Lots Of Laughs At Antrim’s “You Can’t Take It With You” It’s Antrims 419th Production

BY GEORGE J. DACRE

A very capable cast, great direction by Marty Andreas and a terrific set make Kaufman and Hart’s classic “You Can’t Take it With You” a show you shouldn’t miss.

The play is very funny as it moves smoothly on the stage at the Tom France Theatre at Antrim Playhouse on Spook Rock Road in Suffern. The cast is a mixture of Antrim regulars, area theater veteran performers and some very talented newcomers including Rebecca Balbach, who plays the daughter, Alice Sycamore, introducing her boyfriend Anthony Kirby Jr. (Anthony Santucci) to her wacky family headed by Penny Sycamore, played to the hilt by Doreen DiBennedetto (what a performance). Arianna Pallens as Essie Carmichael adds a lot to the show as the always performing ballet dancer. Gordon Wolotira as Grandpa (Martin Vanderhof) is a favorite of the audience with a sterling performance.

Paul Diversio as Anthony Kirby Sr. and Cindy Rea as Mrs. Kirby are stunned at what they find when they come to visit the Sycamores, who have pet snakes, countless wall decorations, fireworks exploding and a far out family that is not only eccentric but just the opposite of the straight-laced Kirbys. Alice Sycamore tries to smooth things over with her boyfriend but things get wilder and wilder as the production moves on.

Kristin-Leigh Nicholson, who played Blanche Dubois in Antrim’s recent “Streetcar Named Desire,” plays a besotted friend of the Sycamores, Gay Wellington and this adds to the comedy. Stacy D’arc played Rheba, the housekeeper, with zest. Derek Tarson as Boris Kolenkov and Mary O’Connor as Duchess Olga Katrina also add to the merriment. The outcome is hilarious and winds up with the cast singing “Good Goody.”

I did too as I rate “You Can’t Take It With You” Three Stars out of Four!!! Marty Andreas directed and is also the president of Antrim. The show was produced by Peggy Bruner and stage manager is Kim Farewell. The setting is in the Sycamores’ living room across the street from Columbia University in New York in 1936.