Mystic Bison Theatre & Dance^TM

PLAY IT AGAIN, SAM^*

Play It Again Sam is a hilarious romantic comedy that asks how does a sensitive guy get the girl he desires.  Allan Felix, film critic, aficionado, and worshipper of Bogart, or is it Rick from Casablanca, has been recently deserted by his spouse. His friends, Dick and Linda Christie, step in and console him by fixing him up with a variety of eligible young women.  Little do they know that Allan is being coached by an imaginary Bogey who battles with his imaginary estranged wife over what is the right image to win the girl. Assuming the persona of Rick the tough macho man from Casablanca instead of himself, Allan is a dismal failure in the dating game. Still enough of his sensitive nature surfaces with classic lines such as—"Rain ... washes memories off the sidewalk of life" and "I want to have your child" to woo Linda whose marriage is suffering from a lack of romance.

Besides investigating homo sapien mating rituals, Play It Again Sam pokes fun at psychiatry and movie heroes. Weaving nostalgic scenes and speeches from Casablanca into Play It Again Sam, the play is both charming and provocative as it explores the idea of living one’s life as though it were a movie.

Play It Again Sam, a hilarious romantic comedy, was directed by Jean Shelton, winner of a Payne Knickerbocker Lifetime Achievement Award for her contribution to Bay Area Theatre from the San Francisco Critics Circle. It starred Mark R. Carter, Ph.D. as Allan Felix. Frank Willey played his best friend, Dick Christie, while Barbara A. Brewer played his best friend's wife, Linda. Elisa Jones played Felix's imagined estranged wife, Nancy. Diana Lucia DePineres plays Sharon.

This rare San Francisco production of the witty romantic comedy, Play It Again Sam, was performed Thursday through Saturday evenings at 8:00 PM, February 5th through February 28th 2004, at The Shelton Theater, 533 Sutter Street at Powell Street, San Francisco, California.  Preview performances were on February 5th and 6th.