'Jake's Women' opening at Powerhouse

Neil Simon's delusional treatment of love, marriage, death and divorce is filled with the witty and insightful dialogue that has endeared audiences to this icon of American theater for decades. There are plenty of laughs, a little pathos and the wry commentary on modern relationships that is the hallmark of Simon's oeuvre.

Lester Colodnay, a veteran of Broadway and Hollywood who managed Simon's career at the William Morris Agency during the early days of the playwright's ascendancy, directs this production. Colodnay said he believes that this play is more than a little autobiographical given Simon's history and the many women involved with his real life.

Because of his personal relationship with the playwright, Colodnay said he "jumped at the chance" to direct this Town Players' production.

Playing Jake is Michael Day of Stamford who has acted in and directed several previous Town Players' productions including "Proof" and "The Fantasticks." His portrayal captures the neurotic idiosyncrasies of a writer who is both tortured and helped by the women, past and present, in his life.

Jake's real life and fantasy wife, Maggie, is another Stamford resident, Kimberley Lowden, familiar to TPNC audiences as Candida in "Candida," Ruth in "Blithe Spirit," and in many other roles over the years. In this performance, Lowden says as much with her sensitive and varied facial expressions as she does with her lips. She captures the embarrassment, sadness, and bewilderment of a wife whose marriage is in jeopardy.

New Canaan is represented in the cast by Lynne Bolton (Sheila, Jake's girlfriend), Rachel Guth (Molly, Jake's daughter at age 12) and Holly Aladin (Molly at age 21). Each of these women succeeds in conveying the range of emotions generated by the Jake's complex personality and delusional conversations. Bolton's interpretation of Sheila's frustration with Jake's time-shifting banter between her and the other women, seen, yet not seen, is hilarious.

Maureen Cummings (Edith, Jake's therapist), and Suzanne Lewin (Jake's sister), hail from Norwalk. Each actor has earned extensive credits in Fairfield County community theater productions. Cummings played the lead in the female version of "Whose Life is it Anyway?" and has appeared in three other plays directed by Colodnay.

Lewin portrays the special relationship that exists between brother and sister although at times, given Jake's neuroses and hallucinations, she finds it especially challenging: "When I'm here, I can talk to you. But when someone else is here, I can't talk to him or her. It's very confusing "�" And, for the audience, very funny.

Rounding out the cast is Kate Rakowski of Milford whose interpretation of Julie (Jake's late first wife and Molly's mother) she admits is "challenging" because many of the characters, though seen on stage, actually exist only in Jake's mind. The production staff includes producers Patrick Kiley and Sheri Dean, Jeffrey Klein (lighting designer), Elaine Giggi (stage manager), Patrick DeBlasi and Bob Doran (set designers), Dick Hollyday (sound designer), Sheila Tone (sound board operator), Deb Zagoreos (light board), Deborah and Kae Shields (costumes), and Cheryl Petrone and Linda Hurst (make-up.)

Evening performances are Friday and Saturday, Oct. 30 and 31; Nov. 6, 7, 13 and 14 at 8 p.m. Matinees are Sunday, Nov. 1 and 8 at 2:30 p.m.

To reserve seats, call the box office at 966-7371.