Today's Video Link

Tonight on most PBS stations, Live From Lincoln Center is presenting James Lapine's stage adaptation of Moss Hart's Act One, which is one of those "must-read" books for anyone interested in the theater. I have not seen this production but I will be seeing it on TV along with, perhaps, you.

The first half of the book can be almost skimmed but the second half, which I presume is all the play derives from, is the story of how young, inexperienced Hart teamed up with older, experienced George S. Kaufman to write the play, Once In A Lifetime, which struggled its way to New York, almost closing several times on the way. Books written after Act One have suggested that Mr. Hart omitted certain of his earlier attempts as a playwright so as to make himself seem more the beginner that he actually was. No matter. It's still a grand rags-to-rubies story…and we're all curious to see how Tony Shalhoub comes off as Kaufman.

Live From Lincoln Center shows are not always rerun as many times as a lot of things on PBS. This one seems to be getting a few airings at least on KOCE in Los Angeles but if I were you, I'd watch or record the first showing. You never know.