A LOVE AFFAIR by Carol Kaufman Segal

            The Santa Monica Playhouse is presenting A Love Affair, written by prolific playwright Jerry Mayer.  Mayer’s career began over 40 years ago when he first began writing jokes, then scripts, and then scripts for popular television shows including All In the Family, M*AS*H, The Mary Tyler Moore Show, and The Bob Newhart Show.  He also wrote and produced many other shows including six years as writer/Executive Producer of The Facts of Life. 

            After years working on television shows, Jerry discovered his first love, writing plays for the theater and has enjoyed success winning awards for his plays and musicals. He has written nine plays, eight of which had their world premieres at the Santa Monica Playhouse.  Six have had successful runs Off Broadway and five throughout the United States, Canada, and Europe.   A Love Affair is the latest in which all of his plays are being presented at the Santa Monica Playhouse during the 2015-2020 Jerry-Mayer-A-Thon.

            A Love Affair, in keeping with Mayer’s trend, is a romantic comedy which, perhaps, takes on events from his own life.  It goes through the years (back and forth) from 1991 to 1953 to 1991 covering the 38-year marriage of Jimmy and Alice.  They are played by four actors, the elder Jimmy by Chris DeCarlo and the younger Jimmy by Jacob Cooper; the elder Alice by Evelyn Rudie, and the younger Alice by Andrea Adnoff.  Rachel Galper plays several characters that show up in their lives during the years.

            From the 1950’s honeymoon through the 38-year marriage, we are privy to what a loving couple face together in life, and still manage to keep their marriage going through thick and thin for 38 years.  It’s the ups-and-downs, successes, disappointments, traumas, children, money, traumas about sex, and whatever life doles out to them, but fortunately, a real love affair wins out in the end. 

            Chris DeCarlo also directed the production and says “Jerry Mayer’s plays are a delight for a director, a cast, and of course an audience.  He writes about issues people can identify with, laugh at, and care about.”  And I have to agree with that statement in the case of each of his plays that I have been privileged to see.  The Santa Monica Playhouse is celebrating its 55^th year offering continuous theater and educational services to the community.  Evelyn Rudie and Chris DeCarlo are Co-Artistic Directors of the Theatre.

            A Love Affair plays Saturdays at 7:30 PM, Sundays at 3:30 PM, through November 17.  The Playhouse is located at 1211 4th Street, Santa Monica.  Tickets are available by calling (310) 394-9779, ext 1, or reservations can be made online at santamonicaplayhouse.com/a-love-affair.html.    

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