It’s 1939 in Hollywood. Legendary producer David O. Selznickhas shut down filming for the highly anticipated movie adaptation of Gone With the Wind due to a shoddyscreenplay and inadequate director. What now? He sends for the finest scriptdoctor in town, Ben Hecht, and poaches Victor Fleming from the set of The Wizard of Oz. The rub? They onlyhave five days to re-write the script and begin filming again before Hollywoodshuts them down. Oh, and Hecht has never read Margret Mitchell’s novel. SoSelznick locks them in his office with only peanuts and bananas as sustenanceand, in a creative marathon session filled with slapstick antics, fierydiscussions and reenactments of scenes from the novel, the trio fashions themost popular film of all time.
This is the hilarious plotline of Ron Hutchinson’s Moonlightand Magnolias, a production based on events that actually occurred duringthe making of Gone With the Wind.However, just as Hecht hadn’t read the book before writing the screenplay, it’snot a prerequisite for audience members to have seen the movie to thoroughlyenjoy the show.
“This particularplay has an appeal to a wide variety of audiences for multiple reasons,” saysMemories Ballroom’s artistic coordinator and director of Moonlight and Magnolias, Heather Hernandez. “There is some of thehistorical basis in it, so I think it’s intriguing to history buffs. Itreferences the movie extensively, of course, so I think that appeals to thefolks who do love the movie. And then it has a wide variety of intellectualcomedy and a fair amount of slapstick, specifically when Fleming and Selznickreenact certain scenes from the book so Hecht can actually write the dialogue.To see this big tough man pretending to be giving birth or dancing around thestage is very, very funny.”
An interesting tidbit about this show specifically is that thecast—Mike Shelby as Selznick, Jim Roth as Hecht, Sean Duncan as Fleming andKerri Rank as Selznick’s assistant—opted to do a marathon rehearsal of aboutseven hours to replicate (in a small way) what their characters went through inorder to bring audiences the most genuine portrayal.
“I think it’s interesting to see what is thought to have happenedbehind those doors,” Hernandez adds. “It’s a fabulous show! I encourage folksto come on out to Memories to sit back, have something to eat and enjoy a greatproduction.”
Moonlight and Magnolias runs June 7-22 at Memories Ballroom DinnerTheater, 1077 Lake Drive, Port Washington. “Buy one-get one at half price” aswell as “buy three-get one free” ticket specials are currently available.Peanuts will be used onstage. For more information and tickets, call262-284-6850 or visit memoriesballroom.com.
Theatre Happenings:
- Soulstice Theatre presentsThe Secret Garden, a musical about anorphan sent to live with an unknown relative who renews her late aunt’s hiddengarden and, in turn, inspires healing and rejuvenates love within her extendedfamily. Show runs June 10-25 at 3770 S. Pennsylvania Ave., St. Francis. Fortickets, call 414-481-2800 or visit soulsticetheatre.org.
- Oscar Wilde’s TheImportance of Being Earnest comes to the beautiful SummerStageoutdoor performance space in Lapham Peak State Park (W329 N846 County HighwayC, Delafield), June 9-25. For tickets to this comedic masterpiece, call262-337-1560 or visit summerstageofdelafield.org.
- Five Lesbian Brothers’ The Secretaries, described as “an unflinching look at the warpingcultural expectations of femininity,” comes to the Arcade Theatre (161 W. WisconsinAve.) at 7 p.m. on June 10 and June 11 and at 2 p.m. on June 12. For moreinformation and tickets to this UndergroundCollaborative show, visit brownpapertickets.com/event/2552827.
