The Mystery of Love & Sex
Out Front Theatre Company
through February 18, 2018

Bathsheba (“Bash”) Doran is a brilliant writer, who was a Julliard School Fellow, and knows a lot about what she pens. This work, which is about two couples from two generations won great reviews when it opened in NYC 3 years ago, and also played Chicago and other venues to great acceptance.

Nothing is simple, nor as one might expect. Donald McManus plays the father, Howard, who is a writer and is Jewish. His wife, who is not Jewish is Lucinda (Lulu) who is played by Tiffany Morgan. They’ve been married for many a year, but life isn’t always what they may have anticipated when they said “I Do.” Howard can get on her nerves just by opening his mouth, and she has problems with smoking addictions. And there’s plenty of alcohol around their apartment.

Their daughter is Charlotte (Rachel Wansker) who is a teen ager trying to plan out her adult life. Since age 9 she’s had this affection for a classmate-neighbor named Johnny (Terrance Smith). There are some little problems inasmuch as Johnny is not Jewish, and is Afro-American. This doesn’t work for Lucinda, who would rather her daughter marry a nice Jewish doctor type of guy. Johnny’s family isn’t into the whole idea, either.

Everybody tries to keep things to themselves, and lie to family, as they move through discovering their true identities. Along the way they also deal with discovering their true sexual preferences. So many of us have been through this morass, that it may often seem like a work of non-fiction.

The Out Front Theatre deals with matter of interest to the LGBTQIA community, although you don’t need to be defined by that acronym to enjoy their very professional presentations. Cody Russell designed a set that helps to easily move through many scenes with ease, and Amber Bradshaw directed this one. This theatre downtown on Brady Street was founded by Paul Conroy who is their producing artistic director, and also has directed the current show at Art Station.

Yes, there are some expletives in the play, as well as some very brief nudity. But, WTF. You’re grown up, aren’t you? More info at OutFront.com