Bonita theater takes on what-if romance in Sam Bobrick's 'Remember Me?'

Popular culture is fascinated with the romantic road not taken. That may be because people are fascinated by it, which makes a perfect premise for Sam Bobrick's comedy, "Remember Me?" 

The Center for the Arts Bonita Springs (CFABS) Community Players presents Bobrick's spin on the question this weekend. In this case, it is long after the central character is married, has reared her children and kicked them out of the nest and is wondering, with her husband: What now with my life?

Community Players is a community theater, which means everyone jumps in to work. On Monday, even Center for the Arts Executive Director Susan Bridges was backstage with a hammer to pound in a few set details. Marina Miller had come out of backstage retirement for this summer comedy, the only play she works as stage manager for all year.

Gary Obeldobel is both the director and the second-chance romance. And rehearsal had to wait for a few minutes while the technician fixed a malfunctioning video player for a film in the Moe Auditorium and Film Center next door. 

Their work, after the play's Wednesday opening, will forge a tale of what could happen when your what-if from a previous life returns.

Theater news:Naples' Gulfshore Playhouse adds managing director, broadens horizons

"I can relate to Mary," said Cindy Hile. She plays Mary Hansen, the interior designer whose fantasy about a former boyfriend threatens to come true.

"As we get older, we have life experiences. Some are good, some are a little rough and some we wish we could go back and fix. Just to have the opportunity to change things and see how it would turn out. I think everybody in this audience can relate to that."

It's done in a witty way, Obeldobel says; that's what attracts him to directing the plays of  Bobrick, one-time writer for "The Andy Griffith Show," "Get Smart" and "Smothers Brothers Comedy Hour." Bobrick also co-wrote "Norman, Is That You?" and "Murder at the Howard Johnson's."

Theater news:Naples' area theaters add drama to summer's steam

"He's always writing about relationships," Obeldobel said. "And what I think he's saying is, 'Don't take everything so seriously.'"

Understandably, Mary's husband, Brian, played by Greg Gerstner, takes what he perceives as his wife's drifting away extremely seriously. He counters with a decoy love interest, the statuesque Tori (Jenene Dulaney). Both Gerstner and Dulaney, in their first full-length community roles, are taking their characters seriously, too.

"Delivering words in the tone and meaning in which they're meant and the blocking at the same time, it should be like a ballet," Gerstner said of comedy. "One thing I've learned is that it's better to do more listening than talking. You have to be listening to what the other person is telling you onstage.

"You have to respond to the thought behind the line," he continued. "If you're waiting for a word, the other character may lose that line and do some ad-libbing, which means your word isn't forthcoming."

More:Elton John-Tim Rice 'Aida' heads a season of firsts at TheatreZone in Naples

More:Marco Players investing in comic season with Simon, Gurney, Kane laughs

But it's exciting, creative work to the one-time CPA: "It's the antithesis of everything right-brain I've learned." 

For Dulaney, on the other hand, the creativity wasn't new: She's a former dancer and dance teacher. What was new was taking on several theatrical roles at the same time. She appeared in two of the 10-minute plays at the center's "Funny Shorts Live" last weekend.

"I'm not a ditzy blonde in this play, but Tori thinks she's smarter than she really is," Dulaney said. But while she was rehearsing for "Remember Me?" she also sandwiched in short roles of a daughter whose helicopter mother follows her to her first day at work — and fashion designer Calvin Klein. 

"I had to watch myself, to get rid of a lot of mannerisms I had learned," she said, laughing. 

'Remember me?'

Who: Center for the Arts Bonita Springs (CFABS) Community Players

Where: Center for Performing Arts, 10150 Bonita Beach Road, Bonita Springs (between Vermont and Iowa streets)

When: 7 p.m. Wednesday-Saturday, July 18 - 21; 2 p.m. Saturday and Sunday, July 21 and 22

Admission: $25, $12.50 students

To buy:artcenterbonita.org or 239-495-8989

The romance that was

Pining over a long-past love affair is even more popular in music than it is onstage. If "Remember Me?" had a soundtrack, there are plenty of wistful songs to pile on it. Add your favorite to this list:

"Same Auld Lang Syne," Dan Fogelberg

"In Your Wildest Dreams" Moody Blues

"Picture," Kid Rock with Sheryl Crow

"If Ever You're In My Arms Again," Peabo Bryson

"We Were in Love," Toby Keith

"Looks Like We Made It," Barry Manilow

"Taxi," Harry Chapin