Kitchen Spotlight: Actress serves up good food and laughter in kitchen

Debbie Laumand-Blanc finds joy in the baking craft.

Stage Neighbors: 'I Love Lucy on Stage' returns to salute Ricardos and Mertz TV humor

Joanna Daniels and Curtis Pettyjohn, the Chicago duo of local stage veterans playing "stage veterans" Ethel and Fred Mertz of "I Love Lucy" TV fame have a clever way of interpreting their performance art.

Joanna Daniels and Curtis Pettyjohn play Ethel and Fred Mertz in "I Love Lucy Live on Stage"

Joanna Daniels and Curtis Pettyjohn play Ethel and Fred Mertz, including a salute to the couple's vaudville days, in "I Love Lucy Live on Stage" playing an extended run through March 3 at Broadway Playhouse at Water Tower Place in Chicago.

Kitchen Spotlight: There's nothing funny about 'Lucy' actress' kitchen skills

One might say Sirena Irwin is much more kitchen savvy than the fun-loving famous redhead she's portraying on stage in Chicago.

Resurrecting the Favorite Redhead of Reruns: Midwest premiere of 'I Love Lucy Live on Stage' channels fans of sitcom characters

Rick Sparks, the man behind I Love Lucy Live on Stage, knows just how dedicated fans are of Lucille Ball and her landmark TV comedy starring the Ricardos and the Mertzes.

Sirena Irwin and Bill Mendieta as Lucy and Ricky Ricardo

Sirena Irwin and Bill Mendieta play classic TV characters Lucy and Ricky Ricardo of sitcom fame in I Love Lucy Live on Stage at Broadway Playhouse at Water Tower Place in Chicago through November 11.

Actress Sirena Irwin as Lucy Ricardo in "I Love Lucy Live on Stage"

Actress Sirena Irwin studied countless episodes of "I Love Lucy" to fine-tune the mannerisms of the famed red-headed comedienne's Lucy Ricardo character for I Love Lucy Live on Stage, which has its Midwest premiere in Chicago at the Broadway Playhouse at Water Tower Place through November 11.

Broadway in Chicago Presents Sirena Irwin and Bill Mendieta as Lucy and Ricky Ricardo

Sirena Irwin and Bill Mendieta play classic TV characters Lucy and Ricky Ricardo of sitcom fame in "I Love Lucy Live on Stage" at Broadway Playhouse at Water Tower Place in Chicago through Nov. 11.

The Cast of "I Love Lucy Live on Stage" in Chicago at the Broadway Playhouse

Cast members Sirena Irwin (center) as Lucy, Curtis Pettyjohn (right) as Fred and Joanna Daniels as Ethel star in "I Love Lucy Live on Stage" playing a Chicago run until Nov. 11.