The Tender Trap

Reviewed by Holly Bartges

Spotlight Theatre wanders back in time to the 1950s gleaning a sold out Opening Night when “a woman isn’t a woman until she’s married with kids.” Fortunately, Max Schulman and Robert Paul Smith’s play The Tender Trap demands wandering back 50 years so we can laugh, smile, or giggle, whichever appeals most, to the innocent trapped syndrome that a woman’s place is in the home. Whew! A brief visit is just fine, but can’t imagine anyone wanting to live there again.

A scene from Spotlight’s production of The Tender Trap.

On the brightly lit stage of Spotlight’s new home in the same shopping center down the hill, sitting next to the costume shop Disguises, The Tender Trap zeroes in on Charlie Reader’s bachelor life.

Charlie has it made in the shade with a good job, a neat apartment with a terrace sporting a striking skyline of New York City, and never having to pick up a dust cloth. He doesn’t have to pay for a maid either. Brought to delicious life by Shawn Gillum, the handsome effervescent happy-go-lucky Charlie swims through a bevy of girls panting after him willing, eager, and wanting to fulfill his every need and want, whether he wants it or not. They clean for him, cook for him, and bring him gifts. One even comes over every Sunday to fix his breakfast.

Directed by Deb Flomberg, the cast wears their characters comfortably keeping the pace rolling. Although The Tender Trap will never be known for its social significance, except for a quick glance into history, this production offers delightful entertainment, and plenty of honest opportunities to laugh, with it and at it.

The play opens with Charlie and Poppy Matson snuggled on one of his sofas. Deborah Layman takes on the giggling not so bright, little girl mentality of Poppy who has no problem throwing herself at Charlie. When he can’t, won’t, go to her place so she can cook him a White Fish dinner, she brings the fish to him.

Of course, he has it made in the shade until his long time friend and buddy shows up at his door. Joe McCall is in a pickle needing Charlie’s help. Luke Terry unravels Joe with deadpan hilarity.

Yes, his wife Ethel is just fine, even though she wants to carpet every room in the house. The three kids are just fine too, except the youngest needs braces. Tight lipped and nervous as an e string on a violin, bouncing from one side of the room to the other, he struggles to reveal his problem to Charlie. Terry creates Joe with a great deal of fun, but he needs to remember how to use those long appendages connected to his shoulder. There is no electrical button off stage alerting arms to not be used. There are moments when his stiff arms actually work for Joe, but mostly his nervous in the service demeanor cries out for flailing movement.

As opposite from Poppy as one can get, Amy Michelle Smith takes Sylvia Crews for a high society fur-lined ride. Sylvia doesn’t do much dusting, but she is the one who fixes breakfast for Charlie every Sunday morning.

Jessica Collins rides somewhere in between Poppy and Sylvia. Janet Noble keeps her alive and well, popping into Charlie’s apartment at the most inconvenient times with cheese in hand.

A dyed in the wool married man, Joe’s confusion over Charlie’s life-style adds to his rising temperature.

The grass is always greener on the other side. Joe thinks Charlie wastes his life and needs to settle down. Charlie thinks Joe should take advantage of the high life while in New York.

Waiting for a chemist to come by to test a pill Joe acquired thought to cure the common cold; Charlie warns Joe that the assistant is the ugliest girl in the world. To everyone’s surprise, Julie Gillis flashes into the apartment young, pretty, fresh faced, determined, opinionated. Laura Alison Stewart puts Julie together with detailed extravaganza leaving Charlie standing on his head.

A detailed planner, Julie knows she will get married, and will live in New York City for two years before she gets pregnant. She and her husband will then move to the country where she will raise three children. Julie has no problem standing up for what she believes. This feisty youngster can throw a tantrum with the best of them. Stewart’s versatility provides Julie free reign in her emotions.

Jeff Bontrager takes nervousness to new heights with the hilarious shenanigans for Earl Lindquist, the chemist Joe is eager to motivate. It is clear Earl has the hots for Julie. He just doesn’t know what to do about it. Bontrager’s natural comedic timing carries a laugh with each move and spoken word. For comedy he not only has it, he owns it. One of the honest funniest moments comes when Earl decides he needs to punch Charlie’s lights out. A fighter Earl is not. A comedian he is.

After a knock down drag out party Charlie throws to announce his engagement to Sylvia, forgetting momentarily he has also asked Julie to marry him, Sol Schwartz appears from under an over turned sofa. Bob Leggett gives an all too short astonishing very funny performance. Of course, not appropriate, but there is the wanting for Sol to return again and again. Leggett understands comedy at the same time making Sol a believable person, creating the comedy honest and very funny.

Deletta Laes did an excellent job costuming the characters in 1950s style, also allowing the actors to look comfortable.

Cat Smith’s mural of 1950’s New York deserves special attention. She admitted finding a photo of the time period took a great deal of research. She needed to opt for poetic license on a couple of details, but created it to look like it all belonged. Her color scheme is gorgeous.

Although Arthur Pierce constructed the snazzy set, the design itself came from Hodge Podge, a collaboration of several people. For this production Hodge Podge works. Creative minds tend to take mini ideas turning them into one great plan.

Although the “E” Project has worked in the new space, this is Spotlight’s first production there. When the house is full, there is the need for more risers. Even in the third row there was a need to strain over and around heads when characters were sitting. Straining, however, was worth it to catch the wizardry of expressions catapulting from one character to another.

No, The Tender Trap won’t set the world on fire, but the well-chosen cohesive cast provides plenty of opportunity to laugh, which is after all the point. Call early for reservations, but call.