'Evening with Lucille Ball' is dramatic, uplifting

 

By Walt Belcher, The TampaTribune                                               

When Suzanne LaRusch slips into the persona of Lucille Ball, she captures the red-headed comic's facial expressions and nails the voice.

It's a one-woman play that is touching and uplifting with some amusing moments and much nostalgia.

It's also informative, packed with behind the scenes information about the making of "I Love Lucy," one of the most popular TV comedies of all time.

"I've had people say the play isn't what they expected but they weren't disappointed," says LaRusch who is performing in the Jaeb Theater at the David A. Straz Performing Arts Theater through Jan. 17.

Written by LaRusch and Ball's daughter Lucie Arnaz, the presentation is a flashback to the 1970s. Ball was in her 60s and was traveling the country in a stage show that involved taking questions from the audience.

She was starring in her third TV series "Here's Lucy" and had just completed filming the musical "Mame."

The play begins with an exasperated Ball arriving at a small theater where everyone is expecting her to recreate the madcap scenes from "I Love Lucy."

She laments the fact that people come to see Lucy Ricardo and not Lucille Ball.

She takes "questions" from audience members. Actually these are recorded questions by actors (including Arnaz and her brother Desi Jr.).

As Ball answers them, she shares stories about her life and career. She takes the audience through some of the most popular Lucy episodes including the candy factory sketch, the Italian grape-stomping escapade and the Vitameatavegamin commercial.

While fans of the original series will appreciate these, it's not necessary to be a Lucy expert to enjoy the play.

LaRusch, a Hollywood based actress-impressionist, wasn't a Lucy fan herself.

In 1991, between acting gigs, she worked Universal StudiosTheme Park, appearing as Mae West, Marilyn Monroe and others, including Lucy.

She quickly came to the attention of Lucie and Desi Arnaz, Jr., who authorized LaRusch to portray their mother in other venues.

She has since entertained for President George Bush, was surprise guest for Roseanne at the 1997 Women in Film Lucy Awards and has appeared on such national television programs as "Leeza" and "The Rosie O"Donnell Show." She was selected by AT&T to ride in the 1999 Tournament of Roses Parade on a float saluting the early days of television, and was engaged by the U.S. Postal Service to help launch and promote their 1999 commemorative stamp celebrating "I Love Lucy."

During the course of the play, LaRusch tells the story of Ball's transformation from a little girl inJamestown, N.Y., to starving New York model, then Hollywoodstarlet (70 films), radio star and finally the queen of TV comedy.

Ball was 39 when she and her husband, Cuban singer/band leader Desi Arnaz debuted in "I Love Lucy." It ran from 1951 to 1957 on CBS and continued through 1960 as 13 one-hour specials.

Augmented by home movies supplied by Lucie Arnaz, LaRusch takes audiences "behind the scenes" into Ball's personal life, revealing her approach to comedy and the heartbreak of her troubled marriage to Desi Arnaz.

While the on-screen marriage of Lucy and Ricky was a success, the turbulent off-screen marriage of Lucille and Desi ended in divorce in 1960.