Brock Posted October 13, 2015 Report Share Posted October 13, 2015 This sounds intriguing! Is anyone heading to Florida in the next little while? Weinberger said that growing up in Manhattan as the only child of two older Holocaust survivors from Berlin definitely impacted his life. He said: "Growing up an only child, I definitely watched a lot of TV. That's how I became interested in Vivian Vance. I knew a lot about Lucy and Desi (Lucille Ball and Desi Arnaz), but not a lot about Vivian Vance and William Frawley, the two actors who played their neighbors on 'I Love Lucy.' "I read a biography of Vivian Vance and was intrigued. She was so different from the frumpy Ethel Mertz character she portrayed on I Love Lucy. She was elegant and stylish and was Ethel Merman's understudy on Broadway in 'Anything Goes.'" Weinberger's play is a look at Vance's difficult and complicated life — from her humble roots in Kansas to the lofty heights she reached as the most famous "second banana" in television history. It will be directed by John Tolley. Weinberger said: "It will be interesting to gauge the audience response to this reading. I want to see if the audience finds things funny I intended to be funny and if there are any dead spots in the show." http://www.sun-sentinel.com/florida-jewish-journal/news/palm/fl-jjps-playwrights-1014-20151013-story.html Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Neil Posted October 13, 2015 Report Share Posted October 13, 2015 Hmmmm.....Interesting. But the problem with this and any biographical piece is that they must take a life and form a cohesive plot out of it. Or at least a theme. I don't know about yours but my life meanders around like Here's Lucy script written by Martin Ragaway, Lou Derman and Larry Rhine (but, to date, without any gorillas or bears). Viv's life story is especially hard because you must have interaction with an actress playing Lucille Ball and replicate their comedy. And if this author inserts any "Vance must stay 20 pounds overweight" crap into it, I'm picketing the theater! 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mot Morenzi Posted October 14, 2015 Report Share Posted October 14, 2015 I don't think "Anything Goes" was the show where Vance understudied Merman. The DVD production notes listed another one. I'm with Neil, I hope this guy doesn't promulgate false information. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
HarryCarter Posted October 14, 2015 Report Share Posted October 14, 2015 I don't think "Anything Goes" was the show where Vance understudied Merman. The DVD production notes listed another one. I'm with Neil, I hope this guy doesn't promulgate false information. Vivian was Merman's understudy in both Anything Goes and Red, Hot and Blue. She went on twice for the Merm in Anything Goes and at least three times for her replacement Benay Venuta. Viv then did the second national tour of the show. 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mot Morenzi Posted October 15, 2015 Report Share Posted October 15, 2015 Vivian was Merman's understudy in both Anything Goes and Red, Hot and Blue. She went on twice for the Merm in Anything Goes and at least three times for her replacement Benay Venuta. Viv then did the second national tour of the show. Gotcha, thanks. I remembered Red, Hot and Blue but not Anything Goes. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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