This afternoon Candy and I headed to TPAC to see the stage performance of “I Love Lucy” in the James K. Polk Theater. We had wonderful seats, fourth row orchestra if you can believe it, and we laughed and giggled along with all of Lucy’s wacky shenanigans. Here’s a recap from the stage show website:
It’s 1952 and you are a member of the studio audience awaiting the filming of two hilarious and oh-so-familiar I LOVE LUCY® episodes. Imagine stepping back in time onto the Desilu Playhouse soundstage where a charming host entertains and enlightens you to the behind-the-scenes filming process, the 1950s hi-fidelity technology and this brand-new thing called “television.” The episodes begin and you witness, firsthand, the side-splitting antics of that crazy redhead in the Ricardo’s New York apartment and thrill to the Cuban sounds of “The Ricky Ricardo Orchestra” at the famed Tropicana Nightclub. In-between scenes? The Crystaltone Singers perform live advertising jingles of the show’s newest sponsors in perfect 50’s style harmony. Can you say “Brylcreem?!”
Along with the Brylcreem jingle (“A little dab’ll do ‘ya”), the Crystaltones also sang jingles for Speedy Alka-Seltzer, Mr. Clean and a Dinah Shore parody of “See the USA in Your Chevrolet”. In between takes, they also sang the songs that were topping the radio charts including “Wheel of Fortune” and “Glow Worm”.
The two recreated episodes were the “Benefit” in which Lucy tries to finagle Ricky into performing a duet for Ethel’s ladies group charity and “Lucy Gets Her Eyes Examined”. After inadvertently getting her eyes dilated after a visit to the eye doctor, Lucy attempts to audition for a big time Hollywood movie producer at the Tropicana Nightclub with disastrous results.
The costumes were great and made me long for crinoline, pill box hats and dainty gloves. Don’t get me wrong, I love my yoga pants, but the ladies all looked so decidedly feminine and pulled together. The set was a spot on replica of the Ricardo living room down to the art on the walls, the ruffled curtains hanging in the windows and the comfy davenport which all lent itself to its authenticity and overall familiarity.
On the air since 1951, “I Love Lucy” continues to be the most watched television show in the United States. With its slapstick humor and vaudevillian antics, the comedy of “I Love Lucy” remains timeless.
We had an absolute marvelous time sitting in the audience and reliving a little bit of the golden age of television and as always, Candy and I had a silly, side-splitting girls day out.
