American Conservatory Theater’s (A.C.T.) 2011–12 season opens with a new revival of the George S. Kaufman and Moss Hart 1930 comedy Once in a Lifetime.
The witty satire by the Broadway luminaries behind such comedy classics as The Man Who Came to Dinner and You Can’t Take It with You will be directed by A.C.T. Associate Artistic Director Mark Rucker and will feature an enthralling ensemble cast of 15 who will take on 70 roles.
According to a representative, the production will incorporate period film clips and dynamic cinematic backdrops that meld the worlds of theater and film, redefining audiences’ experience with “moving pictures.
In Once in a Lifetime, a trio of down-on-their-luck vaudevillians head west to pull off the ultimate con: posing as vocal coaches to help Hollywood stars make their speaking voices as beautiful as their glamorous mugs as silent films evolve into “talkies.”
“I have been an early Hollywood enthusiast since my teenage years—like many people from my generation, I got introduced to the brilliance of Kaufman and Hart’s writing in high school. I’ve had this play in mind for all those decades and it’s an honor to get to finally direct it at A.C.T.,” said Rucker. “I’m especially excited to bring this amazing era to life using original black-and-white film clips to make ‘moving’ cinematic backdrops, creating a juxtaposition of the worlds of theater and film.”