The Geauga Lyric Theater Guild will finish its season with the upcoming production of Barefoot in the Park, sponsored by Milestone Building Company. Beginning May 2 and running weekends through May 16, this lighthearted comedy written by legendary playwright Neil Simon is sure to please.
Following a young married couple through the early years of marriage, Simon captures the finer moments of marital bliss, especially when you add a well-meaning mother-in-law, a crazy neighbor, a telephone installer and a silent delivery man.
Leading the way in an eclectic cast of theater veterans is David Malinowski, as Paul Bratter. Malinowski recently was seen on the Geauga stage last fall as the title character in Jekyll and Hyde, and has worked in many other area venues including The Beck Center for the Arts and The Fine Arts Association in Willoughby. His better half, Corie Bratter, will be played by another area actress, Mary Shirring.
The small cast of Barefoot in the Park is not without several quirky characters to help fuel the action. Longtime actress Yvonne Pilarczyk will portray the quick witted and loving mother-in-law, Ethel Banks. Pilarczyk has been entertaining area audiences for more than 20 years in shows such as Twilight of the Golds at Chagrin Valley Little Theater and one of her favorite roles as Ethel in The Candle Lit at the Cleveland Public Theater.
Tim Coles will play the precocious neighbor Victor Velasco, while Aaron Drews will appear once again at the Geauga theater as the telephone repair man. Ken Baltitas, who has been in several productions in various theaters including Dark of the Moon and The Wizard of Oz, Judge David Fuhry and, making his stage debut , Jim Walsh will take turns portraying the quiet, reserved Delivery Man.
Barefoot in the Park is directed by Ann Hedger, produced by Kimberly Herman-Berry and stage managed by Karen Paktinat.
The box office for this production will begin April 18 and remain open on Mondays, Wednesdays, Fridays from 1 to 5 p.m., and Saturdays from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m., throughout the run.
The Geauga Lyric Theater Guild is located at 101 Water St. on Chardon Square. For ticket information, call the box office at (440) 286-2255 or business office at (440) 285-7701, or visit www.geaugatheater.org.