'I Love Lucy' play is a blast from television's past; Role brings actor closer to her goal of sitcom fame.

Byline: Richard Duckett

'I Love Lucy: Live On Stage'

When: 8 p.m. March 6; 2 and 8 p.m. March 7; 1 and 6:30 p.m. March 8

Where: The Hanover Theatre for the Performing Arts, 2 Southbridge St., Worcester

How Much: $33-$63. (877) 571-7469; www.thehanovertheatre.org.

One of Thea Brooks' dreams is to be in a TV sitcom.

"That's the goal,'' she said. She's picking up good acting experiences along the way with performances on stage in Off Broadway shows ("After The Fall,'' "Greater Angels,'' "R/Evolution,'' "Jack London,'' "Born of A Fairytale''), a TV appearance on "True Blood'' and several commercials.

But few things could be a more promising augury for being a future sitcom star than the situation Brooks now find finds herself in. In her first starring role in a national tour she is playing Lucy Ricardo in "I Love Lucy: Live On Stage.'' The show will be at The Hanover Theatre for the Performing Arts in Worcester for a five-performance run beginning at 8 p.m. March 6.

The TV sitcom "I Love Lucy,'' on which the theater show is based, ran on CBS from 1951 to '57 and was some kind of sitcom. "It's never left syndication. It's the most popular TV show that ever was,'' Brooks noted. It starred real-life married couple Lucille Ball and Desi Arnaz, with Ball playing the naive but ambitious (and always likely to get into trouble) Lucy Ricardo and Arnaz as her singer/bandleader and sometimes exasperated husband Ricky Ricardo. Originally set in an apartment building in New York City, their landlords and best friends were the cantankerous Fred Mertz (William Frawley) and his spirited wife Ethel Mertz (Vivian Vance).

"She's definitely one of my comic heroes,'' Brooks said of Lucille Ball (1911-89), who hit the big time with "I Love Lucy'' at quite an advanced stage of her career after several years of not quite finding or getting the right parts. However, with her sitcom Ball had the perfect vehicle for her humor, which included funny mannerisms and physical comedy. Brooks said "She was one of the greatest comedians, male and female.''

The premise for "I Love Lucy: Live On Stage'' is that the audience are members of a studio audience awaiting the filming of two "I Love Lucy'' episodes at the Desilu Playhouse soundstage.

"When the audience enters it's like they're being transported back to 1952,'' Brooks said.

Interspersed with the acting out of two actual "I Love Lucy'' episodes, the show has a smooth host at a microphone making the audience comfortable and...