Romantic comedy opens at CSULB

LONG BEACH - "Jack Goes Boating," an endearing romantic comedy of love, friendship and the charm of the ordinary, will be presented March 1-16 in the Players Theatre at Cal State Long Beach.Set in the entirely ordinary world of working class New Yorkers, "Jack Goes Boating" revolves around Jack, a reggae-loving limousine driver slowly starting down a path of self-improvement. Jack's coworker, Clyde, and his wife, Lucy, set Jack up on a blind date with Lucy's chatty but fragile colleague Connie. As Jack and Connie's relationship takes shape, Clyde and Lucy's own marriage begins to unravel, leading both couples to reconsider the future state of their unions. Director Jeff Paul explains that the "depth of the storytelling and the richness of the [writer Bob Glaudini's] piece lies in the characters." The characters "mostly play by the rules," says Paul. They must navigate "things that lie beyond their own experience, but lack the instructions." The tensions between rules and imagination; doubts and expectations, lend a profound undercurrent to the deceptively simple narrative. "Jack Goes Boating" opens March 1 and runs for 14 performances, closing March 16. Performances are Tuesday through Saturday at 8 p.m. with Saturday matinees at 2 p.m. on March 9 and 16. Tickets are $15 general admission and $12 for seniors and students. Parking is available next to the theater for $5. For more information, call (562) 985-5526 or go online to csulb.edu/depts/theatre.

********** Published: February 14, 2013 - Volume 11 - Issue 44