From chaos to classic

The Actor’s Repertory Theatre’s new comedy, “Moonlight and Magnolias,” unites the opposing poles of American performing arts: New York and Hollywood.

New York, because this show premiered off-Broadway just a little more than a year ago.

Hollywood, because the story is about the legendary movie mogul David O. Selznick and his attempt to finish up production of “Gone With the Wind.”

According to Hollywood legend, Selznick locked himself in a room with screenwriter Ben Hecht and director Victor Fleming for five days to rewrite the script.

Playwright Ron Hutchinson takes that legend and brings it to life, detailing all of the squabbling and craziness that ensues as they create what would become one of the classic movies of all time.

Hecht, in the play, sums up the appeal of this Civil War opus like this: “(It has) a heroine whose morals would be remarked upon in a two-dollar whorehouse, a hero who would shoot his own grandmother in the belly and a plot that makes ‘Finnegan’s Wake’ look a model of lucidity.”

A second classic 1939 movie figures into the story as well. Fleming is pulled off “The Wizard of Oz” to take over for George Cukor.

According to Variety, the play creates a “formidable engine of chaotic glee.”

“This play is a hoot,” said critic Terry Morgan.

The New York Times was not so kind, calling it “shrill” and “obstreperously silly.”

In the ARt production, artistic director Michael Weaver plays the despotic Selznick. John Oswald plays Victor Fleming, Patrick Treadway plays Hecht and Wonder Russell plays Miss Poppenghul.

The director is New York’s Tralen Doler, who previously directed ARt’s “The Drawer Boy” and “Born Yesterday” and acted in “The Dazzle” and “Dirty Blonde.”