Optical shutter (50), e.g. fort-stereoscopic shutter glasses, is disclosed. The optical shutter includes a light source, e.g. LCD, CRT or plasma display, that emits polarized light (12) that has a first polarization state, a first polymeric substrate (100) that receives the polarized light and transmits the polarized light without substantially changing the first polarization state of the polarized light, a second polymeric substrate (107) that faces the first polymeric substrate, and an optical stack (60) that is disposed between the first and second polymeric substrates. The optical stack includes first and second electrically conductive layers (101, 102), first and second oriented chromonics alignment layer (103, 106), and an oriented liquid crystal layer (105).