Clayton Community Theatre Goes 'Barefoot in the Park'

She's impulsive. He's conservative. She's vivacious. He's stodgy. They're Corie and Paul Bratter, newlyweds sharing a small and cramped walk-up New York City apartment in Neil Simon's Barefoot In the Park. Clayton Community Theatre will present the play starting Friday night and continuing through May 1.

Barefoot in the Park became Simon's first and longest-running hit when it premiered on Broadway in 1967, and it remains one of his best known plays. Chances are, audience members will have seen it before—either on the stage or in the popular film starring an impossibly handsome Robert Redford and a delightfully kittenish Jane Fonda.

The Clayton Community Theatre production is firmly rooted in the 1960s and New York. And the zingers fly nonstop.

Director Bill Stine knows well the importance of New York City to the story. One of the reasons he wanted to direct the show: He lived there for 10 years.

“It's very much a New York show,” Stine said. “The characters are very New York. A five-story walk-up is New York. One of the reasons I wanted to direct this show is I thought I could bring a New York perspective.”

The time period, though, made him a bit wary. “I was concerned about the 1964-ishness of it but now, having worked on it, it seems timeless,” Stine said. “People today have the same doubts, the same expectations. The difficulty of setting up a house and relationships is the same as we face today.”

Additionally, actors who portray a young couple or lovers must have a high level of trust with each other.

“I was looking for a real couple,” Stine said. “I got lucky with Sara Strawhun and Jake Bantel. They're not a couple, but they're friends and have worked together before. There's a familiarity between couples and lovers I wanted to capture. Jake and Sara have made that happen for me.”

Sara Strawhun, who plays Corie, understands the importance of their earlier connection.

“Our relationship in the last show was so different,” Strawhun said. “I've found it challenging. The last show was a good warm-up for us because we had a comfort with each other. That's made it easier for us to reach the level of intimacy this show requires.”

Bantel, who plays Paul, agrees.

“The trust that we had,” Bantel said. “I can lean on her and her on me. She's talented and unafraid. She takes risks. She's made it so much fun.”

Stine said he has been pleased with the process of bringing Barefoot in the Park to the stage.

“I can't tell you how fortunate I am with the actors I got,” Stine said. “Clayton Community Theatre gave me complete autonomy. They've been great. The set by designer Frank Bradley is great. The set is a character. I'm very happy with with the show.”