By Gail McCarthy
When 47-year-old Barney Cashman decides he doesn't want to be left behind in the sexual revolution of the 1960s, he delves into adultery, three times.
That storyline fuels the script for Neil Simon's "rollicking comedy about love, sex and seafood," which hits Gloucester Stage Company tonight when "Last of the Red Hot Lovers" opens.
The show, which opened on Broadway in 1969, is also described as a "fun-loving tribute to the era of the 1960s," and went on to become a successful 1972 film starring Alan Arkin and Sally Kellerman.
The plot revolves around Cashman, a restaurateur who finds diverse women, from one who loves whisky to one who cherishes her virtues, he attempts to seduce He chooses his mother's apartment as the location for the romantic rendezvous.
The Gloucester Stage production that opens tonight has a unique touch, in that Karen MacDonald, a founding member of the American Repertory Theatre in Cambridge, will play all three female roles: Elaine, Bobbi and Jeanette.
Last summer, MacDonald directed a play that captivated Gloucester Stage audiences, "The Woman in Black."
Gloucester Stage Artistic Associate David Zoffoli directs this show, which also stars Boston actor Ken Baltin. Baltin serves on the acting faculty at The Boston Conservatory, and has performed in an another Simon work, "Lost in Yonkers," at the Lyric Stage Company of Boston, along with dozens of other productions.
Simon, a Pulitzer Prize-winning playwright, was born in the Bronx on July 4, 1927.
After serving briefly in the military at the end of World War II, he began his career in writing for radio and television. Those talents blossomed into drama; he has written countless award-winning plays, including "Barefoot In The Park," "The Odd Couple," "Plaza Suite," "The Sunshine Boys," "Brighton Beach Memoirs," "Biloxi Blues," "Lost in Yonkers" and many more. He has written screenplays for several films. He won Tony Awards for "The Odd Couple" in 1965, "Biloxi Blues" in 1985 and "Lost in Yonkers" in 1991, which received the Pulitzer Prize for Drama.
This is the first Neil Simon work produced at the 30-year-old Gloucester Stage Co.
"I'm particularly fond of this play," said Eric Engel, the theatre's artistic director.
He and Zoffoli brainstormed what they could do for the audience over the Fourth of July weekend.
"We know these are tough times and we wanted something that reflected the history of 30 seasons," he said. "It's a tall order, but I think we found the play that does all that. It's fun, a great summer play, and harkens back to the era prior to when Gloucester Stage was born. Plus, these are two phenomenal actors."
This will be MacDonald's Gloucester Stage acting debut. She has worked in more than 70 productions from coast to coast, including most recently Hartford Stage and The Berkeley Repertory Theatre. She is the recipient of three Elliot Norton Awards and five IRNE Awards for her performances.
Zoffoli's work is known by many locals.
His adaptation of "A Christmas Carol" ran for 20 seasons at North Shore Music Theatre. But he has many other interests as well; he created www.greenyankee.com, an online community for eco-smart people, places and products. He was also recently named Big Brother of the Year and chairman of the Haverhill Cultural Council.
Gail McCarthy may be contacted at gmccarthy@gloucestertimes.com.
TAKING GLOUCESTER STAGE
What: Neil Simon's "Last of the Red Hot Lovers"
When: July 2 to 19.
Where: Gloucester Stage Co. at 267 East Main St. in Gloucester.
How much: Adult ticket prices are $37 for all performances; senior citizen and student tickets are $32.
There is a special show tomorrow at 7:30 p.m., followed by an outdoor party on the harbor and a view of the city fireworks. There is no additional charge for the party.
There will be a Pay-What-You-Can Performance on Sunday at 4 p.m.
Cape Ann Nights, which offer Cape Ann residents with valid ID discount tickets, are available for the Wednesday and Thursday 8 p.m. performances through the run of the play.
For reservations or information, call the box office at 978-281-4433 or visit www.gloucesterstage.org.
