Murphys, CA…Love conquers All… Right? Opposites attract in Murphys Creek Theatre’s hilarious spring production of Barefoot in the Park Newlyweds Paul & Corie Bratter have found the perfect little love nest in New York City. Never mind that you have to climb up 5 flights to get to it (6 if you count the front stoop) and that the heater works backward AND the forecast calls for snow! Oh, and there’s a hole in their skylight…Love can conquer all, right?

It’s Neil Simon at his best. Barefoot in the Park debuted on Broadway in 1963 and became wildly successful. The tenth longest running non-musical play in Broadway History in fact. His follow up play was also a smash hit… ‘The Odd Couple.’

Overall, Simon garnered 17 Tony nominations and won three. During one season, he had four successful plays running on Broadway at the same time, and in 1983 became the only living playwright to have a New York theatre, the Neil Simon Theatre, named in his honor. Simon also drew “extensively on his own life and experience” for his stories, with settings typically in working-class New York City neighborhoods, similar to ones in which he grew up. In 1983, he began writing the first of three autobiographical plays, Brighton Beach Memoirs (1983), Biloxi Blues (1985) and Broadway Bound (1986). With them, he received his greatest critical acclaim. After his follow-up play, Lost in Yonkers (1991), Simon was awarded a Pulitzer Prize.

With a deft hand, Maryann Curmi is in her element directing this gem. “I absolutely LOVE Simon’s writing, it’s real, it’s raw and it’s ridiculous! “His knack for taking unsuspecting, completely lovable characters and tossing them in a ring just to see what happens is unparalleled. Having a cast that is such fun to work with makes it easy too!” says Curmi.

She’s happy to be back at MCT after directing successful runs of “Over the River and Through the Woods”, “Last of the Red Hot Lovers”, Driving Miss Daisy” and “The Foreigner”.

Leading the way as the newly weds are Michelle Low as Corie Bratter and Robbie Allen as Paul Bratter. “It’s such a joy to revisit one of my favorite roles” says Allen, who, with Low, played Corie and Paul together 10 years ago, “we’re older and a little wiser and are seeing these roles with fresh eyes. Our life experiences since the first go around have brought our understanding of these characters to new, hopefully funnier, heights.”

The cast also consists of newcomers to the MCT stage David Rodrigues as the wacky neighbor Victor Velasco and Diane Rodrigues as Corie’s straight laced mother, Ethyl Banks. Although new to MCT, David and Diane are no strangers to the stage, garnering impressive theatre resumes spanning decades.

Rounding out the cast is MCT alum Kirk Summers and the wise hard working Harry Pepper and newcomer Dave Stapp as the Delivery Man. Kirk was last seen in Inspecting Carol and The Foreigner.

Please take a walk in the Park with us.. We’ll even let you keep your shoes on!

Barefoot in the Park runs April 26th – May 19th Thursday, Friday and Saturday @ 7pm Sundays @ 2pm

Murphys Creek Theatre
580 S. Algiers st.
Murphys CA 952479

For tickets please call 209-728-8422
Or visit our website:
www.murphyscreektheatre.org

This event repeats weekly every Sunday until 05/20/2019