Review: GRUMPY OLD MEN Brings A Heartwarming 'Heat Wave' to Broadway Palm!

GRUMPY OLD MEN at Broadway Palm Dinner Theatre tells the story of old rivals, love lost and found, and an abundance of opportunity.

John Gustafson (Luther Chakurian) and Max Goldman (Rob Summers) are long-time rivals in the town of Wabasha because they both liked the same girl when they were younger. When Ariel Truax (Miranda Jane) comes to town, the possibility of that same fight ensuing again also arrives. I really liked the dynamic these two men had on stage. Both of them did a great job showing the bitter rivalry their characters had held on to for all these years. When Jane's Ariel enters the mix, she really helps both of their characters grow and evolve, and I enjoyed seeing that.

At the same time their dads are struggling with romance, getting older, and more, Jacob Goldman (Troy Buchwalski) and Melanie Norton (Madeline Canfield) also find themselves a bit stuck. They have dreams they want to pursue outside of Wabasha. I really appreciated their determination to go after what they wanted, even if those plans change a bit throughout the show. This added another nice layer to the story, and it was fun to see how each of them tried to help their dads embrace more modern things.

This show has a very sentimental and unique quality to it. All of the characters have very different personalities and something particularly special about them; Chuck Barrels (John Payonk) owns the town bait shop, his cousin, Punky (Tricia Corcoran), likes to play an air ukulele and occasionally yodel, Harry the mailman (Dale Given) can't feel pain, and the list goes on. They each bring a charm to the show, and that's what makes it fun to watch. And of course, there's plenty of great dancing and catchy music throughout. I definitely would check it out while it's playing at Broadway Palm if you get the chance!

GRUMPY OLD MEN is playing now through February 8 at Broadway Palm. Performances are Tuesday through Sunday evenings with selected matinees. Tickets are $55 to $80 with group discounts available. Tickets are now on sale and can be reserved by calling (239) 278-4422, visiting BroadwayPalm.com, or in person at 1380 Colonial Boulevard in Fort Myers.

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