THE LAST ROMANCE Comes to Cortland Repertory Theatre This Month

Cortland Repertory Theatre will present their debut production of the heartwarming comedy The Last Romance as the second offering in their 53rd annual summer season. Written by Joe DiPietro, who is best known to CRT audiences as the playwright of the popular comedy Over the River and Through the Woods, this production will have performances from June 19 – 28, with evening shows at 7:30 PM.  Matinees are available on June 21, 23, 25 and 26 at 2:00 PM.

The story of The Last Romance: On an ordinary day in a routine life, widower Ralph Bellini takes a different path on his daily walk and meets Carol Reynolds, who is sitting on a bench at a dog park. Relying on his boyish charm and a fictional dog named Rex, Ralph woos Carol, and they embark on a hilarious and touching journey that proves it’s never too late for romance. This laugh-filled comedy cleverly explores relationships between people in their golden years, and how the invisible bonds of family often tie our hearts tighter than any love affair.

The Last Romance is directed by Cortland’s own Mark Reynolds, who has previously directed at CRT the award-winning production of Newsies, as well as Kiss Me Kate, Born Yesterday, the record-breaking production of Footloose, and Kitchen Witches as well as many productions in the SUNY Cortland Theatre Department, where he is also the Costume Designer. CRT’s Production Manager Eric Behnke will oversee all technical aspects of the production, and Stage Manager Jordan Simon makes her CRT debut with this show. The Last Romance design team is comprised of Shelley Barish (scenic), Shanie Hollenbeck (costumes), Kate Wecker (sound), Samantha Weiser (lighting) and Elizabeth Reaves (properties). Sophie Harrington joins the production as Assistant Stage Manager, and Sarah I. Lifflick is the Technical Director.

CRT returning actors Richard Daniel as Ralph and Mary P. Williams as Carol join newcomers Dori May Ganisin and Nick Capodilupo in this production. Previously at CRT, Daniel was seen in 2022’s Over the River and Through the Woods, as well as Agatha Christie’s Cards on the Table, and as Ben Franklin in 1776.  Williams was also seen in Cards on the Table, as well as in Six Dance Lessons in Six Weeks, Making God Laugh, and A Murder is Announced among others. Ganisin has performed in numerous productions in the Binghamton area, and Capodilupo is a Vocal Performance major at Ithaca College. A play with music, this show features Capodilupo’s strong operatic voice, as he plays the character of the younger version of Ralph.

CRT offers a “Friday Night Talk Back” after the evening performance on June 21, at which a Q & A session with the actors, director, designers, and crew takes place. Tickets are available for all of CRT’s upcoming summer productions including Jimmy Buffet’s Escape to Margaritaville, Wait Until Dark, Disney’s Beauty and the Beast, and the Bright Star Touring Children’s Theatre production of Storybook Tales. Tickets are also available for CRT’s “Sounds of Music” concert series to be held on every Wednesday in September, including “Close to You: The Music of the Carpenters”, “Tapestry Unraveled: The Music of Carole King”, “Jefferson McDonald’s Great Balls of Fire” and “How Sweet It Is: Steve Leslie Sings James Taylor”.  Visit www.CortlandRep.org for exact times, dates, and additional information.

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