As with love and marriage, it’s never too late to invest in matters of the hearth and home. But as for having a baby? The case for the elderly Sarah and Abraham in biblical times notwithstanding, the cultural window of opportunity for giving birth today doesn’t usually include women in their fifth decade. However, that is the premise in Playcrafters of Skippack’s 2014 season opener, Never Too Late-a play by Sumner Arthur Long that also was written for film. Back in its heyday, it ran on Broadway from 1962 – 1965 and once starred Paul Ford and Maureen O’Sullivan as Harry and Edith Lambert who, while having a grown daughter and son-in-law, found themselves once again ‘with child.’
The Lamberts are played by Clark Van Hekken and Jennifer Dinan. Their daughter Kate (Emily West) is married to Charlie (Walter March) and live with the parents in their upper middle class home in Massachusetts where Harry Lambert is the owner of a successful construction company. Phyllis Blair plays the part of Edith’s best friend, Grace, and Ron Lake plays her doctor husband as well as the Mayor. Greg Warchol plays the police officer/contractor. Michelle Quigley is the stage manager.
‘It’s a nice situation comedy like you’d see on t.v.,’ said producer Chip Breithaupt of the two-hour good old-fashioned domestic farce where at one point a bath tub and toilet end up on stage.
While the play may be nostalgic to a degree, references to antiquated language have been tweaked to the modern day. Although written over 50 years ago, the play still maintains current themes in America; i.e., kids moving back in with their parents to help make ends meet, giving rise to the old adage: The more things change, the more they stay the same.
‘An older couple getting pregnant is even more prevalent today and is more accepted,’ said Courtney Katz, who’s been with Playcrafters since 2002 and is debuting as the show’s director. ‘But we did set it in the current time and changed some of the references.’
The play takes place over the course of a week and depicts life as a domestic comedy of manners with a somewhat chauvinist husband, who is embarrassed by the turn of events in his life, and a dutiful wife who manages to get her points across.
‘There are moments of tension, but it’s a straight comedy,’ said Katz, who mentioned that the audience should be high school age and up. ‘It’s not graphic or anything…but there is discussion on how babies are made. It’s a fun date night.’
There is a wine/cheese and dessert party after opening night’s performance on May 1st. Come see this good old fashioned domestic comedy after a couple finds out they’ll soon be sharing their empty nest with a surprise from the stork.
Playcrafters of Skippack to present Never Too Late at the Barn, 2011 Store Road at Rt. 73 in Skippack. Showtimes are May 1-3, May 9-10, May 15-17 at 8 p.m.
Sunday, May 11, at 3 p.m. For more information, contact 610-584-4005 or visit www.playcrafters.org.
