Teaneck New Theater Stages LAST OF THE RED HOT LOVERS, Beginning Today

Teaneck New Theatre (TNT)-in association­­ with The Hackensack Cultural Arts Center (HCAC)-kicks off its 30th season with Neil Simon's Last of the Red Hot Lovers, today, June 17. Bill Kaufman of Paterson serves as director. Set design is by Patt Tanner of N. Haledon and Tara DeAngelo of Hasbrouck Heights.

Last of the Red Hot Lovers will be presented through June 26 at The Hackensack Cultural Arts Center, 39 Broadway, Hackensack. Curtain times are 8:00 PM on Fridays and Saturdays, and 3:00 PM on Sundays.

To set the scene: It's the late 1960s and Barney Cashman, a long-married, overworked restaurant owner, is determined to get in on the sexual revolution before it's too late. Sensing his time is running out, Barney decides to use his mom's apartment try out his seduction skills. The complication is that the assignation has to be completed during the few hours his mom is out. Barney's roving eye first settles on sexy Elaine, a specialist in other women's husbands. Unfortunately, Elaine's various neuroses and Barney's tentativeness make for insurmountable obstacles. His next attempted dalliance is with Bobbi, an aspiring actress who is as nutty as a fruitcake. Barney's final prospective partner is Jeanette, a depressed, moral woman who happens to be his wife's best friend. Barney's comical encounters with the opposite sex provide a hilarious take on the vagaries of relationships and the absurdities of life itself.

These are the actors having fun with Neil Simon's off-the-wall characters. Mike Scelzo of Oradell portrays the constantly thwarted Barney. W. Orange resident Samantha Carpel plays frustrated, let's-get-on-with-it Elaine. Brittany Haydock of Glen Ridge is the fast-talking, but slow on the uptake Bobbi. Last, but definitely not least, is Englewood Cliffs resident Joanne Guarnaccia as excessively honest, overly principled Jeannette.

Last of the Red Hot Lovers is staged managed by Teaneck resident Marilyn Schilkie, assisted by Eva Piccioni, also of Teaneck. Carol Campione, another Teaneck resident, and Beatriz Esteban-Messina of Union City serve as co-producers.

Tickets for Last of the Red Hot Lovers are $15; $12 for students and seniors; and $10 for theatre parties of 10 or more. For reservations and information, call TNT at (201) 692-0200. Visit TNT's web site at www.go-tnt.org for directions to the theatre and for credit card ticket purchases.Teaneck New Theatre (TNT)-in association­­ with The Hackensack Cultural Arts Center (HCAC)-will kick off its 30th season with Neil Simon's Last of the Red Hot Lovers. Bill Kaufman of Paterson serves as director. Set design is by Patt Tanner of N. Haledon and Tara DeAngelo of Hasbrouck Heights.

Photo by Marilyn Schilkie

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