“Moonlight and Magnolias”: To commemorate the 70th anniversary of one of the greatest movies of all time, the Phoenix Theatre brings us the story behind “Gone with the Wind.”
“Moonlight and Magnolias” by Ron Hutchison takes us back to 1939 where Hollywood is abuzz because legendary producer David O. Selznick has shut down production of “Gone with the Wind,” the film adaptation of Margaret Mitchell’s novel. It seems the screenplay just doesn’t work.
So what does the powerful movie mogul do? Selznick sends a car for famed screenwriter Ben Hecht and pulls formidable director Victor Fleming from the set of “The Wizard of Oz.” Summoning both to his office, Selznick locks the doors, closes the shades, and on a diet of bananas and peanuts, the three men labor over five days to produce a screenplay that becomes the blueprint for one of the most beloved films of all time, according to the Phoenix Web site.
The show stars Buddy Mahoney, Paul Custodio, Jay Jenkins and Melanie Calderwood. It’s directed by Mary Beth Dagg.
“Moonlight and Magnolias” opens at 8 tonight at The Phoenix Theatre, 9673 Firdale Ave., Edmonds. Shows are 8 p.m. Fridays and Saturdays and 2 p.m. Sundays through June 28. Tickets are $20 and $15. Call 206-533-2000 or go to www.thephenxtheatre.com or www.brownpapertickets.com.
“A Celebration of Louise Nadeau”: In one final performance, Pacific Northwest Ballet celebrates and says goodbye to principal dancer Louise Nadeau, who takes her final bows after a 19-year career with the PNB. The program features PNB’s entire company with excerpts from some of George Balanchine master works, Jerome Robbins’ “West Side Story Suite” and Act IV of Kent Stowell’s “Swan Lake.”
There will also be a surprise or two.
The performance will include the PNB premiere of “Urlicht,” a William Forsythe pas de deux specially acquired for this show.
PNB’s artistic director Peter Boal recalled the dancer as captivating when he first saw her at 16.
“Louise is a rare, irreplaceable artistic treasure. She embodies the ethereal lightness of ballet, carries us away with her acting, shocks with spot-on wit, and always fills the stage with warm humanity,” Boal said in a prepared statement.
The one-night only performance begins at 6:30 p.m. Sunday at Marion Oliver McCaw Hall, 321 Mercer St., Seattle. Tickets are $30 to $200. Call 206-441-2424 or go to www.pnb.org.
Theresa Goffredo: 425-339-3424,
goffredo@heraldnet.com.
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