An event every week that begins at 7:30 pm on Friday and Saturday, repeating until May 18, 2024
Live and on stage at Sea Glass Stage at Coligny Theatre.
Sea Glass Stage Company presents Lost in Yonkers
Neil Simon’s Lost in Yonkers, his first play to win the Pulitzer Prize, will be staged weekends May 3-19 by Sea Glass Stage Company at Coligny Theatre, featuring a cast of local amateur performers.
“Yonkers” is the second production by Sea Glass Stage, which took over the lease at the historic Coligny Theatre January 1.
The production is directed by Ron Ruckle, who previously directed “The Odd Couple” for Main Stage Community Theatre. The “Yonkers” cast includes students Luke Strebe and Natalie Miller as brothers Jay and Arty, respectively; Mark Erickson as Eddie, the widowed father of the boys; Diane Carter as Bella, the boys’ odd but lovable aunt; Lynne Hummell as their stern Grandma Kurnitz; Chris Hoffer as the affable uncle Louie; and Ana Soulios as Gert, another aunt, who has a breathing problem.
Lost in Yonkers premiered in Winston-Salem, North Carolina, in December1990 and moved to Broadway in February 1991, where it ran for 780 performances. The play won the 1991 Pulitzer Prize for Drama, four Tony Awards, and four Drama Desk awards.
The play, set in 1942, tells the story of two teen brothers, Jay and Arty Kurnitz, who must move to Yonkers and live with their difficult, no-nonsense Grandma, whom they don’t really know, while their father, Eddie, goes off to work out of state to pay off a large debt. Also living in the apartment above the family’s candy store is their Aunt Bella, who is a bit slow mentally but loves the boys and is eager to please. Uncle Louie, a henchman for the mob, shows up, as does Aunt Gert, who has an unusual speech issue.
The boys are the first to hear of Aunt Bella’s plan to get out of Grandma’s house, then learn about “moxie” from Uncle Louie, and are led to believe that Grandma has a lot of cash hidden somewhere in the house.
Billed as a comedy, the play also speaks to serious themes of loss, survival, and, ultimately, acceptance and love.
The local production runs on weekends May 3-19, with performances at 7:30 p.m. Friday and Saturday, and 2 p.m. Sunday. Tickets are $35 and are available at sgstage.org.
Sea Glass Stage Company is a nonprofit organization formed in 2023. Learn more about its productions and programs, including youth summer camps in June, at sgstage.org or by calling 843-212-4172.
