Tuesday, January 19, 2010

Lost in Yonkers at the Cleveland Play House

A terrific story and near perfect casting make for a wonderful night of theater at the Cleveland Play House with their current production of Neil Simon's Lost in Yonkers. Directed by the Play House's Artistic Director Michael Bloom, the play is running until January 31 in the Drury Theater.
Simon's autobiographical play was first performed in 1991 and won the Pulitzer Prize for drama. The story revolves around a young widower; his two sons; and their uncle, aunt, and grandmother facing the hardships of World War II at home. The father is forced to go on the road to work to help pay off his deceased wife's hospital bills. The boys are forced to live with their strict German immigrant grandmother and their mentally impaired Aunt Bella. Also showing up is their Uncle Louie, a shady character who also has some issues of his own.
The whole play takes place in the living room of their home in Yonkers, above the candy store that is the family's source of income. There are many humorous and touching moments, as the young boys survive ten months living without their father.
Alex Wyse and Maxwell Beer are very good as the two young boys Jay and Arty. Sara Surrey does an outstanding job as Bella their aunt. Broadway performer and star of television's As the World Turns Rosemary Prinz steals almost every scene she is in as the elderly German Jewish grandmother.
Coming up next at the Play House is Fats Waller's Ain't Misbehavin' from January 29 to February 21; An adaptation of the Jane Austin novel Emma from February 26 to March 21; and Bill W. and Dr. Bob, a drama based on the lives of the two men who founded Alcoholics Anonymous, from April 9 to May 2. For information on these shows, and all the other great things happening at the Cleveland Play House visit www.ClevelandPlayhouse.com.

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