It's 1933 and polyamory is all the rage, at least it was on Broadway thanks to Noël Coward's risqué drawing room comedy in which boy loves boy loves girl. Witty? Of course. Banned in England? Yes, that too. But Coward's frothy farce is more than a ménage à trois of brilliant banter. Design for Living is also a celebration of embracing one's true self, regardless of society's conventions and sexual norms.

Say "Noel Coward" and most theater people think "Wit. Class. Style." Yet what's the reaction when you say "Alfred Lunt" or "Lynn Fontanne"? Probably, a blank stare. Well, let's fix that a.s.a.p. Because Lunt and Fontanne were stage legends in their own right, and Coward specifically wrote his frisky farce Design for Living so the three could co-star with maximum stage time together. Indeed, Coward, Lunt and Fontanne were box-office draws who were lifelong friends. Did Coward's love for the two married actors extend beyond the stage and into the bedroom? It's a valid question since the Lunt-Fontannes were rumored to have an open marriage. You can draw your own conclusions after seeing director Jerry Mouawad's flirty revival of Design for Living when it opens at Imago on Oct 10 and runs to Oct 26. 

The production will feature actors KJ Syder, Joe Cullen, and Caitlin Rose in the roles originated by Coward, Lunt, and Fontanne respectively. Rounding out the cast are Imago alumni Sean D Lujan, Diane Slamp, John Sidney Berendzen, Sam Gordon, and Merehuka Manurere alongside company newcomers Brittainy Mather and Pearson Kunz. The design team will include Jerry Mouawad with Notion and Jim Peerenboom on scenic design, Laura Helgeson on costumes, Samantha Kemp on lights, and Myrrh Larsen on sound design.

Design for Living is presented by arrangement with Concord Theatricals on behalf of Samuel French, Inc. www.concordtheatricals.com