The Chance Theater

WEST COAST PREMIERE

January 29 - February 27, 2011
Nerve
by Adam Szymkowicz
Directed by Marya Mazor

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THEATER ARTICLE

Chance Theater presents Nerve
by Broadway World

Chance Theater launches its 2011 season with the West Coast premiere of the edgy romantic comedy Nerve by Adam Szymkowicz, February 5 - 27 (previews January 28 - February 4). The play is directed by Marya Mazor. A special "2nd Story" post-show event is directed by Khanisha Foster, a company member with Chicago's Serendipity Theater Collective.

Called "sweet, sexy and neurotic-friendly" by the New York Times, Nerve is a dark comedy about falling into a relationship on the first date. Elliot has never had an online date before-at least not one that showed up. Susan has had far too many but would prefer not to discuss them. When they meet in a bar one night, all their personality flaws are revealed, along with a puppet, some modern dance, and a desperation that may or may not be love.

"Playwright Szymkowicz keeps the impossible relationship alive with wild, honest disagreement and funny, funny misunderstandings all the way through...clever and fast-talking, it makes an indelible comic impression." -Talkin' Broadway

Nerve was written in 2003/04 as Szymkowicz's thesis play at Columbia for his MFA. It was workshopped in 2005 and produced in New York City by Packawallop in 2006. It has had subsequent Popular Productions on the East Coast and in London.

Following every performance of Nerve, there will be a special hosted "2nd Story" Event with the cast, directed by Khanisha Foster. Audience members are invited to join the cast onstage to hang out, drink wine and listen to music. During the event the actors will share dating stories during designated times, and a host will read excerpts of audience member's real-life stories in an effort to increase dialogue among Chance patrons. Not to mention, it's a great way to get to know someone on a first date!

ABOUT ADAM SZYMKOWICZ
Adam Szymkowicz's plays have been produced throughout the U.S., and in Canada, England, The Netherlands and Lithuania. His work has been presented or developed at such places as MCC Theater, Ars Nova, South Coast Rep, Playwrights Horizons, LAByrinth Theater Company, The Lark, Kitchen Dog, HotINK, Theatre of Note and Studio Dante. His plays include Deflowering Waldo, Open Minds, Anne, The Art Machine, Pretty Theft, Food For Fish, Hearts Like Fists, Herbie, Incendiary, Old Fashioned Cold Fusion, Bee Eater, Temporary Everything, Susan Gets Some Play, Fat Cat Killers, Elsewhere, and Nerve. Several of his plays have been published by Dramatists Play Service and Samuel French. He received a Playwright's Diploma from The Juilliard School's Lila Acheson Wallace American Playwrights Program and an MFA from Columbia University where he was the Dean's Fellow. Szymkowicz is a two-time Lecomte du Nouy Prize winner, a member of the Dramatists Guild, the MCC Playwright's Coalition and was a founding member of the Ars Nova Play Group. He has been commissioned by South Coast Repertory. For more, go to www.adamszymkowicz.com.

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THEATER REVIEW

Nerve at the Chance
by Jordan Young, Examiner

[ Link to Examiner ]

Casey Long and Jessie Withers
Photo by Doug Catiller, True Image Studio

It’s a first date. We’ve all been there. But seldom is a preliminary rendezvous as much of a roller coaster ride as Adam Szymkowicz’s “Nerve,” an offbeat romantic comedy in its West Coast premiere at The Chance Theatre in Anaheim Hills through Feb. 27. Seldom is such an occasion as hilarious or as crazy as this one, though the play is bound to ring a few bells for those playing the online dating game these days; mostly, it will ring peals of laughter.

Director Marya Mazor matches the many revelations of the evening with some clever touches of her own. Her casting is inspired, matching Chance regular Casey Long, as needy Elliott, opposite Jessie Withers as neurotic Susan. The pair have solid chemistry, an essential ingredient for a two-character play with no intermission. Long is consistently amusing; Withers has terrific stage presence, and is especially commanding when she’s out there by herself. Call 714-777-3033.

Hot tip: You’ll want to stick around for the post-show at The Chance (and the actor’s real-life dating stories) following “Nerve.” The storefront theatre’s On-the-Radar workshop series commences Feb. 16, and features a new play by Adam Szymkowicz on May 4.

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THEATER REVIEW

Nerve
by Steven Stanley, StageSceneLA

WOW!

[ Link to StageSceneLA ]

Casey Long and Jessie Withers
Photo by Doug Catiller, True Image Studio

“Ask somebody to love you. Takes a lot of nerve. Ask somebody to love you. You got a lot of nerve.”
-- Paul Simon

Can a couple of 20somethings on a blind date from hell find happiness ever after? That’s the question asked by playwright Adam Szymkowicz in Nerve, his disturbing but oh-so-romantic comedy now getting its West Coast Premiere at The Chance Theater.

Elliot (Casey Long) is the first to give signs that all may not be quite right up there when he remarks to Susan (Jessie Withers) how entirely normal it is for them to be nervous, “especially before we’ve even had a first kiss.” Mark you, this is only the fourth thing out of Elliot’s mouth following the obligatory hellos at a neighborhood bar, and while the purpose of any blind date may indeed be that first kiss and beyond, most daters would probably wait at least until the first beer has been imbibed to bring it up. Then there’s Susan, who opines that “a good kiss is like a knife,” and when Elliot responds with a casual, “sort of makes me wish I had a knife,” pulls one big mother of a knife from her purse, one she “just happens” to have with her.

This is just the first in a series of secrets Elliot and Susan reveal about themselves, like skins pulled from a pair of very big onions, secrets which repel yet at the same time attract the mismatched/perfectly matched couple to each other.

Frequent trips to the men’s and ladies’ rooms allow both Elliot and Susan time to themselves, moments which reveal even more disturbing character traits, Elliot’s obsessive possessiveness (which he expresses with a puppet he’s made of one of his ex-girlfriends) and Susan’s obsessive compulsiveness (which she reveals through the countless cocktail napkins she tears to shreds.) Then there are all the dances Susan choreographs inside her head and which we see her perform inside her mind’s eye, dances which imply a not particularly stable individual.

Were either Elliot or Susan not so screwed up, the more normal of the two would quickly beat a fast retreat, and in fact each of them seems alternately on the verge of doing just so. Still, in the world the very talented Szymkowicz has created for these would-be lovers, two entirely messed up individuals may make for an absolutely right-for-each-other couple—that is if they can both stick around long enough to make it happen.

Nerve is that rare play, one that can appeal equally to those who enjoy taking a walk on the wild side when they go to the theater, and those whose eyes tear up when they recall a rain-soaked Audrey Hepburn embracing George Peppard and that lost-and-found Cat in Breakfast At Tiffany’s.

If casting the right leads is essential in any romcom, it’s even more critical in a two-character one-act with characters as problematic as Elliot and Susan, and in Long and Withers, The Chance has hit the jackpot. Long is the Chance’s answer to Philip Seymour Hoffman, and though he mostly gets Hoffmanesque character roles, the company member has deft comedy timing and a likability factor that goes a long way towards making us root for Elliot even as we recoil from some of the things he’s done. Withers, seen most recently as one of the Valley Girl stepsisters in the Calvin Remsberg-directed Into The Woods, recalls the movies’ Ellen Page in her pitch-perfect performance as the quirky, endearing, wounded soul that is Susan.

Casey Long and Jessie Withers
Photo by Doug Catiller, True Image Studio

Director Marya Mazor proves once again, as she did in The Chance’s recent production of Edward Albee’s The Goat, Or Who Is Sylvia?, that she is not afraid to explore our darker natures, keeping performances grounded in reality even as characters reveal their unsettling secrets.

Sara Ryung Clement has designed yet another of The Chance’s gorgeous sets, though perhaps one a tad too grand for Szymkowicz’s intimate vision. It’s a bit unrealistic that Elliot and Susan should have the run of the entire bar at their disposal, so this is one case where smaller and simpler would have been better. Jeff Brewer’s terrific lighting design signals when we are in reality and when we’re inside Susan’s head—moments when Susan executes choreographer Kelly Todd’s mood-&mind-revealing choreography. Long’s excellent sound design underscores Elliot and Susan’s date with the low hum of jukebox tunes. Bruce Goodrich gets thumbs up too for his costume and puppet design. Bryan Williams is stage manager and assistant sound designer, and Kalen Cobb assistant lighting designer. The first three dance songs were composed by Max Avery Lichtenstein.

... The Chance Theater, 5552 E. La Palma Ave., Anaheim Hills. Click here for current performance schedule, closing date, and reservation line. www.chancetheater.com

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THEATER REVIEW

'Nerve' touches raw edges in Anaheim Hills
by Eric Marchese, OC Register

[ Link to OC Register ]

Casey Long and Jessie Withers
Photo by Doug Catiller, True Image Studio

First dates can be dicey all around, but what would happen if a guy and a girl with questionable relationship histories got together on a first date after having only met via the Internet?

That seemingly simple premise becomes the basis for Adam Szymkowicz's 2006 play "Nerve," now enjoying its West Coast premiere at Anaheim Hills' Chance Theater.

The Chance staging wastes no time getting down to business. We're at a hip New York City bar aptly called the Last Chance. Elliot (Casey Long) and Susan (Jessie Withers) have just taken in a movie and are winding down their first date with a beer and some harmless, getting-to-know-you small talk.

In fact, for the first 15 or 20 minutes of the play, we could substitute the couple's dialogue with that of just about any similar situation – two young adults discussing and debating the various ingredients that constitute a successful relationship.

Neither the playwright nor these actors tip their hands too soon, but it's clear that as the talkative Elliot dissects and analyzes factors like a couple's first kiss, Susan comes off not just as self-sufficient and slightly on edge but also erratic and more guarded than seems appropriate even given the situation.

What's most striking about the play is the way Szymkowicz takes concepts such as "normal" and "typical" regarding dating and opposite-sex interactions and forces us to constantly re-examine and redefine them. In fact, throughout all of "Nerve," the playwright toys with our perceptions through both characters, first as individuals and then as a potential couple.

Taking their cues from the script, director Marya Mazor and her two cast members keep us guessing all along. Is Elliot really so possessive that his girlfriends have to have restraining orders issued, or is he just joking? Is Susan so fragile that she's likely to misinterpret nearly every comment Elliot makes, even in the course of casual conversation – or is she only like this with virtual strangers?

To reveal much more in detail would spoil some of the many delightful revelations "Nerve" holds in store, spoiling the fun of seeing this play while helping to defeat its purpose. Suffice it to say that while you may think you know where "Nerve" is headed, and what Elliot and Susan are really thinking or feeling, Szymkowicz is always able to create a surprise or twist without ever causing the play to feel contrived or artificial.

In Mazor's hands and Long's and Withers' performances, memorable moments abound. Elliot would love to carve the couple's initials into a wooden tabletop, so Susan happily provides the knife ('nuff said). During each of Elliot's restroom breaks, Susan compulsively tears paper napkins to shreds. Elliot fixes Susan with a gaze and tells her "I own you" – then, with a burst of laughter, says "just kidding!"

Casey Long
Photo by Doug Catiller, True Image Studio

What's clear from the outset is that Elliot lives to be part of a couple while Susan is more spontaneous and free-form in her approach to men. Each is obviously flawed – hey, who isn't? – but it isn't until well into the course of the evening that we understand that we're witnessing the gradual revelation, to us and to their date, of at least one very sick personality.

In their personas, both Long and Withers tread a very fine line between normal social behavior and the kind of aberrations that make the hair on your neck stand on end. Long's Elliot is friendly in a regular-guy, macho kind of way, yet around Susan, he perpetually backpedals and apologizes for many of his remarks.

In the even more difficult role of Susan, Withers shows that her character watches, waits and judges before leaping in. Yet despite their differing personalities, she's almost as likely as Elliot to do a 180. The result is a rapidly paced play that's both darkly funny in a twisted sort of way and darkly disturbing precisely because of its accurate take on human nature.

Like all Chance Theater productions, the show's technical elements are superb, bolstering every aspect of the script, story and characters. Sara Ryung Clement's scenic design creates a nightspot that's comfy and cozy, inviting patrons to express themselves; their chalk graffiti can be seen scrawled over nearly every available inch of wall space. Long's sound design and Jeff Brewer's lighting scheme complete the effect of a happening yet low-key hangout.

Likely to be overlooked are Max Avery Lichtenstein's original music, Kelly Todd's choreography and Bruce Goodrich's costume and puppet designs. All deserve recognition for a staging perhaps best left unseen by any couple on their first date, too delicate a social construct to be able to survive the onslaught of "Nerve's" perceptive observations.

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THEATER ARTICLE

Take a Chance (Theater) on first date
by Frank Mickadeit, OC Register

[ Link to OC Register ]

Casey Long and Jessie Withers
Photo by Doug Catiller, True Image Studio

The last play I saw at the Chance Theater in Anaheim was "Assassins," a disturbing, tension-packed little drama that featured every presidential assassin (and several would-be assassins), including a particularly scary appearance by Lee Harvey Oswald.

Yet the play now at the Chance is far scarier. It's about a couple's first meeting in the age of Internet dating.

"Nerve" – just in time for Valentine's Day and running through Feb. 27 – is 115 minutes of non-stop tension laid out by two characters on a stage smaller than a three-car garage.

I caught the West Coast premier last weekend. I won't review it because our Eric Marchese has done so. You can find it at ocregister.com/arts/. But as it was also opening night of the Chance's 13th season, it does seem timely, in these lean times for the arts and discretionary spending of all kinds, to make note of the state of O.C.'s edgiest theater company.

And behold – the Chance has launched a campaign to take it from about 400 subscribers to 1,500. "It's time to grow from 50 seats to about 200," says Georgia Well of Anaheim Hills, a member of the Chance board and chair of the Theater Department at Cerritos College.

Brash. I like that. Because if you wait for good times to foster the arts, you are going to be waiting a long time. (Coincidentally, it also comes as another Anaheim-based group is starting a campaign to build a full performing arts center in North County.)

While "Nerve," is just one act, there's more to the show than Adam Szymkowicz's script.

Audience members reveal some of their own first dates – called forth from the crowd based on cryptic notes we were asked to write on napkins.

The most intriguing was told by John Goodman of Garden Grove, whose long-ago date told him firmly "that I would take her to a party and take her home, but while I was there I would not act as her date." He accepted the terms. While they were at the party in Rolling Hills, he saw another woman floating naked in the swimming pool.

He started talking her up. She was married, but that didn't deter him. It took a couple of years for Goodman "to convince her I was a better match for her than her husband." He did. And that woman, Pauli Merry, is his now his wife. They celebrate their 30th anniversary on Valentine's Day.

I must have looked a bit aghast when he told me details he didn't share with the rest of the audience. "Oh, it all worked out," he said. "How so?" I asked.

His wife jumped in: "The woman he went to the party with married my ex!"

Hey, it was L.A. It was the '70s. You had to be there, I guess.

Contact: 714-796-4994 or fmickadeit@ocregister.com

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THEATER REVIEW

Online dating takes 'Nerve' at the Chance Theater
by Angela Hatcher, Anaheim Independent

Casey Long
Photo by Doug Catiller, True Image Studio

While once considered a little strange, online dating has become a widely-accepted way to meet people outside the circles of our daily lives - for better or worse. This phenomenon is explored in the Chance Theater's most recent production, "Nerve", a dark comedy by playwright Adam Szymkowicz.

Originally written as Szymkowicz's Master's thesis, "Nerve" is a microscopic examination of a couple first date after meeting online. Elliot and Susan are matched up after reviewing hundreds of possible partners on a Match.com-like website, and hilarity ensues in this dark, one-act comedy.

The couple meets in a cocktail lounge and playfully begins their courtship - but as they talk, their deepest secrets are uncovered, causing them both to panic that the relationship is doomed before it's even started... or even worse: that it isn't.

Elliot's eagerness to kiss Susan marks the beginning of a relationship for him, and he is relentless in his efforts to convince her that the kiss is not only right, but completely necessary before the relationship can move forward.

These are two needy people searching for nothing more than what we all need: to love and be loved in return. The house and a half literally flies by, with the audience mesmerized by the banter between Elliot and Susan as it shifts from flirtatious to manic to desperation and back. After talking over what seems like gallons of beer, both Elliot and Susan have to make frequent trips to the bar's bathroom - which only adds to the humor.

Casey Long captures the character of the lovable, sweet (though a little creepy) Elliot with ease. Long portrays Elliot with brilliant charm, and his comedic turns are reminiscent both of young movie star Ryan Reynolds and the late John Ritter. Jessie Withers' performance is stunning and brings emotional strength to the innocent-but-unstable character, Susan.

Although the story of Elliot and Susan's budding relationship shares elements of extreme chaos and unbelievability, this great comedy holds truth in within its grasp. Talented director Marya Mazor leaves us with this thought: "In the acceleration of a relationship in a single night, we see the journey of fear and attraction which makes falling in love an enduring enigma."

The evening doesn't end there, however, as lovely post-show director of second story, Khanisha Foster, hosts an aftermath reading of dating stories read by the actors and audience members. Before long, the audience makes its way to the set, and as it has spent the evening viewing the action on stage, the audience soon becomes part of the bar scene enjoying wine, tasty appetizers, making new friends, and sharing stories. It is a wonderful way to spend an evening - with or without an online date.

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THEATER REVIEW

Nerve
by Eric Marchese, Back Stage

[ Link to Back Stage ]

Jessie Withers
Photo by Doug Catiller, True Image Studio

The format of Adam Szymkowicz's two-hander from 2006—a young couple at a bar at the end of their first date—is not only deceptively simple, it's also a meditation on a number of issues related to love and romance, marriage, pairing off, and self-image and identity. As such, it's an absolute showcase for the actors cast as Elliot and Susan.

Having met online, the two New Yorkers wind up on their first date at a bar where the more outgoing Elliot tentatively prods the intensely private Susan for personal information. After a series of often hilarious dating gaffes, the two profess their mutual love, engaging in passionate necking and declaring themselves to be in a relationship. What we later learn explains the immediate past while possibly predicting the course of their affair.

Like the characters they play, Casey Long, as Elliot, and Jessie Withers, as Susan, must walk a tightrope between revealing too much, thereby tipping Szymkowicz's hand, and not revealing enough, thereby making the revelations in the second half of "Nerve" seem implausible. That both actors do so testifies to their skill, as well as the directing talent of Marya Mazor, who allows the evening's events to unfold in a stylized, semi-surreal way that nonetheless rings of reality thanks to the playwright's good ear for natural speech.

Long's Elliot moves from talkative Regular Joe to intensely romantic to semi-obsessive stalker type. Withers tops him in the more challenging role of Susan, at first guarded and diffident, then a thin-skinned lass with frayed nerves, and, finally, a full-blown, pathologically needy neurotic (and possibly worse). Most eerie is how shards of dialogue may ring in your ears from your own relationships past, a tribute to this skillful script and the talented cast.

Presented by and at the Chance Theater, 5552 E. La Palma Ave., Anaheim Hills. Feb. 5–27. Thu.–Fri., 8 p.m.; Sat., 3 & 8 p.m.; Sun., 2 p.m. (Also Sun., 7 p.m., Feb. 27.) (714) 777-3033. www.chancetheater.com.

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THEATER REVIEW

'Nerve' Highlights An Unusual Date
by Michael L. Quintos, Broadway World

[ Link to Broadway World ]

Casey Long and Jessie Withers
Photo by Doug Catiller, True Image Studio

There's an old adage that says a person has at least one other person somewhere in the world whom they're meant to be with, and that fate will eventually bring them together. That idea seems to be the impetus for Chance Theater's production of Adam Szymkowicz's 2006 play NERVE, which continues its West Coast debut performances through February 27 in Anaheim Hills. It's an intriguing play to be sure, filled with expectation-shattering exchanges that questions the very concept of healthy, working relationships. Along the way, we learn about our two daters—their foibles and personal demons all come unraveling for our amusement—and how two people can make a genuine connection without ever having to fall under the checkbox for normalcy.

What starts out as your typical first date—complete with awkward pauses, cute glances across the table, and a few flirty overtures—gradually turns into one unconventional date between two rather, well, eccentric individuals. The audience is challenged to decide where in the "eccentric" spectrum does each of our daters fall under: adorably quirky or certifiably nuts? It's perhaps the play's most interesting aspect, as we gradually get personality clues about our two characters, and wonder if these crazy kids can make a go of it together, despite how screwed up they really are to everyone else.

The play begins (and stays) inside an average dimly-lit New York City bar—cheekily named Last Chance, of course—where the walls are lined with patron-scribbled graffiti and there are vinyl couches in the periphery for group mingling. We meet Elliot (Casey Long) and Susan (Jessie Withers), having post-movie drinks at the hotspot, their date already in progress. At first, their chat feels very much like an expected exchange between a couple of fairly educated people still trying to get to know each other, treading lightly but not too lightly. But as the night (and, in turn, the play) progresses, we learn just how much emotional and ideological damage each carries with them, and how alarming their personality traits are—traits that somehow boost their burgeoning attraction for one another.

And as one would expect in such an exaggeratedly heightened dark comedy, it's hard to deny how much the two are actually quite perfect for each other—questionable behavior and all. Despite mutually spending a lot of time explaining themselves, the more each has a moment of doubt and tries to resist the palpable connection they are conjuring between them (more so for the ultra-neurotic, prone-to-shred-napkins Susan), the more their potentially great relationship is doomed to fail. You have to ask, then... Does this count as a date from hell if both participants are willingly (albeit cautiously) into it?

Under the direction of Marya Mazor, NERVE lets its freak flag to fly one layer at a time, in one amusingly-delivered anecdote after another. The show's true strength lies in its intriguing reveals that start early. I won't dare spill too many details about some of the amusing doozies that come up during their revelatory dating tug-of-war, but I will divulge that when Susan brandishes an alarmingly large weapon from her purse nonchalantly early in the play, you know that you're in for a really strange first date scenario. It's this anticipation for what comes next that makes NERVE more exciting than the sum of its parts.

Casey Long and Jessie Withers
Photo by Doug Catiller, True Image Studio

There are a lot of amusing exchanges launched back-and-forth in this verbose play, and the production's pair of actors really go full throttle in their commitment to their outlandish characters. Long and Withers truly encapsulate a genuine chemistry in their electric scenes together. It's certainly easy to want to root for them to keep dating (and eventually realize they're made for each other), even if we leave the play not quite attached to either character individually. The show's only glaringly odd attributes are the modern interpretive dance breaks that Susan occasionally retreats to—a way to manifest the anxiety she's struggles with in her mind. Well-meaning as it may be, it's a bit too much of a stretch to include in the trajectory of a dark comedy, bordering on slightly amusing for the wrong reasons, abruptly pulling the audience from the action at hand.

However, the technical machinations that surround the play—the authentic-looking set, the moody lighting, the industrial soundtrack, and even the surprise puppetry and paper napkin explosions—add to what amounts to be a commendable work-in-progress. At a tightly compact 75 minutes, the play thankfully zips along, but still feels like there's more yet to be told. Perhaps this explains why the production includes a post-play after-show/audience wine-and-chat interactive session as a way to extend the show's short running time and to, dare I say, signal that the play needed a bit more padding?

While not the most groundbreaking play out there, NERVE certainly takes an admirable stab at being an atypical portrait of a romance-in-the-making between two damaged, extremely flawed characters, making it more interesting than your average date night comedy. Luckily, in a world where love can come from the strangest of beginnings, NERVE gives a tiny bit of hope to anyone still waiting for that one person—normal or not—they're destined to love.

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THEATER REVIEW

'Nerve' at Chance Theater
by Jennifer Matas, Fullerton Observer

Jessie Withers and Casey Long
Photo by Doug Catiller, True Image Studio

Not your average date night out, Chance Theater’s Nerve takes a playful, yet disquieting look at the ever-nervewracking first date, experimental first kiss and the baggage we hide from each other.

Elliot (Casey Long) and Susan (Jessie Withers) chat awkwardly in a New York bar on their first date. They philosophize on dates, first kisses and relationships, getting a little bolder, but never less awkward. As they open up, information about themselves starts spilling out—their quirks, then their neuroses—things not normally discussed on a first date. The relationship and the confessions become more intense, until the breaking point, when they will decide either to stay together or part forever.

At several points during the play, Withers has the opportunity to portray Susan’s swinging emotions through dance, choreographed by Kelly Todd, in which the audience gets to experience Susan’s soaring joy and bitter insecurity. Withers’ grace and passion when dancing displays a side of Susan hidden behind first-date nerves during dialogue with Elliot. Long’s Elliot gains the audience’s empathy when he beats himself up either in front of Susan or on his own over saying the wrong thing or saying the right thing too soon. His backpedaling rambles and head-in-hands moments feel uncomfortably familiar.

The play itself may leave one with a case of nerves, as the exaggerated relationship between the characters sits uneasily in the mind and gut, but the second half of the evening is pure fun. Wine, stories and conversation liven up the space and bring the actors and audience together. Directed by Khanisha Foster, Long and Withers narrate their own love stories: simultaneously sweet and amusing. Stay for this second act to hear why tube socks saved Withers’ skin and why Long found a cherub exasperating.

To spend an evening dwelling on the charm, uncertainty and risk of love, visit Chance Theater, 5552 E. La Palma, Anaheim Hills by February 27. For tickets call 714-777-3033 or visit www.chancetheater.com.

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PATRON REVIEWS

This was NOT a boring first date!
posted by Fran Riggs on 02/16/11

Casey and Jessie pull out all the (truck?)stops! As Elliot and Susan, they really hit a "nerve." This was NOT a boring first date! If the rest of the "singles" world is lucky, these two crazy kids will keep circling each other's drain, and leave the rest of us in the peace of the backwater.