‘Tuesdays With Morrie’ opens next weekend at playhouse

Tom Titus

The stage of the Laguna Playhouse is spacious, capable of handling

huge contingents of actors, but when “Tuesdays With Morrie” opens

next weekend, all that’s required are two performers.

Not that this is anything unusual for the playhouse, which in past

seasons has produced such two-character plays as “Always ... Patsy

Cline,”

“The Last Five Years” and “What the Night is For.” This time

around, though, things are a bit more on the somber side.

“Tuesdays With Morrie” is the fact-based story of successful

jet-setting sports journalist Mitch Albom (who, with Jeffrey Hatcher,

wrote the stage adaptation of Albom’s book) and his reconnection with

Morrie Schwartz, a revered former Brandeis University professor he’d

almost forgotten.

“His unexpected reward is a renewed relationship that yields the

lesson of a lifetime,” says Richard Stein, executive director of the

playhouse, who is staging “Tuesdays With Morrie.”

The title refers to Albom’s weekly pilgrimage from Detroit to

Boston to spend Tuesday mornings with his mentor, who is slowly

succumbing to Lou Gehrig’s disease.

“They talk of life, love, community, work, family, forgiveness and

the meaning of death,” Stein relates, “and when death comes, Mitch

begins his final class assignment for Morrie -- reporting the wisdom

he has learned.”

The book on which the play is based has been on the New York Times

best seller list for over seven years, selling over five million

copies worldwide. It was made into an Emmy award-winning television

movie starring Jack Lemmon in 1999.

The play received its first production in a 2003 summer series at

Vassar College and was produced off-Broadway at the Minetta Lane

Theater from November through February of this year, where it ran for

108 performances and 20 previews.

“Tuesdays With Morrie” isn’t the only best seller to Albom’s

credit.

He also wrote “The Five People You Meet in Heaven” between his

syndicated column duties for the Detroit Free Press and a nationally

syndicated radio show in Detroit. He was named the top sports

columnist in the nation 13 times by the Associated Press Sports

Editors of America -- the highest honor in his field.

Assuming Albom’s character on the Laguna stage will be Daniel

Nathan Spector, previously seen in the world premiere of “Jumping for

Joy” at the playhouse. Morrie will be portrayed by Jack Axelrod, a

veteran of Broadway, movies and television as well as Southern

California stages, including South Coast Repertory.

“Tuesdays With Morrie” is the 90th mainstage play produced -- and

the 10th directed -- by Stein since he became the theater’s executive

director in 1990. Stein also staged the aforementioned plays “Jumping

for Joy” and “What the Night is For.”

Dwight Richard Odle (sets and costumes) and Tom Ruzika (lighting)

are filling their usual assignments for the production, along with

David Edwards (sound design).

Laguna audiences will get their first look at “Tuesdays With

Morrie” at previews Tuesday through Friday of next week. Opening

night is Saturday, Sept. 11, with regular performances Tuesdays

through Sundays at 8 p.m. (matinees Saturdays and Sundays at 3 p.m.)

until Oct. 10.

Playgoers may call the theater at (949) 497-2787 to order tickets,

or they may visit the playhouse’s Web site (www.LagunaPlayhouse.com)

for additional information.

* TOM TITUS reviews local theater for the Coastline Pilot.