‘Same Time, Next Year’ this month at The Church: Things Unseen bringing romantic comedy to local stage
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Penn State Altoona theater professor Robin Reese has loved the romantic comedy, "Same Time, Next Year," since, as a teenager, she and her mother enjoyed the film version together in 1978.
Reese, who has performed Off-Broadway and written and performed her own stage work across the United States and in Italy, will direct the stage version of "Same Time, Next Year" for Things Unseen Theatre at 8 p.m. on April 20 to 22 and 29 and 2 p.m on April 30 at The Church in the Middle of the Block Cultural Center in Altoona.
The Bernard Slade play features two of Reese's theater students at Penn State, Leila McCrumb as Doris and Aaron James as George. It originally ran four years on Broadway, winning a Tony Award for lead actress Ellen Burstyn, who later recreated her role in the film that Reese enjoyed watching with her mother.
While in graduate school at the Actors Studio Drama School in New York City, Reese met Burstyn, who was one of the studio's artistic directors and taught a master class at the school.
"She mentioned working with Alan Alda on the film, and I knew I had to play the stage play…," Reese said.
She worked on scenes during graduate school and since has coached scenes in acting classes she has taught.
"This is my first turn at directing the piece," Reese said. "I just absolutely love the play, and I am in love with the characters and their relationship and just really want the best for them. … These characters are such real people and we believe in them and fall in love with them."
Things Unseen Theatre co-artistic director Valerie Stratton said the "intimate nature" of the play will fit well in the intimate venue.
"It's practically a classic," Stratton added.
One of the world's most widely produced plays, "Same Time, Next Year" plots a love affair between Doris and George, married to others, who rendezvous once a year for 25 years.
Because of the time span, Reese said it touches on many topics and historical moments in American history.
"It's just touching and lovely, plus it's really hilarious," she added.
Reese said McCrumb and James did their research on history and they "understand the nuances of human psychology."
McCrumb, 21, will graduate Penn State next month and plans to continue her professional acting training next year. She has been performing since she was a child. She has been a fixture at Things Unseen Theatre, most recently playing a convincing Flora in Tennessee Williams' "27 Wagons Full of Cotton."
James, also 21, has one more year at Penn State and is majoring in theater and communications. He first did a musical in fifth grade at Juniata Gap Elementary School and again in seventh grade when he failed to make the basketball team. He has participated in shows every year since, including Things Unseen's "Bad Jews" and "Dead Man's Cell Phone" last year.
McCrumb and James agreed that their roles are somewhat challenging because they had to get to know the different eras, as well as portray people aging before your eyes.
"It's so much fun getting to play characters from these different time periods, but it's also very difficult," James said. "To be able to completely understand the characters, you also have to understand their world. So Leila and I have to know everything there is to know about the different years the show takes place. We need to know the pop culture, the news, the fashion, everything."
And they do, said Reese.
"Don't let their youth fool you," she said. "They make their audiences believe them."
Due to adult themes, young children should not attend, but teenagers will enjoy it, Reese said.
Like she did with her mother nearly 40 years ago.
Mirror Staff Writer Cherie Hicks is at 949-7030.
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If you go
What: Things Unseen Theatre's production of "Same Time, Next Year"
When: 8 p.m. on April 20-22 and 29 and 2 p.m. on April 30
Where: The Church in the Middle of the Block Cultural Center, 217 Fifth Ave., Altoona
Admission/Tickets: $10-$12, available at the door and in advance at Thompson Pharmacies
More info: (814) 934-3504, www.ThingsUnseenTheatre.org