By CONNIE MEARS

Staff Writer

Following rave reviews for last year’s production of “The Grapes of Wrath,” director Kate Carruthers revisits the 1930s and ’40s period. Instead of the down-and-out though, “The Philadelphia Story” focuses on the up-and-coming, namely well-heeled divorcee Tracy Lord, about to say “I do” again. The unexpected return of her first husband complicates matters, as does tabloid staff who’ve been given free rein of the Lord estate in exchange for silence about her father’s misdeeds. Ahem.

“I don’t know of any other play where the woman has three men in pursuit,” said Carruthers, who happened to play the lead role of Tracy Lord in college.

“Back when I had red hair,” she said, putting an end to the mystery.

It’s a show about presenting the right impression, where appearances count.

Luckily, BPA costume designer Shannon Strom-Henry makes sure the veneer is captivating.

“I love doing the ’40s,” she said. “The silhouettes are amazing.”

Strom-Henry, who has worked as a costume designer for 20 years, said her leads had dream bodies to work with.

To wit, Strom-Henry created two stunning handmade gowns, one for Lord, played by Helen Harvester, and one for Lord’s mother, Margaret, played by Jackie O’Brien.

“The ’30s and ’40s are my favorite era,” said O’Brien, a mainstay in Island Theatre productions.

“Let’s just say I’ve seen the movie more than once,” she said.

The shimmering fabrics Strong found on a trip to Los Angeles, drape elegantly on both figures, adding an air of glamor to the show.

“Louise Mills, I wish you could be here to see this,” Carruthers said, invoking the name of BPA’s founder and costume aficionado who died in 2010.

The men, too, are dapper, particularly Lord’s dashing ex, Dexter Haven, played by Ricky Coates.

“I think it’d be great if the audience dressed up for the show; made it an occasion,” he said.

As a point of inspiration, he said, the show is “light and bubbly, like champagne.”

Battling Dex for Lord’s attention is tabloid reporter Macaulay Connor, played by Chris Martinez, and Lord’s adoring fiance George Kittredge, played by Marc Cantwell.

The off-stage camaraderie between the cast on such a light show was appealing, Martinez said.

“All of us had a good time joking around.”

At the eye of the storm is Harvester, nearly channeling Katherine Hepburn, who portrayed Lord in the 1940 smash-hit movie.

“She is a hero of mine,” Harvester said. “It’s like honoring her, having a connection to my role model, to be memorizing the same lines that she memorized.”

Drawn specifically by the chance to play Lord, the statuesque Harvester “hopped on a ferry” to audition for her first appearance at BPA.

“It’s a role I’ve always wanted to play,” she said. “It’s such a sweeping role. She gets to be angry, she gets to be drunk, she gets to be funny, she gets to be in love – and it ends happily.”

Well, with three men in pursuit, it ends happily ­– for her.

The BPA play departs from the 1940 movie slightly, so expect a few twists.