Workshop Players presents 'Chapter Two'

AMHERST TWP. — After George Schneider's beloved wife died, his family and friends urged him to consider dating again. Despite their best efforts, George unexpectedly found romance on his own — a misdialed wrong number that leads to Jennie, a dizzying love affair and quick nuptials. That's the premise of "Chapter Two," Neil Simon's classic romantic comedy opening next week at Workshop Players Theater. The show carries Simon's hallmark wit and wordplay but is laced with the steelier weight of grief as it traces the story of a couple from the heady days of new marriage to the minefields of unresolved loss. "It has a lot of emotional depth to it, this idea of letting go," said John Baumgartner, who plays George. "These two people have this really great meet-cute moment, and they decide to get married right away and have this whirlwind honeymoon. But then they get back and he realizes he hasn't let go, and he's not going to be able to let go of his first wife. He's only two years out from losing the love of his life and was this the right choice? Things get really dark." Director Barb Fryman said the show resonated with her, which she "discovered by accident" while submitting shows to apply to be a director at Workshop Players. The play is semi-autobiographical, written after Simon's first wife, Joan Baim, died and he married actress Marsha Mason. "He fell in love, but he was putting up so many roadblocks. He wrote it as a tribute to Mason for her willingness for putting up with him, for loving him enough to be patient with him, for his 'come here, go away,'" Fryman said. "She loved him so much she was willing to do whatever it took to get him back to enjoying life again." Baumgartner, a director and writer who has been working in the film industry for two decades, said he decided to return to the stage due to the play's rich material. "I took the part because I did a couple of seasons on (Workshop's) play reading committee and I read this play, and it inspired me," he said. "It's been so lovely. Barb is such a lovely, calm presence, and it's one of those casts that doesn't happen often, we work off each other very well. Everyone is so passionate for it. It's restored my faith in community theater." The cast also features Lauren Wazevich as Jennie Malone, George's love; Tim Hirzel as Leo Schneider, George's brother who encourages George to date again; and Alexa Franklin as Faye Medwick, Jennie's friend. "To me, it just encapsulates the show: How does our own self-talk sabotage us? Do we let ourselves get in our own way?" Fryman said. "There are so many things about the human condition that I love and the cast loves and hopefully we'll be able to bring it to an audience, that love eventually wins. I know it doesn't always, but in our lives it does." Contact Rini Jeffers at rinijeffers@gmail.com.