Neil Simon’s ‘Plaza Suite’ collection opens in Bigfork
Bigfork Community Player's actors Michele Shapero discusses rules of engagement with John Goroski in the Neil Simon comedy "Plaza Suite." (Photo provided by Dave Vale)
Go behind the door of one famous New York hotel suite where the romantic lives of three couples unfold in hilarious ways in Neil Simon’s comedy “Plaza Suite,” presented by the Bigfork Community Players.
Set in Suite 719 of the Plaza Hotel, the comedy provides a portrait of each couple through three one-act plays.
In the first one-act play, a suburban middle-aged married couple takes the suite while their house is being painted in an attempt to rekindle the romance. The suite is the same one where they honeymooned 23, or was it 24, years before? And yesterday was their anniversary, or is it today?
The next guest to stay in the suite is a Hollywood producer who, after three marriages, is looking for a different ending. When he calls a childhood sweetheart for a little reunion, is it love, lust, or just longing on his mind? The sweetheart, who spent years idolizing him from afar, offers a twist to the plot he hadn’t anticipated.
The third occupants are parents staying in the suite for their daughter’s wedding, but spend more time strategizing how to get her out of the bathroom and down to the ballroom where guests await her appearance as the bride.
Allison McCarthy and Michele Shapero both act in and co-direct “Plaza Suite.” This is McCarthy’s first time directing.
“The unique multiple one-act format of this play allows us to both act and direct in the same production,” Shapero said. “I direct while Allison acts and she directs while I do.”
“I like Neil Simon’s comedic sensibilities and am drawn to his plays,” Shapero said. “I’ve directed both the male and female versions of ‘The Odd Couple’ and acted in ‘Rumors’ and ‘Jake’s Women.’ As a playwright, he reliably delivers engaging stories with enough substance to send you home thinking.”
John Goroski, a longtime actor with the Bigfork Community Players, plays Jesse Kiplinger, the Hollywood producer.
“Friendship, love, sex, and seduction are pillars of the human condition,” he said. “And with Neil Simon, nothing is as straightforward as it might seem. I love the opportunity he provides to explore the complexities of life.”
Plaza Suite opens Friday, Oct. 27, with weekend performances continuing through Nov. 5. Friday and Saturday performances start at 7:30 p.m. Sunday performances begin at 2 p.m. Tickets may be purchased at the door, at Bigfork Drug and online at BigforkCommunityPlayers.com.