ATC'S "BAREFOOT IN THE PARK" DELIVERS NEIL SIMON'S CLASSIC COMEDY OF MANHATTAN NEWLY WEDS FROM THE EARLY 1960S

By Chuck Graham, TucsonStage.com

photo by Tim Fuller

Corie (Kyra Kennedy) and Paul (Tyler Lansing Weaks) alone at last in their first Manhattan apartment.        

People who love to say how much they miss the good old days must instantly hie themselves down to the Temple of Music and Art for nearly 2 ½ hours of carefree comedy in Arizona Theatre Company's unbridled production of Neil Simon's “Barefoot in the Park.”

This is ATC's time machine tribute to the last great days of post-WWII prosperity and euphoria before the presently ongoing 60-plus years of culture clash would begin. Don't get caught in the political cross-fire, just take a deep breath and dive in.

Michael Berresse as director has captured the snappy Manhattan optimism of the early 1960s, a few years before all the kids left for San Francisco wearing flowers in their hair.

Say what you will about Simon's prowess as a playwright, but the man was hot-wired to be funny. Despite how the times have changed since 1965, his jokes still spark instant laughter.

Putting a lighthearted rhythm to the dialogue, Berresse gives each joke the room to breath and get its laughs. The characters are clear and the women do get all the good lines.

Leading the way is Kyra Kennedy as bouncy Corie Bratter who never met an obstacle she couldn't overcome. So what if their tiny apartment is a sixth floor walk-up, and the looming skylight has one pane with a long crack in the glass plus a hole that lets in the snow.

This is her first New York apartment as a married woman, with brand new husband Paul Bratter (Tyler Lansing Weaks). He is a little starchy around the edges but has a law degree, boundless ambition and wonderful potential as a generous provider.

Even more prominent in a smaller role is Gayton Scott as Corie's mom, the now-single Mrs. Banks. She is pure delight as a heartwarming, equally determined woman who also goes after what she wants. Especially when she eyes the eccentrically artistic Victor Velasco (Harry Bouvy) who lives upstairs.

Completing the cast and providing blue collar Big Apple personalities for atmosphere are Matthew Zimmerer as The Telephone Repairman and Marshall F. Glass as The Delivery Man.

Proud of its Old School bona fides, the show also comes with two intermissions and a running time of 2 hours, 20 minutes. The theater's adjacent bar will be open for both intermissions. Pace yourself and plan accordingly.

“Barefoot in the Park” runs through Oct. 13, with performances at various times Tuesdays through Sundays in the downtown Temple of Music and Art, 330 S. Scott Ave. Tickets are $25-$90. For additional details and reservations, 833-ATC-SEAT (282-7328) or online, www.atc.org.