Called “one of the funniest comedies ever” by Life magazine, “Barefoot in the Park” follows newlyweds Corie and Paul Bratter as they begin married life in a cramped Manhattan apartment. (Photo courtesy of Oregon Coast TODAY)A popular rom-com, Neil Simon’s “Barefoot in the Park,” is now being staged at the Newport Performing Arts Center and will run through the end of the month.
Called “one of the funniest comedies ever” by Life magazine, the play follows newlyweds Corie and Paul Bratter as they begin married life in a cramped Manhattan apartment. Paul is a serious young lawyer while Corie embraces spontaneity and romance. Their differences become even more apparent after Corie attempts to match her widowed mother with their eccentric neighbor, Victor. What follows is a chaotic and hilarious evening that tests the newlyweds’ relationship.
The play was written by Simon, the author of “The Odd Couple, and is the 10th longest-running non-musical in Broadway history, with four Tony Award nominations. The show in Newport is produced by the Newport reperatory group, the Porthole Players, and is directed by its former director and designer, Stephan.
Stephan, who only goes by one name, came out of retirement to direct the show. He previously directed several Neil Simon favorites.
The cast features Anna Hart as Corrie, Moss “Will” Webster as Paul, Frannie Germeshausen as Mother, Sean Orton as Victor and Morgan Locklear as the Telephone Man.
Friday and Saturday performances begin at 7 p.m. and Sunday matinées begin at 2 p.m. at the Newport Performing Arts Center, located at 777 W. Olive Street. Tickets are $24 for all seats. For more information, go to coastarts.org or call 541-265-2787.
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Barefoot in the Park is one of the finest productions I’ve seen at the PAC. Funny, well-cast, flawlessly acted, romantic — a joyful couple of hours. Don’t miss it!