Lucie Arnaz Goes Back to Her Roots

The popular actress discusses performing her Latin Roots show at Feinstein's at Loews Regency in New York City.

Much of America grew up with Lucie Arnaz, having watched her blossom as an actress opposite her mother Lucille Ball on The Lucy Show and Here's Lucy. But Arnaz has since triumphed in a variety of mediums, most notably in the Broadway musical They're Playing Our Song and in the film The Jazz Singer, for which she received a Golden Globe nomination.

In recent years, she has become a popular nightclub performer, and on January 5, she brings her new show Latin Roots, based on the CD of the same name, to Feinstein's at Loews Regency in New York City for a four-night run. TheaterMania recently spoke to Arnaz about the show and her career.

THEATERMANIA: Are you looking forward to this gig?
LUCIE ARNAZ: I am very excited, since I haven't played there since 1999, before I left to go to London to do The Witches of Eastwick. Sometimes, I think it's difficult for me to play these ritzier rooms, because the people who come see me look for more affordable spots like Birdland. So I am really happy they agreed to discount the cover charge for this run.

TM: So how did this show -- and your CD -- come about? ?
LUCIE: After my dad [Desi Arnaz] died in 1986, I found this little cassette holder in his sock drawer and in small type on the cover, it said "Desi Arnaz and Orchestra recordings, December 9, 1947 - San Francisco." I thought wow, I had never heard these. So I got in my in car and put it on and just lost myself in this music. Of course, I had heard him sing on I Love Lucy and I had heard a few recordings, but there were no CDs available of this kind of big band stuff. And listening to this cassette sort of changed the direction of where I was going in my career. I knew I wanted to do these songs and these arrangements in front of a band. My father had some really good charts, especially some for girl singers. It just took a lot of time for everything to come together.

TM: I first heard these arrangements when you did the Babalu show at the 92nd Street Y in January 2010, which was an amazing experience. Tell me how that happened?
LUCIE: I happened to be at the Y to do an Ira Gershwin show, and Deborah Grace Winer, who is the artistic director of Lyrics & Lyrcists, told me she loved my father's arrangements and suggested we put together a show about Latin music. And then I realized I had to do everything -- produce, direct, host, and write it. So the first thing I did was call my brother, Desi Arnaz, Jr. He doesn't love to travel, but he loves to play drums and he loves the music, so he jumped at the chance to recreate it.

TM: But the show wasn't just a family affair - you had Raul Esparza singing a lot of your dad's songs, and also the great Valarie Pettiford. Why them?
LUCIE: Raul was at top of my wish list; he's so multi-talented, and like my dad, he's Cuban. But it took me three days to write him an email, since I didn't want to sound too goofy, and then I didn't hear right away, and I figured he wasn't interested. But then he called me and said he would be thrilled to do it. And I thought to have Valarie shake her booty and add her own Afro-Cuban jazz touch was perfect. It was heaven. We did the show again in Miami in July, 2010 -- let's say it was hot on many levels -- and then another concert in October, 2011 in honor of the 100th anniversary of my mother's birth, but that may be it. I would love to see it on Broadway, but we're not going there without Raul; there aren't that many people who can do these songs justice, and Desi won't come to New York for an extended run, so it just wouldn't be the same.

TM: So the Latin Roots show grew out of Babalu?
LUCIE: Yes, I am doing some of Dad's stuff myself. And while we don't have a big band like we did for Babalu, we have my musical director Ron Abel, and we also have some great percussionists so we can do as much of the CD as possible in that room.

TM: Your children are very talented. Did you think of recruiting them for this show?
LUCIE: My son Simon is a drummer and he does play percussion on the road, and Joe is an amazing guitarist with his own CDs, but their music is different from this music. And my daughter Kate is a wonderful singer and she loves this stuff, but she just started working on the production side of Rosie O'Donnell's show and I don't want to distract her.

TM: So, is there any chance we'll get you back on Broadway in something other than Babalu?
LUCIE: I always keep my ears open to what's going on in theater; I am on the board of the American Theater Wing. But doing this is great fun, and I feel like I can choose to have a career and have a life, and be at home at night with my husband [actor Laurence Luckinbill] and not do eight shows a week. But we'll see.

The Lucy Show - Fifith Season DVD

While you are waiting for the Fifth Season of Here's Lucy to come out in February - you can still get the Fifth Season of The Lucy Show on DVD, which came out on December 6th.

As Lucille Ball headed into the fifth season of "The Lucy Show" in the fall of 1966, the comic icon must have been feeling some pressure.

Though ratings were still high for her first post-"I Love Lucy" show, there was creative trouble afoot. Scripts for the series' fourth season had been mediocre at best and the show struggled to adapt to changes made after the departure of Ball's co-star, Vivian Vance. During this fourth season upheaval, Ball's Lucy Carmichael character not only left Connecticut for California, but underwent a serious back story overhaul. No longer was she a widow living on trust-fund money. Instead, she was single and working at a bank.

With these changes in place, the show stabilized and Ball's manic comedic genius was back in full bloom, a fact that's evident on CBS DVD's four-disc set "The Lucy Show: The Official Fifth Season."
All 22 fifth-season episodes are included, and they're a riot. Like a bull in a china shop, Lucy Carmichael barrels through life and leaves a trail of havoc in her wake. She disrupts a John Wayne movie, confuses a monkey for Mr. Mooney, joins the "beatnik" generation, gets arrested for shoplifting, baby-sits a family of chimps and gets trapped aboard a Navy ship. It's classic stuff, and Ball walked away with an Emmy for best actress in a comedy series in 1967. It was her first Emmy win in 11 years. Also included are a host of extras, including bloopersand the hourlong "Lucy in London" television special directed by Oxnard's Steve Binder.

I Love Lucy: A Celebration of All Things Lucy/Inside the World of Television’s First Great Sitcom

I Love Lucy: A Celebration of All Things Lucy/Inside the World of Television’s First Great Sitcom by Elizabeth Edwards

Upon the 60th anniversary of the premiere show, and what would be Lucille Ball’s 100th birthday year, this ultimate celebration of both the woman and the iconic program is a perfect tribute.

Even though “I Love Lucy” premiered during the autumn of 1951, sixty years later it is still rerun in dozens of countries throughout the world. If you remember the 1950s, “I Love Lucy” was more than likely one of your favorite weekly sitcoms. The broadcast began during the autumn of 1951. On October 29th, those lucky enough to have a television set tuned in to see the 4th episode of the series,“The Diet,” which had a plot that was fairly typical. Lucy wants to get a job in Ricky’s club, he agrees but claims she must lose 12 pounds to fit into the costume, and so begins dieting and sessions in a sweatbox to lose the extra weight. Her hard work pays off but she collapses right after the show.

“I Love Lucy” was more than just a hit, it was a cultural phenomenon and Lucy, Ricky, Ethel, and Fred became more than just television characters. For many, they became almost like members of the family. Remember when Little Ricky was born? If you do, you recall that it was an international event.

Lucille Ball’s success on television was hardly instant. According to Edwards, Lucy began as a fashion model for Hattie Carnegie, posed for portraits, one of which was used in a Chesterfield cigarette magazine advertisement. When Agent Sylvia Hahlo saw the ad she thought Ball might be perfect as a chorus girl in the Eddie Cantor film, “Roman Scandals.” Ball was hired, left New York, and arrived in Hollywood for what she thought was a six weeks assignment but remained on the West Coast, eventually appeared in more than eighty films and, of course, a fixture on early network television.

This is a fascinating book brimming with illustrations, trivia, and — as promised — facts about all things Lucy.  This book brings to life the world of the show and its impact more fully than ever before. Rare backstage photos and images from the stars’ personal collections illustrate new stories about the making of I Love Lucy. Highlights include Lucille Ball’s personal commentary on her favorite episodes, taken from previously unpublished interviews. Chapters filled with trivia, character bios, fashions, music, recipes featured on the show, and much more make this an informative and fabulously entertaining tribute to the classic show.

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P.S. I Love Lucy: The Story of Lucille Ball in Palm Springs

A new Amazon Kindle book has been released. "P.S. I Love Lucy: The Story of Lucille Ball in Palm Springs", by Eric G. Meeks.

This is a new never before revealed history of Lucille Ball. Dozens of never before seen photographs. Read about her starlet days and the Marx brother who introduced her to the area; about how she and Desi first ran off to the desert as young lovers with nothing but their bed clothes; about how they intended to raise their children in Palm Springs; their business misadventures, Desi's winning of prime real estate in a poker game; his drinking, gambling and skirt chasing; and finally, how Lucy spent her golden years in the city of Palm Springs and the fun, clean, healthy lifestyle she enjoyed away from the prying eyes of Hollywood.

Get your Kindle edition from Amazon for $2.99 and download in less then a minute to start reading today!

Dead Celebrity Cookbook: Lucille Ball’s Persimmon Cake

Long before Gwyneth Paltrow wrote a cookbook or Sara Lee had her own show, Lucille Ball was baking persimmon cake and Harriet Nelson was creating her favorite chicken. This, among other reasons, is why this past fall, Frank DeCaro created The Dead Celebrity Cookbook : A Resurrection of Recipes from More Than 145 Stars of Stage and Screen. The cookbook combines his love of movie and pop culture trivia with authentic recipes from Hollywood celebs who enjoyed cooking well before it was popular.

The idea for a dead celebrity cookbook was first born at a dead celebrity party that DeCaro attended in college, he says. "It was a great concept for a party. I remember going as Euell Gibbons [the spokesperson for Grape Nuts], and thinking that there were no dead celebrity dishes at the party." After sparking the idea, it was DeCaro's love of pop culture that inspired him to start collecting celebrity cookbooks. "It literally got to the point where I was buying anything that had a celeb recipe in it!" Besides his own passion, he also wanted to remind younger audiences of the impact that some great past celebrities have had on present-day culture.

Of the 145-plus dead celebrity recipes featured in DeCaro's cookbook, he does have his favorites. Harriet Nelson's chicken, which "is everything you want on a cold winter's day. It has three cans of cream soup, and probably isn't very healthy, but it's absolutely delicious! Another favorite are Liberace's sticky buns. "They're tastier than crescent rolls have the right to be. I made a batch of 24, and ate nine before they even had time to cool!" Also in the cookbook is one of the most famous celeb-meets-oven recipes, Katharine Hepburn's brownies.

And for your Holiday Baking - here are two of Lucille Ball's recipes:

Lucille Ball's Sunday Night Goulash
Serves 6

Ingredients:
2 bunches green onions, chopped
2 large green peppers, chopped
½ clove garlic, chopped
2 pounds ground beef
1 large can solid packed tomatoes
½ pound small egg noodles

Saute onions, green pepper, and garlic until tender. Brown meat in butter, then add sautéed ingredients. Add tomatoes with juice and simmer slowly. Add salt and pepper to taste. During last 30 minutes of cooking, add cooked, strained egg noodles.

Lucille Ball's Persimmon Cake
Serves 12

Ingredients:
2 cups sugar
3 tablespoons butter
2 cups persimmon pulp
2 cups chopped walnut meats
1 cup seedless raisins
1 cup dates, chopped fine
Rind of one orange, grated
1 cup milk
4 cups sifted cake flour
2 teaspoon cinnamon
½ teaspoon cloves
½ teaspoon allspice
½ teaspoon nutmeg
4 teaspoons baking soda
3 teaspoons baking powder
2 teaspoons vanilla extract

Mix all ingredients and bake in two large buttered load tins for 4 small ones for 1 ½ hours at 300 degrees F.

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If you want to explore more recipes, be sure to purchase the book and get cooking today!

Here's Lucy Season 5 DVD to be Released

Season 5 of Here's Lucy on DVD will be released on February 28, 2012.

Here's Lucy - Season 5 DVD set is in-the-works from MPI Home Video, as mentioned in an insert found with the CBS DVD release of The Lucy Show - The Official 4th Season. The insert had an early look at the package art and also there is a pre-order link to purchase the title from Amazon and it shows a release date of February 28th, and a cost of $20.99.

This will be a 4-DVD disc set. However, the release date shown may turn out to be correct, but actually isn't finalized just yet. There's a "technical issue" they have to overcome before the formal scheduling can take place, and they hope that this happens soon and the official word could then go out.

MPI only describes the same sort of bonus material that has been including with all of their releases of this program: "exclusive featurettes and videotaped introductions by Lucie Arnaz, Desi Arnaz Jr., guest stars and production personnel; unreleased home movies and behind-the-scenes footage; 'Let's Talk to Lucy': long-lost radio shows where Lucy interviews celebrities; bloopers, promos, commercials and other special footage."

Season's 1 through 5 are now available and can be found through the Everything Lucy store. Be sure to visit and get your DVDs today!

UPDATE:  News that the release date is February 28, 2012 and that he MSRP for the 4 disc DVD set will be $29.98, although Amazon has it listed at pre-order for $21.99.

The legendary queen of television comedy, Lucille Ball, is joined by her real-life daughter, Lucie Arnaz, in her third long-running sitcom success.

Ball plays Lucille Carter and Arnaz plays her daughter Kim. Lucy works for her brother-in-law, played by Gale Gordon, who owns Carter's Unique Employment Agency, leading Lucy into endless predicaments and hilarious hijinks.

The complete fifth season of Here's Lucy (1971-72, CBS-TV) features all 24 episodes uncut and digitally remastered for superior quality, plus a wealth of new and never-before seen special features.

Guest stars include Don Knotts, Donny Osmond, Eva Gabor, Joe Namath, Petula Clark, Lloyd Bridges, Ruth Buzzi, Robert Cummings, Totie Fields, Ricardo Montalban, Elsa Lanchester, Jim Bailey, John Davidson, Craig Stevens and Desi Arnaz, Jr.

Tropicana Nights: A Salute to the Music of I Love Lucy

Sixty years ago, film and radio star Lucille Ball and Cuban-born actor and musician Desi Arnaz first stole our hearts as Lucy and Ricky Ricardo in arguably the most successful television show of all time, I Love Lucy. Always a showcase for the brilliant comedic talents of its legendary cast, the series possessed equally sparkling musical moments. From the fiery excitement of “Babalu” and “El Cumbanchero,” to the touching and sentimental “We’re Having a Baby (My Baby and Me)” and Tin Pan Alley–era tunes including “By the Light of the Silvery Moon,” I Love Lucy’s diverse and potent musical blend further helped to cement the series’ enduring appeal and influence.

Desi Arnaz Jr. and Lucie Arnaz

The Paley Center presented an evening celebrating the musical legacy of I Love Lucy on December 9th. This special program was joined by Lucie Arnaz and Desi Arnaz. Jr., the only children of Lucille Ball and Desi Arnaz Sr., and two gifted actors and musicians who proudly carry on their family’s musical tradition, recently celebrated in the acclaimed musical revue Babalu! and in Ms. Arnaz current album release Latin Roots. They were joined by the award-winning composer and arranger Ron Abel and others for an illuminating conversation filled with classic clips and special musical performances.

The event, Tropicana Nights: A Salute to the Music of I Love Lucy, featured a panel discussion focused primarily on the siblings' father, followed by musical performance with Desi, 58, on bongos and Lucie, 60, singing two numbers her father performed on the 1950's sitcom. Prior to the event, they were asked how they both honor and protect their parents' legacy.

Desi, we don't see you at many Lucy-related events. Why was this something you wanted to be part of?Desi: Well, I live in Boulder City, Nevada. But this is a big deal. It's the 60th anniversary of the show and it's Mom's 100 birthday if she were still with us. And the music is really why I'm here. Lucie and I have been working on a show that tributes Dad's music. We did it as a benefit and then performed it as a concert show called Babalu. We're moved very deeply by the music, so we enjoy talking to people about that side of I Love Lucy. Dad's contribution and the music.

What were the origins of the music of I Love Lucy?Desi: I Love Lucy was actually created out of Dad's orchestral show. Mom and Dad wanted to see if people would accept them live, because CBS wasn't too sure it would work or not. In those days they weren't sure a redhead American should even be married to a Cuban. It was very controversial. But the two of them went out together with dad's band and the people loved it.
Lucie: After Dad died I found all these arrangements and tapes. Stuff we had never heard before that inspired me to work more on Latin music.

What's the future of your Babalu show?Lucie: He doesn't want to travel, so there is no future.
Desi: [Laughs] Maybe we'll do a run in Vegas.

Do you have a favorite song from I Love Lucy?Lucie: I do. It's from the Lucy/Desi Comedy Hour when they went to Havana for the flashback showing how Lucy and Ricky met. The song is "That Means I Love You" where he plays the Conga and she plays the table in front of her shaped like a Conga.
Desi: That's a good one. I like the one about me being born. "We're Having a Baby; My Baby and Me."

I imagine a lot of marketing people would like to turn your parents into Mickey and Minnie Mouse — with every conceivable form of merchandising. How do you protect their legacy?Desi: We have a company called Desilu Too where Lucie and I police any merchandise. We've been doing it since they passed away. We work with a company out of Chicago called Unforgettable Inc. We needed to have help to police and license the merchandise. [Desi Sr. passed away in 1986 at age 69 while Lucy died in 1989 at age 77.]
Lucie: Once someone famous dies, someone has to run that estate forever.

Any strange marketing pitches you heard that you rejected?
Desi: No images of Mom on toilet paper.
Lucie: Nobody would ask for that!
Desi: Somebody actually did, and we had to say "no!"
Lucie: It didn't mean to be our life's work. We've got separate careers and families, but this thing has overtaken us like the giant Godzilla monster. But there are some perks to it to. We decided if we were going to spend X number of hundreds of thousands of dollars every year policing what we weren't allowing, we might as well hire people to do it right and turn it into a real business. Make the real estate value of Lucy and Desi stay as valuable as it was when they left us.
Desi: It's about quality, not quantity. If you sell everything out right away then you don't have anything left over. You don't sell the farm; you rent it out.

Did you both approve the I Love Lucy: Live on Stage show that's been playing to sold out audiences in Los Angeles?Lucie: The I Love Lucy show itself is owned by CBS. Anything that is based on the scripts is controlled by CBS. What they don't totally own is the image of Lucille Ball as Lucy Ricardo or Desi Aranz as Ricky Ricardo. In certain cases, like in the case of dolls, you have to get permission from CBS and also the estate of Lucille Ball and Desi Arnaz.
Desi: That's because dad was future thinking and kept their image and likeness rights. He also put up half money for the pilot, so CBS wheeled and dealed with him in the negotiations in terms of who owned what.

What's next for you?Lucie: I put together a hybrid version of the Babalu show with a 12-piece band based on the Latin Roots CD I released. I found a way to do Babalu and as many of Dad's arrangements that a woman can do. It's very fun. And we have a wonderful one-woman show out I directed that we own a piece of called An Evening With Lucille Ball. Suzanne LaRusch is the wonderful impressionist. There is nobody quite like her.
Desi: I built the sets and we launched it at my theater. It's Mom in her late 50's, early 60's talking to a bunch of college kids about her life.

You've no doubt heard that William Frawley and Vivian Vance are being inducted into the TV Academy Hall of Fame at a March 1 ceremony in Beverly Hills.Desi: I didn't know that!
Lucie: Yes, finally! I recorded a little video for them today where I said, "On behalf of my mother and father and the I Love Lucy show, I want to congratulate Vivian Vance and William Frawley for finally be inducted into the Hall of Fame like everyone else. Friends and neighbors should be together. It's about time."

They never had children of their own?Lucie: No, Vivian and Bill never did.

Anything else you'd like to tell TV Guide Magazine readers?Desi: It's just fun to be here with Lucie in Los Angeles. I'm feeling very nostalgic about our childhood. I went by mom's old house today and pointed out Lucy's room to my daughter.
Lucie: And what's really great is that we're together celebrating this music.

PC Projects restores Lucille Ball movie

J Crosby, owner of PC Projects in Jamestown, recently presented a DVD movie to the Lucy/Desi Museum's Theresa Morris containing footage of Lucille Ball and Desi Arnaz attending the premiere of their feature movie "Forever Darling" at Jamestown's Palace Theater in February 1956.

PC Projects digitizes old home movies, videos, photos, and slides. Crosby recently discovered this rare footage in a collection of home movies belonging to an area client who then gave permission to share it with the Lucy/Desi Museum and community.

While many home movies only document and showcase individual family history, occasionally people, places, and events of public interest or historical significance were captured on home movies. Crosby has digitized films of downtown Frewsburg circa 1941, the New York World's Fair from 1964-65, the building of the Kinzua Dam, and a dried-up Niagara Falls, among others.

Besides preserving old family memories to pass from generation to generation, Crosby encourages everyone with home movies that may be of interest to the general public to share their historical gems with the community. For more information on PC Projects' services visit their website at www.WeDigitizeMemories.com, or call (716) 499-6955.

Vivian Vance and William Frawley to be inducted posthumously in TV Academy Hall of Fame

Vivian Vance and William Frawley from "I Love Lucy" fame (Ethel and Fred Mertz), are among the latest inductees into the Academy of Television Arts and Sciences Hall of Fame.

The star of the series, the legendary Lucille Ball, was included in the very first Hall of Fame class back in 1984 was very emotional in her acceptance speech and sad that Vance, who died in 1979, could not be there for the momentous occasion. Desi Arnaz was inducted posthumously six years later in 1990 after his death in 1986.

Vance was the first actress to win an Emmy Award for outstanding supporting actress in 1954 for her portrayal of Ethel Mertz. She was nominated three more times before the show ended its run in 1957. She went on to once again play Ball’s sidekick in the follow-up series The Lucy Show while Frawley joined the cast of the sitcom My Three Sons. Frawley had a 50-year film career before landing his role as Fred Mertz, which earned him five Emmy nominations. After the show ended, he played Bub O'Casey on "My Three Sons" before retiring for health reasons in 1965. He died the following year, in 1966.

The others to be inducted are The Jeffersons and Amen star Sherman Hemsley, Real World creators Mary-Ellis Bunim and Jonathan Murray, former Walt Disney Co. CEO Michael Eisner, Sábado Gigante game-show host Don Francisco, lighting designer Bill Klages, and producer Chuck Lorre. Bunim died in 2004.

"The group of inductees for this year's Hall of Fame has had a remarkable impact in all areas of the television industry, from performers and hosts to producers and executives," said Mark Itkin, a board member at WME Entertainment and chair of the Hall of Fame selection committee. "It is a tremendous privilege to chair this committee and be able to honor this group with the recognition that they so greatly deserve."

"I Love Lucy" Live on Stage

Lucy, Ricky, Fred and Ethel are set to return to the Greenway Court Theatre in 2012. I Love Lucy^® Live on Stage has extended its run for an additional seven weeks of performances through February 26.

I Love Lucy^® Live on Stage has been the “must-see” musical comedy in Los Angeles since it opened on October 1 to rave reviews. Audiences travel back to the 1950s and the Desilu Studios to watch the “filming” of two episodes of the iconic and beloved sitcom, complete with a television studio host, vintage-style live musical commercials, and The Ricky Ricardo Orchestra playing live from the “Tropicana Nightclub.”

The I Love Lucy^® Live on Stage facebook page has nearly 6,000 friends, and fans have traveled to see the show from Florida, Chicago, New York, Colorado, Wisconsin, Puerto Rico, Canada, England, France, Germany, Italy, Australia and even Kuala Lampur, Malasia. No one leaves disappointed. “Most entertaining stage production I've seen in years - including Broadway!” said TV Guide columnist William Keck. “The period sets, dialogue, and costumes contribute to a fun, throwback atmosphere, but this fizzing production almost entirely turns on the cast,” wrote Tanner Stransky in Entertainment Weekly. Flavorpill raves, “make it easy to love Lucy once again,” and the LA Weekly says, “GO! Rick Sparks' terrific cast channels [Lucy, Ricky, Fred and Ethel] with charm, intelligence and energy in this fun-filled musical comedy.” The production, which features a 13-member cast in addition to a 7-piece band, will graduate from Actors’ Equity 99-seat plan to a HAT (Hollywood Area Theater) contract beginning with its 61st performance on December 14.

I Love Lucy^® Live on Stage stars Sirena Irwin (Lucy), Bill Mendieta (Ricky), Bill Chott (Fred) and Lisa Joffrey (Ethel). Also featured in the cast, playing multiple roles, are Tom Christensen, Steven Connor, Gregory Franklin, Kerri-Anne Lavin, Ed Martin, Denise Moses, Cindy Sciacca, Amy Tolsky, Gina Torrecilla and Mark Christopher Tracy. Direction and staging are by Rick Sparks. The stage adaption and additional new material are by Kim Flagg and Rick Sparks. Set design is by Aaron Henderson; lighting design is by Jeremy Pivnick; sound design is by Cricket S.Myers; costume design is by Shon LeBlanc; and the production stage manager is Justine Baldwin. I Love Lucy^® Live on Stage is presented by S. Kahn Presents and Millrock Company. Hyra George and Kim Flagg produce, and executive producers are David George and Stephen Kahn.

Performances of I Love Lucy^® Live on Stage take place Wednesday, Thursdays, and Fridays @ 8 pm, Saturdays@ 3 pm & 8 pm, and Sundays @ 7 pm through February 26 (dark Dec. 21-25 and Dec. 31-Jan. 10). Tickets are $45. The Greenway Court Theatre is located at 544 N. Fairfax Ave., Los Angeles, CA 90036. To purchase tickets, call800-595-4TIX (800-595-4849) or go to www.ilovelucylive.com. Join us on Facebook at www.facebook.com/ILoveLucyLiveOnStage.

WHAT:
I Love Lucy^® Live on Stage –  Extended through February 26. The world premiere of a musical comedy tribute to the most popular and longest-running television show in history. Lucy, Ricky, Fred, and Ethel: America’s favorite foursome... live on stage and in color for the very first time! Travel back to the 1950s and the Desilu Studios to watch the “filming” of two episodes of the iconic and beloved sitcom, I Love Lucy. Enjoy vintage-style live musical commercials and be entertained by the music of the ‘Ricky Ricardo Orchestra’ live.  Ba-ba-luuuuuu!

WHO:

• Staged and Directed by Rick Sparks
• Musical Director Wayne Moore
• Starring Sirena Irwin as Lucy Ricardo; Bill Mendieta as Ricky Ricardo, Bill Chott as Fred Mertz and Lisa Joffreyas Ethel Mertz
• Also featuring Tom Christensen, Steven Connor, Gregory Franklin, Kerri-Anne Lavin¸ Ed Martin, Denise Moses, Cindy Sciacca, Amy Tolsky, Gina Torrecilla, Mark Christopher Tracy
• Adapted for the stage and new material by Kim Flagg and Rick Sparks
• Presented by S. Kahn Presents and Millrock Company
• Produced by Hyra George and Kim Flagg
• Executive Producers David George and Stephen Kahn

WHEN:
Continues through February 26

• Wednesdays @ 8 pm: Nov. 23, 30; Dec. 14, 28; Jan. 11, 18, 25; Feb. 8, 15, 22 (Dark: Dec. 7, 21; Jan. 4; Feb 1)
   
• Thursdays @ 8pm: Dec.1, 8, 15, 29; Jan. 12, 19, 26; Feb. 2, 9, 16, 23 (Dark: Nov. 24; Dec. 22; Jan. 5)
   
• Fridays @ 8 pm: Nov. 25; Dec. 2, 9, 16, 30; Jan. 13, 20, 27; Feb. 3, 10. 17, 24 (Dark: Dec, 23; Jan. 6)
   
• Saturdays @ 3 pm & 8 pm: Nov. 26; Dec. 3, 10, 17; Jan. 14, 21, 28; Feb. 4, 11, 18, 25 (Dark: Dec. 24, 31; Jan 7)
   
• Sundays @ 7 pm: Nov. 27; Dec. 4, 11, 18; Jan. 15, 22, 29; Feb. 5, 12, 19, 26 (Dark: Dec. 25; Jan 1, 8)

WHERE:Greenway Court Theatre
544 N. Fairfax Ave.
Los Angeles CA 90036

HOW:

• 800-595-4TIX (800-595-4849) or www.ilovelucylive.com
• Join us on Facebook at www.facebook.com/ILoveLucyLiveOnStage.

TICKETS: $45