A celebration of the first lady of television, An Evening with Lucille Ball: THANK YOU FOR ASKING is a touching, funny and uplifting one-woman play performed by actress and renowned impressionist, Suzanne LaRusch, and written by Suzanne LaRusch & Lucie Arnaz. Crafted in the spirit of the amusing lectures Lucy enjoyed giving throughout her career, the evening recreates the comic genius and the magic behind the “Queen of Comedy.” Arnaz also directs the piece with her award winning knowledge of the theatre and of her mother! Lucy guides us through the lifetime of personal memories inspiring her timeless sketches on “I Love Lucy,” her 30-year television career and never-before heard personal recollections about her tempestuous and complicated marriage to Cuban bandleader turned impresario, Desi Arnaz. It’s the Lucy the whole world loved – from "Ricardo" to MAME – but, more importantly, it’s an evening with the REAL Lucy, as you’ve never seen her before.
An Evening with Lucille Ball: THANK YOU FOR ASKING, evolved from two other shows Suzanne wrote and performed as the famous Redhead, LUCY THROUGH THE YEARS and THANK YOU FOR ASKING. This incarnation is based on a series of lectures, Q & A and television interviews done by the late, great Lucille Ball.
Suzanne had difficulty finding a director who knew "Lucy" AND knew theater, (a combination not so easy to find believe it or not). Friends with the Arnaz family for many years; Suzanne asked Lucie Arnaz, (award winning producer and Broadway actress), MIGHT she consider being "my dream director"? After seeing an early version of the show; Lucie not only offered to direct but co-author a new script and produce the show with her husband, acclaimed actor Laurence Luckinbill. Much of the material in this show was gathered firsthand from stories told to Suzanne by Lucille Ball's personal staff, friends, family and from information contained in "A BOOK", by Desi Arnaz (William Morrow) and "LOVE, LUCY", by Lucille Ball (Putnam).
An Evening with Lucille Ball: THANK YOU FOR ASKING will be at the Amaturo Theatre at the Broward Center for the Performing Arts in Fort Lauderdale, Florida from February 17 thru 20, 2011.
