A laugh-filled ‘Plaza Suite’

In Act 1, the couple is staying there while their suburban house is being painted. As it opens, the wife, Karen, is waiting for her husband, Sam, so that they can celebrate their 40-something anniversary.

When Sam arrives, he’s busy with business reports and tries to ignore her. He’s soon joined by his secretary, Jean (Jessie Kirkwood), supposedly to review those reports before they go back to the office.

Karen intuits that Sam and Jean are having an affair. It’s not a happy ending.

In Act 2, a successful Hollywood movie producer, Jessie, connects with his high school girlfriend, Muriel. She’s married with children, while he has had three unsuccessful marriages.

He has an idealized view of her and tries to seduce her. She resists at first, but eventually gives in.

In Act 3, Roy and Norma are all set for their daughter’s marriage, but Mimsey (Kirkwood) has locked herself in the bathroom and refuses to come out. When they finally learn why she’s so afraid of marriage, they’re forced to look at their own relationship.

Completing the cast are Will Livingston (on opening night) as a bellhop and the groom-to-be and Mauricio Suarez as a room service waiter.

As directed by Marissa Keltie and aided by costume designer Lisa Claybaugh, Springhorn and Young successfully navigate the challenges of their characters.

However, Simon tends to make the male lead domineering and the female lead dithering. Hence there’s an underlying sameness to them, especially the two husbands.

Nevertheless, there are lots of laughs as well as insights into the perils of coupledom.

Production values are high with lighting by Pamila Gray, set by Eric Olson and sound by Jeff Mockus.

The program has interesting information about the history of Hillbarn as well the Plaza Hotel. For example, the hotel was bought by Donald Trump in 1988. He installed his then-wife, Ivana, as president and manager. They made renovations and redecorated before going through a nasty divorce and losing the hotel to foreclosure in 1995.

Running about two and a half hours with two intermissions, “Plaza Suite” will continue through Sept. 14 at Hillbarn Theatre, 1285 E. Hillsdale Blvd., Foster City.

For tickets and information call (650) 349-6411 or visit www.hillbarntheatre.org.