LUCY LOVES DESI: A Funny Thing Happened on the Way to the Sitcom — A Live Radio Play (a.k.a. "I Love Lucy: A Funny Thing Happened on the Way to the Sitcom")

by Gregg Oppenheimer

It’s 1949, and Lucille Ball is starring in a hit sitcom on CBS Radio. When the network offers Lucy her own TV series, she has one condition. Her husband, Cuban-born bandleader Desi Arnaz, must costar. But CBS wants a more “All-American” leading man. This is the hilarious true story of how Lucy and Desi launched history’s most groundbreaking and influential sitcom: “I Love Lucy.” They challenged mid-century...

It’s 1949, and Lucille Ball is starring in a hit sitcom on CBS Radio. When the network offers Lucy her own TV series, she has one condition. Her husband, Cuban-born bandleader Desi Arnaz, must costar. But CBS wants a more “All-American” leading man. This is the hilarious true story of how Lucy and Desi launched history’s most groundbreaking and influential sitcom: “I Love Lucy.” They challenged mid-century America’s social mores, including opposition to a Cuban American costar and showing a pregnant woman on television. The play is presented as an easy-to-produce 1950s-style radio broadcast, using recorded, radio-show-style music cues (supplied with the licensing of the script). Written by the son of “I Love Lucy” creator Jess Oppenheimer, this witty, fast-paced comedy has “as much heart and humor as the series itself” (SWVA Today).

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LUCY LOVES DESI: A Funny Thing Happened on the Way to the Sitcom — A Live Radio Play (a.k.a. "I Love Lucy: A Funny Thing Happened on the Way to the Sitcom")

Recommended by

  • Donald E. Baker: LUCY LOVES DESI: A Funny Thing Happened on the Way to the Sitcom — A Live Radio Play (a.k.a. "I Love Lucy: A Funny Thing Happened on the Way to the Sitcom") by Gregg Oppenheimer
    “

    When Lucille Ball was offered a television sitcom (before anyone knew quite what that was), she insisted it would have to co-star her husband Desi Arnaz, Cuban accent and all. Network executives and sponsors were adamantly opposed. How the two of them overcame that obstacle and many others, and discovered how to produce, film, and air a runaway hit show; how Arnaz developed into an innovative television mogul; and how they showed pregnancy on air when the word "pregnant" was forbidden, is a fascinating story, told here by the son of Jess Oppenheimer, the original producer/director/head writer.

    When Lucille Ball was offered a television sitcom (before anyone knew quite what that was), she insisted it would have to co-star her husband Desi Arnaz, Cuban accent and all. Network executives and sponsors were adamantly opposed. How the two of them overcame that obstacle and many others, and discovered how to produce, film, and air a runaway hit show; how Arnaz developed into an innovative television mogul; and how they showed pregnancy on air when the word "pregnant" was forbidden, is a fascinating story, told here by the son of Jess Oppenheimer, the original producer/director/head writer.

    ”
2 to 7 female actors, 6 to 24 male actors. 6 female characters, 21 male, 2 either male of female. (Minimum cast size with doubling: 2 female, 6 male)

Production History

  • Professional, L.A. Theatre Works (21-city U.S. National Tour) ( www.lucynet.com ), 2023
  • Professional, Jarvis & Ayres Productions (BBC Radio4) ( https://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/m000ltky ), 2020
  • Professional, The Actors Fund ( https://entertainmentcommunity.org/performances-and-events/i-love-lucy-funny-thing-happened-way-sitcom ), 2019
  • Professional, L.A. Theatre Works ( https://latw.org/title/i-love-lucy-funny-thing-happened-way-sitcom ), 2018