Unexpected scenarios when an adult daughter visits her father for his 70th birthday lead to both a humorous and dramatic story in playwright Joshua Harmon’s two act comedy “Skintight”, running now through June 29 at Island City Stage in Wilton Manors.
The play was originally intended to conclude its run on June 23 but was extended until June 29 to accommodate the high demand for tickets.
At first glance, the play seems to look much like a television family situation comedy, with a grandfather, his love interest, his daughter, his grandson (who is also his daughter’s son) and two domestic staff at his home.
The humor comes from the unexpected scenarios as Harmon created an unusual family dynamic with gay and Jewish characters, all whom clash leading to a lot of belly laughs as well as dramatic scenes filled with deep emotion.
Benjamin (actor Daniel Barrett), Elliot (Steve Schronko) and Jodi (Suzanne Ankrum) look at family photos while Trey (Jeff Brackett) looks on standing up in “Skintight”, running now though June 27 at Island City Stage in Wilton Manors.
The opening scene when Jewish attorney Jodi Isaac (played by actress Suzanne Ankrum) visits her father Elliot (Steve Schroko), a famed Jewish fashion designer, for his 70th birthday at his New York City apartment and is surprised to learn that he is not living alone, but with a 20-year-old Christian gay man Trey (Jeff Brackett), who is his romantic partner.
Jodi is shocked, not only by her father’s choice of partner, but also because she is reeling from her ex-husband’s engagement to a younger woman and wants a lot of alone time with her father, which is now threatened.
Jodi (actress Suzanne Ankrum) and Benjamin (Daniel Barrett) are stunned by a nearly nude Trey (Jeff Brackett) on the family couch in “Skintight”, running now through June 29 at Island City Stage in Wilton Manors.
Added to the mix is the later arrival of Jodi’s 20 year old son Benjamin (Daniel Barrett), a university student who is studying Yiddish and his Jewish roots in Hungary. He comes to New York for his grandfather’s 70thbirthday.
Benjamin is gay and, although he wishes to share his findings in Hungary about family Jewish roots to both Elliot and Jodi, Benjamin becomes suspicious of Trey’s intentions for Elliot.
Benjamin learns a secret about Trey that leads to numerous clashes between all the characters with more dramatic scenes in act two.
While the play leads to an unexpected dramatic climax, the overall tone of the unusual blended family is humorous. One outstanding funny scene has an almost nude Trey sitting on the living room couch wearing only a jockstrap, much to the chagrin of Benjamin, Elliot and Jodi that had the audience laughing heartily.
Harmon’s play captures the family dynamics of the characters and the blending of a family of Christian, Jewish and gay members, all whom had difficulty adjusting to each other.
Elliot (actor Steve Schronko) is romantic with Trey (Jeff Brackett) on the family couch in “Skintight”, running now through June 27 at Island City Stage in Wilton Manors.
The outstanding performances by Ankrum, Barrett, Brackett and Schronko make the characters believable as well as funny.
Although both actors Laura Argo and Louis Pedraza had few lines and scenes as Elliot’s domestic staff, they blended well with the scenes in the play.
The skillful direction of the play by Island City Stage Artistic Director Andy Rogow, in addition to the costuming by W. Emil White and the scenic and lighting design by Ardean Landhuis, all contributed to a wonderful staging of “Skintight”.
“Skintight” by playwright Joshua Harmon is a two act comedy running now through June 29 at Island City Stage, 2304 Dixie Hwy. in Wilton Manors. Show times are Thursdays at 7 p.m., Fridays and Saturdays at 8 p.m. and matinee shows on Saturdays at 2 p.m. and Sundays at 5 p.m. Tickets are $40. For more information and tickets, go to islandcitystage.org or call 954-928-9800.
