Santa Clara Players Reprises a Neil Simon Classic—“Barefoot in the Park”

The Santa Clara Players bring Neil Simon's "Barefoot in the Park" to the stage at Hall Pavilion now through March 14.

The Santa Clara Players brings back Neil Simon’s charming, romantic comedy “Barefoot in the Park” for eight performances, Feb. 27—March 14. That’s Central Park in New York City in the 1960s.

“This is a classic Neil Simon play, and we have a great cast doing a fantastic job bringing these characters to life,” said show director Dave Leon, who lives in Santa Clara with Felix and Oscar—two cats he named after the main characters in “The Odd Couple,” Simon’s third play.

“If you’ve seen the movie ‘Barefoot in the Park,’ or even if you haven’t, you will definitely enjoy a night out with these folks.”

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“I’ve been keeping my eye out for a chance to be in this play ever since I first saw it in college!” said native Santa Claran Sarah Birdsall, who plays Corie in the SC Players production.

“I try to relate to Corie from my own personal experience, which is bound to be very different from Jane Fonda’s. Women have so many more options and opportunities than we did when the play was written, which definitely impacts my interpretation,” said Birdsall.

“This role really touches my heart and challenges me in every way as an actor.”

San Jose resident Patrick Idleman, who plays Paul, has never seen the movie.

“I don’t want my performance to be a carbon copy or come across as a Robert Redford impression,” said Idleman. “So, the further removed I am from … the movie, the more likely it is that the acting choices I make will differ and give audiences that have seen the film a far different experience of the text.”

Leon, Birdsall and Idleman have an established rapport from working together in past SC Players productions.

“This provides a very good foundation to immediately launch into the heart of what makes putting on a play fun and meaningful,” said Idleman. “I keep coming back to SC Players because I keep finding new avenues to test and stretch my abilities, and I find the community welcoming.”

“We last did Barefoot in spring of 1999, so it seemed it was due,” said SC Players producer George Doeltz. “It’s one of Simon’s better-known plays, and we hope to attract a good audience. We are having fun doing it!”

Simon (1927-2018) was a multi-award-winning writer of more than 30 plays and almost as many screenplays. In 1966, he had four shows on Broadway at the same time.

“Barefoot in the Park”—the second play he wrote—launched his career. It was his longest-running hit and Broadway’s tenth-longest-running, non-musical show—1,532 performances between 1963 and 1967. Simon was inspired to write it midway in his own story of first love—a 20-year marriage to Joan Baim, whose death ended their story in 1973.

Although Simon is said to “present serious subjects in a way that makes audiences laugh to avoid weeping,” “Barefoot in the Park” is a lighthearted romp. Audiences can expect to laugh at love and leave the theater with the hope that, like Corie and Paul, they, too, can work out differences with those they love.

“I find myself smiling backstage constantly at what my fellow actors say onstage,” said Idleman.

Visit the Santa Clara Players online or call (408) 248-7993 for tickets in the 71-seat Hall Pavilion (behind Santa Clara’s Triton Museum of Art), 1750 Don Avenue at Warburton Avenue.