No less a source than the Mayo Clinic recommends laughter as a great source of stress relief and in these stressful times, two North Bay productions may be just what the doctor orders for local audiences. The SRJC Theatre Arts Department is presenting Neil Simon’s Rumors through April 27, while Sonoma Arts Live presents the musical comedy revue I Love You, You’re Perfect, Now Change through May 4.  

Simon, best known for the classic The Odd Couple, took a stab at farce in 1988 with Rumors. An anniversary party for New York Deputy Mayor Charley Brock starts out with a bang but goes rapidly downhill thereafter with the staggered arrivals of some of the Big Apple’s upper crust. Eight guests draped in formal wear gossip, slam doors, race up and down a staircase, and crawl on the floor until the police show up. Oh, the scandal!

Director Elizabeth Dale’s (mostly) young cast does a good job keeping the energy level up and the laughs coming with AJ Correia and Emerson Reynolds doing particularly good work as a catty NY power couple. 

Santa Rosa Junior College Theatre Arts presents ‘Rumors’ through April 27 in the Burbank Auditorium, 1501 Mendocino Ave., Santa Rosa. Thur-Sat, 7:30pm; Sat & Sun, 2:00 pm. $15-$25. 707-527-4307. theatrearts.santarosa.edu

Photos by Thomas Chown

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Sonoma Arts Live has a musical revue that ran for decades Off-Broadway running now on the Rotary Stage at the Sonoma Community Center. Originally produced in 1996, I Love You, You’re Perfect, Now Change is a series of musical vignettes about dating, falling in love, marrying, raising a family, and facing the inevitable end of it all. Carl Jordan directs a cast of four (Robert Nelson, Sarah Lundstrom, Jourdán Taylor-Verdé, Jenny Veilleux) who play a variety of characters navigating the often torturous/funny path to a long-term relationship.

The vignettes are announced  by some clever projections (designed by Nelson) followed by patter between the characters and then a song. First dates, physical relations, weddings, children, and the passing of a partner are all targeted with such songs as “A Stud and a Babe”, “Single Man Drought”, and “Always a Bridesmaid”.

The bits are amusing, the songs are clever, and the vocals are strong. Actually, a bit too strong. Mic levels seemed high, with several instances of the cast drowning out the audience’s laughter. 

And we could all stand to hear more laughter these days.

Sonoma Arts Live presents ‘I Love You, You’re Perfect, Now Change’ through May 4 on the Rotary Stage at Andrews Hall in the Sonoma Community Center, 276 E. Napa St., Sonoma. Thurs – Sat, 7:30pm; Sun, 2pm. $25 -$42. 707-484-4874. sonomaartslive.org

Photos by Katie Kelley

These reviews originally appeared in edited versions in the North Bay Bohemian.