Possum Point Players Open BABY Tonight

Possum Point Players fall dinner theatre features three couples in a baby-way and a kitchen busy hatching up a menu with appropriate dishes that include chicken-in-a-blanket, baby greens salad and new potatoes. The Maltby and Shire musical "Baby" opens tonight, Sept. 19, and continues Sept. 20, 21, 26, 27 and 28. Fridays and Saturdays, dinner is served at 6 p.m., show at 7:30 p.m.; Sunday matinees offer dinner at 12:30 p.m. and show at 2 p.m.

Dinner and show are $45; show only is $20. There are no discounts for "Baby." Tickets may be purchased on line at possumpointplayers.org, or call 302-856-4560.

When the award-winning musical opened on Broadway in 1983, a New York Times theatre critic wrote "...here is a modestly scaled entertainment that woos us with such basic commodities as warm feelings, an exuberant cast and a lovely score..." Possums' "Baby" is modest in cast size and simple set, but the actors assembled by director Kenney Workman will bring out warm feelings in the audience as they bring their own exuberance to this sweet and humorous, musical.

Each couple represents a different generation and each comes from a different place in their approach to and acceptance of parenthood. Danny and Lizzie, played by Peyton Lynch and Ashlie Workman, are college students just starting a life together in their own apartment. Danny dreams of becoming a rock star and Lizzie dreams of Danny. Already settled into married life, Pam, Lindsey O'Day, and Nick, Anthony Natoli, very much want to be parents, but the stork isn't cooperating. Pam, an unabashed lady jock, and athletically inclined Nick, put their game face on and try, try again.

Barbara Baltz-Logan and Don Megee, portraying Arlene and Alan, have launched three daughters out on their own and are ready to relax in their empty nest when an evening of romance results in more than a few empty champagne bottles and a headache. Alan is thrilled at the thought of a new bundle of joy, but for Arlene, the unexpected expectancy means a very serious decision must be made.

An ensemble of "townspeople" keep the couples company singing their way through such songs as "Fatherhood Blues" and "The Ladies Singin' Their Song." Making up the ensemble are Claudius Bowden, Pat Erhardt, Holly Griffin, Mike Helfrich, Hope Larson, Kori Lewandowski, Marsha Shull and Cat Timko.

Possum Point Players is supported, in part, by grants from the Delaware Division of the Arts, a state agency dedicated to nurturing and supporting the arts in Delaware, in partnership with the National Endowment for the Arts.