Illuminata (R)

synopsis

An ambitious, restless writer, Tuccio is the resident playwright of a struggling New York City repertory company, who has written a new play for Rachel, the woman he loves and the theater's company manager. When Tuccio stages his new work, "Illuminata," the resident critic Bevalaqua savages the play, but becomes infatuated with a handsome cast member, Marco, who agrees to a private meeting with the critic, hoping to sway Bevalaqua to print a good review. Meanwhile, a celebrated, but aging theatrical diva, Celimene, much impressed with "Illuminata," takes a scheming professional and personal interest in Tuccio, offering him the chance for international fame as her personal playwright (and kept lover). Will the show go on? Will Tuccio betray his true love for the chance of wealth and celebrity? How will the reviews read? The difficulty of love enduring over time is the central theme of the farcical "Illuminata."