golden age of theatre. In that same year, plays like "Death of A Salesman," "Where’s Charlie," "South Pacific" and "A Streetcar Named Desire" were also being played on Broadway.
"Light Up the Sky" takes place in the living room of actress Irene Livingston’s (Suzanne Ford) Ritz-Carleton Hotel Suite in Boston. It’s opening night for Miss Livingston in a new play by a new playwright, Peter Sloan (Gene Lythgow.)
The actress, the producer and the director are all excited about opening night and are anticipating a smashing hit. But when the leading actresses mother, Stella Livingston (Mary Gregory) sneaks into a dress rehearsal, she reveals to her friend, Frances Black, (Virginia Hamilton) who is the wife of the producer, Sidney Black (Michael Laskin) that the play is a flop…a horrible disaster, and that she can’t believe how bad it is.
Sloan is affected the most because he has the most at stake. This is his first play and he decides after opening night to go back to his day job. Then an unexpected, intoxicated character exposes the truth about the play, and from his little surprise comes a very touching human exchange of ego with humility among the characters.
They reveal their true faces behind the make-up they wear; faces that are sometimes very beautiful and sometimes just plain hard to look at. The theme in this play is lighthearted, but very true to life as it identifies with human self centeredness.
All 12 characters were played by professional actors who have various films and television credits. Their faces are familiar and their performances were brilliant and refreshing.