By George Basler
The play Making God Laugh takes its theme from a quote attributed to comedian/director Woody Allen: “If you want to make God laugh, tell him your plans.”
The comedy/drama by Sean Grennan follows a typical American family (mother, father and three grown children) over a span of some three decades as they celebrate Thanksgiving, Christmas, New Year’s Eve and Easter.
During the celebrations, they confront how family dynamics, their lives and their plans have changed over the years. They discover that, despite your best-laid plans, life can take you to unexpected destinations.
“There’s a lot of humor we get to laugh with, because we’ve all experienced what goes on here,” said Ryan Canavan, who is directing a production of the play opening Friday (Nov. 15) for a two-weekend run at the Cider Mill Stage in Endicott.
A Chicago Stage Review critic called Making God Laugh “a delightful, at times poignant, dramady,” adding “this is a story of life’s changes of direction, role reversals of parents and children, the reality of new vs. memories of the past, and the prediction of the future.”
Making God Laugh is a “comedy, for sure,” Canavan said, while noting there also are some serious and touching moments involving the parents and their three children: a priest, an actress and a former football star turned wannabe Renaissance man.
The Cider Mill production is being staged by BLAST (Bold Local Artists of the Southern Tier), which regularly offers a family comedy/drama as part of its season. The cast features Andrea Gregori, Jamie Cornell, Eric Bill, Ilana Rose Wallerstein and Max Kammerman. All have appeared in other local and regional productions.
“The cast has been absolutely wonderful,” Canavan said, adding that the actors are working to keep the comic pacing on track throughout the play.
Canavan, who has acted in productions at the Cider Mill Stage and other venues, suggested staging Making God Laugh, because he believes it will appeal to BLAST’s audience. He took on the directing duties at the request of BLAST officials.
The tensions in the play — such as competition between siblings, and parents who still want to manage the lives of their grown children — are recognizable ones, he said. Some of the characters believe traditions should never be altered while others want to find new ways to adapt to changes in their lives.
“I’m hoping (audience members) will be able to find recollections with their own families and traditions,” Canavan said. While the characters have moments of dysfunction, Making God Laugh is a “feel good” he noted.
IF YOU GO: BLAST (Bold Local Artists of the Southern Tier) will present Making God Laugh Nov. 15-17 and Nov. 22-24 at the Cider Mill Stage, 2 Nanticoke Ave., Endicott. All performances are at 7:30 p.m. Tickets are $30, including fees. Advance tickets can be ordered on the Cider Mill Stage’s website, www.cidermillstage.com, or call 607-321-9630.
