Producer David Selznick needs a blockbuster and he needs it now. Forward Theater Company tells the (mostly) true-to-life tale of the chaotic, frenzied and hilariously funny five-day rewrite of the famous screenplay “Gone with The Wind,” in Forward Theater Company’s production of “Moonlight and Magnolias.”
One of the most popular movies of all time, “Gone with the Wind,” has an interesting history. Legendary Hollywood producer Selznick was in need of a new director and a new script. He hired writer Ben Hecht – who had never read the novel – and pulled director Victor Fleming from his current project, “The Wizard of Oz.” Selznick locked himself, Hecht and Fleming in his office for five days straight to write a new script for the movie.
“Selznick was slightly nicer than Joseph Stalin, a hellcat in the sack and a much better card player than Dostoevsky. He also consumed enough pills on a daily basis to drop a large herd of stampeding elephants dead in their tracks,” said actor Mark Ulrich, who plays Selznick in the play.
Needless to say, when three grown men are locked in a room for five days with nothing to eat except bananas and peanuts, hilarity is bound to ensue.
“‘Moonlight and Magnolias’ is a comedy that should make people laugh because of the ridiculous situations that the characters find themselves in,” said director Jennifer Uphoff Gray.
“Moonlight and Magnolias” marks the final show in a fantastic season for Forward Theater Company. This is the company’s second season – it was founded in 2009 and has put on some wonderful, thought-provoking shows, including “Going to Saint Ives” and “In the Next Room.”
“Forward Theater Company grew out of the passion and hard work of a number of local actors, directors, designers and playwrights committed to producing high-quality professional theater here in Madison,” said Gray.
The four professional actors in the show, Michael Herold, Mark Ulrich, Jim Buske and Celia Klehr, have all worked together before, and had a good chemistry from the start. So, Gray gave them space to explore and develop their characters.
“The main purpose of ‘Moonlight and Magnolias’ is to entertain the audience and give them a fun night of theater as they watch these characters take on a Herculean challenge,” said Herold. The four actors are prepared to amuse the audience with the show’s reportedly witty dialogue and slapstick humor.
“Anybody who loves ‘Gone with the Wind’ – either the book or the movie – should come out and see ‘Moonlight and Magnolias.’ They’ll get a whole new prospective on a great American legend,” said Jim Buske.
The production will be put on in the Playhouse Theater in the Overture Center. Tickets are $35 for adults and $25 for seniors and students. They can be bought online at www.overturecenter.com or over the phone by calling (608)-258-4141. The show runs April 28 through May 15, with show times at 7:30 p.m. on Thursdays and Fridays, 8 p.m. on Saturdays and 2 p.m. on Sundays. There will be pre-show talks an hour before the show on Thursday and Sunday performances and also talkbacks with members of the cast after most performances.
