5-11-CKS-Prs2ndAv

The Prisoner of Second Avenue, a comedy by Neil Simon, opened on Broadway in November, 1971, and played through September, 1973. It starred Peter Falk and Lee Grant and was nominated for a Tony Award for Best Play. In 1975 it was made into a film starring Jack Lemmon and Anne Bancroft. Relevant to today's economic conditions, it is still hilarious, particularly when performed by an exceptional cast as it is at The El Portal Theatre in North Hollywood. The play takes place in Mel and Edna Edison's apartment in New York City.


Mel, at the age of 47, has recently lost his job after twenty-two years. Because of the catastrophe at this stage in his life, he is having a difficult time coping with just about everything, the heat wave (their air conditioner has gone out), the on-going garbage strike in the city (the stench in the streets), the loud neighbors in the adjacent apartment, the noisy Manhattan streets. And to top everything off, someone breaks into their apartment in the middle of the day and robs them of nearly everything. How much more can Mel take before he begins to fall apart?

He takes his frustrations out on Edna who tries in every way to placate him and to keep him from losing his sanity, but eventually the man succumbs to it all and has a nervous breakdown. Mel's possessive brother Harry (Ron Orbach) and three sisters, Jessie (Carole Ita White), Pearl (Annie Korzen) and Pauline (DeeDee Rescher) meet in the apartment to try to offer financial aid to Mel and Edna when he returns home from the hospital. The scene with these four actors is hilarious. Jason Alexander is most notably known for his years as George Costanza on Seinfeld. But his career goes back before that as a Broadway musical performer. He has a wonderful voice and is an excellent actor, has performed in a number of stage productions in Los Angeles as well as directed, and has been the Artistic Director of The Reprise Theatre Company for the past four years. He is absolutely the perfect Mel in this production of The Prisoner of Second Avenue, and Gina Hecht as Edna, is the perfect foil for his character.

They play off of each other so well. Director Glenn Casale keeps the momentum and humor running throughout. The Prisoner of Second Avenue plays Wednesdays at 2 PM and 8 PM, Thursdays and Fridays at 8 PM, Saturdays at 2 PM and 8 PM, and Sundays at 2 PM and 7 PM. There will be no performances on Wednesday, May 4, but added performances on Tuesday, May 3, at 2 PM and 8 PM. The play will run through May 14, at the El Portal Theatre, 5269 Lankereshim Blvd, in North Hollywood. Tickets are available online at www.elportaltheatre.com or by calling (866) 811-4111 or (818) 508-4200.

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