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<h1 class="headline headline-3717014">Body Swap: A Young Woman and an Old Fart Exchange Skin Sacks in Prelude to a Kiss at Ensemble Theatre </h1><cite class="byline">by <a href="http://www.clevescene.com/cleveland/ArticleArchives?author=1393258" rel="author">Christine Howey</a> </cite></div>
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<div class="photoGrid"> Most of us, at one time or another, would like to inhabit a different body. It's really kind of a bore having to navigate the world in the same bundle of skin and bones you were born with.</div>
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<p>Of course, countless playwrights have dipped into that well of human dissatisfaction with the status quo. Shakespeare has so many people switching identities and genders in his plays it seems like a dressing room at a drag ball. And in plays such as <i>Goodbye, Charlie</i>, main characters occupy other bodies with hilarious consequences.</p>
<p>So it is with <i>Prelude to a Kiss</i> by Craig Lucas, now at Ensemble Theatre. This piece, which was also a flick starring Alec Baldwin and Meg Ryan, imagines a young woman and an old man exchanging bodies.</p>
<p>There are obvious jokes to be had while working this admittedly well-worn conceit, but Lucas has some more subtle and serious thoughts in mind. And this production, as directed by the savvy Martin Friedman, finds many of those nuances.</p>
<p>Peter and Rita meet cute and find they are each just eccentric enough to be attracted to the other. He is a nerd working with microfiche and she is a socialist bartender who'd rather not engage with the world.</p>
<p>After a whirlwind courtship they find themselves at the wedding ceremony, where an unknown old man shows up, asks for a kiss from the bride, and...whamo! The old coot is inside her lithe young body and she is rattling around inside his wrinkled and decrepit bod.</p>
<p>This change, of course, isn't readily apparent to anyone, especially Peter, who is intent on enjoying his honeymoon. But he soon notices that Rita is behaving differently, changes that don't comport with the typical personality tweaks common to newlyweds.</p>
<p>As Rita, Kelly Strand is a wonderful bundle of twitches and feints at the start, creating a character who is unique and adorable on her own terms. But when she is called upon to play the old man inhabiting Rita's body, Strand doesn't provide enough physical clues to show how the septuagenarian is dealing with the freedom and weirdness of having this young (and female) body to romp around inside.</p>
<p>This makes the scene at the honeymoon resort less effective than it might be, as Rita confuses Peter with her sudden interest in talking to fellow tourists and engaging in various sporting activities.</p>
<p>The old man (who is really Rita inside) is played by Michael Regnier with a lovely sensitivity, and you can still see some of her quirks. Plus, he almost gets the physicality exactly right, at one point folding clothes with the off-handed precision women demonstrate when doing everyday domestic chores.</p>
<p>The linchpin of the story is Peter, and in that role Aaron D. Elersich conveys a baffled kindheartedness, until he starts pursuing the strange personality shift of his bride. And when Pete discovers Rita behind the beard of the old guy, Elersich shows how love and commitment work even when other events go awry.</p>
<p>Other strong members of the cast include Laura Starnik as Rita's clueless-yet-sometimes-hip mom, Marcia Mandell as ditzy Aunt Dorothy and Benjamin Gregg who wrings more laughs than you might expect out of his small role as Peter's pal Taylor.</p>
<p>Written by Lucas back during the emerging AIDS crisis, <i>Prelude</i> can be read as an analog to that tragedy, as the disease turned vibrant young people into wizened shells of their former selves. Still, love persisted in many cases. And Lucas, who also wrote other AIDS-themed scripts such as <i>Longtime Companion,</i> has a gentle and knowing touch with a trope than is often played just for chuckles.</p>
<p><i>Through Dec. 15 at Ensemble Theatre, 2843 Washington Blvd., Cleveland Heights, 216-321-2930, <a href="http://ensemble-theatre.com/">ensemble-theatre.com</a>.</i></p></div></div><br>
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<p style="TEXT-ALIGN:center;BACKGROUND:white" align="center"><span style="FONT-SIZE:24pt">Ensemble Theatre presents </span></p>
<p style="TEXT-ALIGN:center;BACKGROUND:white" align="center"><span style="COLOR:rgb(51,51,153);FONT-SIZE:24pt"><b>A feel good show for the holidays, with just the right dash of the supernatural...</b></span></p>
<p style="TEXT-ALIGN:center;BACKGROUND:white" align="center"><b><i><span style="COLOR:rgb(228,108,10);FONT-SIZE:48pt">Prelude to a Kiss</span></i></b></p>
<p style="TEXT-ALIGN:center" align="center"><span style="COLOR:rgb(128,0,255);FONT-SIZE:18pt"> by </span><span style="COLOR:rgb(23,55,94)"><font color="#000000" size="6"><b>Craig Lucas</b></font></span></p>
<p style="TEXT-ALIGN:center" align="center"><span style="FONT-SIZE:14pt"> </span><span style="FONT-SIZE:20pt"> Directed by</span><span> </span><span style="COLOR:rgb(0,0,191);FONT-SIZE:18pt">Martin Friedman </span></p>
<p style="TEXT-ALIGN:center;BACKGROUND:white" align="center"><span style="FONT-SIZE:20pt">Set and Projections Design by</span><span> </span><span style="COLOR:rgb(0,0,191);FONT-SIZE:18pt">Ian Hinz</span><span> </span></p>
<p style="TEXT-ALIGN:center;BACKGROUND:white" align="center"><span style="FONT-SIZE:20pt">Lighting Design by</span><span style="COLOR:rgb(0,0,191);FONT-SIZE:18pt"> Andrew Eckert</span></p>
<p style="TEXT-ALIGN:center;BACKGROUND:white" align="center"><span style="FONT-SIZE:20pt">Costumes Designed by</span><span> </span><span style="COLOR:rgb(0,0,191);FONT-SIZE:18pt">Angelina Herin</span></p>
<p style="TEXT-ALIGN:center;BACKGROUND:white" align="center"><span style="FONT-SIZE:20pt">Sound Designed by</span><span> </span><span style="COLOR:rgb(0,0,191);FONT-SIZE:18pt">Ian Hinz</span></p><span style="COLOR:rgb(0,0,191);FONT-SIZE:18pt">
<p style="TEXT-ALIGN:center;BACKGROUND:white" align="center"><span style="FONT-SIZE:20pt"><font color="#000000">Production Stage Manager </font></span><span style="COLOR:rgb(0,0,191);FONT-SIZE:18pt">Rebecca Moseley</span> </p>
<p style="TEXT-ALIGN:center;BACKGROUND:white" align="center"><span style="FONT-SIZE:20pt"><font color="#000000">Assistant Stage Manager </font></span><span style="COLOR:rgb(0,0,191);FONT-SIZE:18pt">Sam Landgraf</span> </p>
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<p style="TEXT-ALIGN:center;BACKGROUND:white" align="center"><b><span style="COLOR:purple;FONT-SIZE:16pt"></span></b></p>
<p style="TEXT-ALIGN:center;BACKGROUND:white" align="center"><b><span style="COLOR:purple;FONT-SIZE:16pt"></span></b><cite>www.<b>ensemble</b>-<b>theatre</b>.org</cite></p><span style="COLOR:purple">
<p style="TEXT-ALIGN:center;MARGIN:0in 0in 10pt" class="MsoNormal"><font color="#000000" face="Calibri"><font size="6"> <font color="#ff0000">"Lucas at his lightest and brightest! A rare combination of laughter, romance and throat-tightening substance." -</font><font color="#333333">Curtain Up</font></font></font></p>
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<p style="TEXT-ALIGN:center;BACKGROUND:white" align="center"><b><span style="COLOR:purple;FONT-SIZE:16pt">The Play:</span></b></p>
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<p style="BACKGROUND:white"><span><b><span style="COLOR:purple;FONT-SIZE:16pt"><font color="#000000"><font color="#3333ff">THE STORY:</font> Peter and Rita, young New Yorkers, meet at a party in Manhattan. Their immediate attraction develops over the next several weeks into love, which culminates in a wedding at Rita's parents' house. . . But of course love is never that easy and simple. </font></span></b></span></p>
<p>While "Prelude to a Kiss" could have been a silly sex farce or a sentimental fable, playwright Craig Lucas instead imbues this play with the bittersweetness that life always throws our way. “Prelude to a Kiss” is a romantic comedy of an oddly brokenhearted kind. As Peter remarks to his lady love, ".... never to be squandered. . . the miracle of another human being."</p>
<p style="BACKGROUND:white"><span><b><span style="COLOR:purple;FONT-SIZE:16pt"><font color="#000066">Featuring:</font> <font color="#660000">Aaron A. Elersich, Michael Regnier, Kelly Strand, Benjamin Gregg, Darrell Starnik, Marcia Mandell, David Hundertmark, Jeanne Madison and Laura Starnik. </font></span></b></span></p>
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<p style="BACKGROUND:white"><b><span style="COLOR:purple;FONT-SIZE:16pt"><font color="#003300">Where: <font color="#ff0000">Ensemble Theatre 2843 Washington Blvd. Cleveland Heights, Ohio 44118. Located in the old Coventry School.</font> </font></span></b></p>
<p style="BACKGROUND:white"><b><span style="COLOR:purple;FONT-SIZE:16pt">Production Dates: </span></b><span style="COLOR:rgb(0,0,191);FONT-SIZE:28pt">Prelude to a Kiss </span><span style="FONT-SIZE:18pt"><b>will open on <span>Friday, November 22</span> and run through <span>December 15, 2013</span>:</b></span></p>
<p style="BACKGROUND:white"><span><span style="FONT-SIZE:14pt"><b>Friday, November 22 @ 8:00 pm <font color="#006600" size="4">(Join the Opening Night Reception on Friday the 22nd!) </font></b><font size="3"><font face="Calibri"><span> </span></font></font></span></span></p>
<p style="BACKGROUND:white"><span><b><span style="FONT-SIZE:14pt"></span></b></span><span><b><span style="FONT-SIZE:14pt">Saturday, November 23 </span></b></span><span><b><span style="FONT-SIZE:14pt">@ 8:00 pm</span></b></span></p>
<p style="BACKGROUND:white"><span><b><span style="FONT-SIZE:14pt">Sunday, November 24 @ 2:00 pm</span></b></span></p>
<p style="BACKGROUND:white"><span><b><span style="FONT-SIZE:14pt">Friday, November 29 @ 8:00 pm</span></b></span><span style="FONT-SIZE:14pt"></span></p>
<p style="BACKGROUND:white"><span><b><span style="FONT-SIZE:14pt">Saturday, November 30 @ 8:00 pm</span></b></span><span style="FONT-SIZE:14pt"></span></p>
<p style="BACKGROUND:white"><span><b><span style="FONT-SIZE:14pt">Sunday, December 1 @ 2:00pm</span></b></span><span style="FONT-SIZE:14pt"></span></p>
<p style="BACKGROUND:white"><span><b><span style="FONT-SIZE:14pt">Friday, December 6 @ 8:00 pm</span></b></span></p>
<p style="BACKGROUND:white"><span><b><span style="FONT-SIZE:14pt"></span></b></span><span><b><span style="FONT-SIZE:14pt">Saturday, December 7@ 8:00 pm</span></b></span></p>
<p style="BACKGROUND:white"><span><b><span style="FONT-SIZE:14pt"></span></b></span><span><b><span style="FONT-SIZE:14pt">Sunday, December 8 @ 2:00pm</span></b></span></p><span><b><span style="FONT-SIZE:14pt"></span></b></span><span style="FONT-SIZE:14pt">
<p style="BACKGROUND:white"><span><b><span style="FONT-SIZE:14pt">Friday, December 13 @ 8:00 pm</span></b></span></p>
<p style="BACKGROUND:white"><span><b><span style="FONT-SIZE:14pt"></span></b></span><span><b><span style="FONT-SIZE:14pt">Saturday, December 14 @ 8:00 pm</span></b></span></p>
<p style="BACKGROUND:white"><span><b><span style="FONT-SIZE:14pt"></span></b></span><span><b><span style="FONT-SIZE:14pt">Sunday, December 15 @ 2:00pm</span></b></span><span style="FONT-SIZE:14pt"></span></p></span>
<p style="BACKGROUND:white"><b><span style="COLOR:rgb(191,0,95);FONT-SIZE:22pt">Tickets: </span></b><b><span style="FONT-SIZE:18pt">$22 for adults, $20 for seniors and $12 for all students. Group rates for 10 or more ($15 each). For ticket reservations and information call <a rel="nofollow">216/321-2930</a> or email: <a href="mailto:tickets@ensemble-theatre.org" target="_blank">tickets@ensemble-theatre.org</a></span></b></p>
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