RUMORS by Carol Kaufman Segal

            Neil Simon is a man of great comedic talent. He began his writing career in television then began writing plays beginning with Come Blow Your Horn in 1961 which became a big hit on Broadway.  Since that success, he has written more than 30 plays, and almost as many movie screenplays.  Many of his screenplays were adaptations of his hit plays.  Over the years, he received 17 Tony nominations and won three.  He has received more Oscar and Tony nominations than any other writer.  One season he had four successful plays running on Broadway at the same time.  In 1983 he became the only living playwright to have a New York theatre named in his honor (the Neil Simon Theatre).

            Neil Simon’s comedy, Rumors, playing at The Lonny Chapman Theatre in North Hollywood, is one of his funniest plays because it seems there is hardly a moment during the show that one can keep from laughing.

            A well-to-do couple invited four couples, their close friends, to their home to share in the celebration of their tenth anniversary.  The first guests arrive only to discover that the host has shot himself in his earlobe, his wife is missing, nothing has been prepared for a celebration, and the housekeepers are nowhere to be seen.  In trying to fathom what must have occurred, they begin to piece together what sort of relationship their friends might have had to trigger this situation.  In other words, a rumor was created! 

            As the other couples begin arriving, each couple has his or her own idea about what must have occurred, and the rumors begin flying every which way.  They build up until they become more and more outlandish and the entire play turns funnier and funnier.  I think you will find this play to be one of the most hilarious you will ever see.

            Doug Engalla does a fine job directing an absolute perfect cast that includes Fox Carney (Ken Gorman), Debi Tinsley (Chris Gorman), Kent Butler (Lenny Ganz), Cheryl Crosland (Claire Ganz), Doug Haverty (Ernie Cusack), LizAnne Keigley (Cookie Cusack – alternate), Michele Bernath (Cookie Cusack - alternate), Todd Andrew Ball (Glenn Cooper), Hisato Masuyama-Ball (Cassie Cooper), Robert McCollum (Officer Welch), Judy Rosenfeld (Officer Pudney), and Patrick Burke (Officer Welch understudy).  The lovely two-story home design is by Chris Winfield.

            Rumors  plays Fridays and Saturdays at 8 PM, Sundays at 2 PM, through July 29, at the Lonny Chapman Theatre, 10900 Burbank Blvd., No. Hollywood.  Tickets are available by calling (818) 763-5990, or online at www.thegrouprep.com.

            HIGHLY RECOMMENDED