Pigs Do Fly Productions To Present Larry Gelbart’s BETTER LATE At Empire Stage

Pigs Do Fly Productions will present Larry Gelbart’s Better Late, described by Variety as a “breezy entertainment on serious themes,” at Empire Stage in Fort Lauderdale from November 7 through 30.

This bitingly funny December–December–December romantic triangle follows Nora, a former actress, her not-always-faithful husband of 25 years, Lee, and her ex-husband Julian, who moves in with them while recovering from illness. Gelbart’s sharp script is filled with one-liners and witty repartee while exploring themes of love, divorce, aging, and death with both humor and heart.

“We are now into our ninth year of operations,” said Pigs Do Fly Productions’ Founder and Executive Producer Ellen Wacher. “When we started, we weren’t sure how our concept of focusing on characters (and employing actors) over a ‘certain age’ would resonate with audiences. But we have found that people want good theatre, no matter their age or demographic—our full houses reflect that. With Better Late and our upcoming March 2026 production Bonnie and Claire, we know we’ve chosen pieces that fit our mission perfectly.”

“Two husbands. One wife. Under one roof. What could possibly go wrong?” said director Deborah Kondelik. “Gelbart has given us a story that’s funny, sharp, and surprisingly tender. Love is never simple. It’s layered with jealousy, guilt, old affections, and unexpected loyalties. But in the end, forgiveness—sometimes grudging, sometimes hard-won—emerges as the saving grace.”

The cast features Carbonell Award-winner Patti Gardner as Nora, Geoff Freitag as Lee, Peter W. Galman as Julian, and Chad Raven as Lee’s son Billy. The creative team includes Patrick Vida (Stage Manager), Dean Landhuis (Scenic Design), David Hart (Sound Design), Preston Bircher (Lighting Design/Technical Director), with Deborah Kondelik also serving as Costume Coordinator and Property Designer. MNM Theatre Company will build the sets. Jessica Kaschube is Company Manager, and Luis Roberto Herrera handles the Box Office.