Laughter Amidst Tears

When members of Freehold, New Jersey's resident theater company, Center Players, began casting for their planned presentation of Neil Simon's "Laughter on the 23rd Floor," they had no idea how profound the show's underlying message of political extremism would become.

After ten weeks of rehearsals, the production was set to premier on September 15th. During those four days after the terrorist attacks of September 11th, the cast, crew & Board of Center Players labored over whether or not go on with the production. But the strength to continue came from within the play itself. Set in the 1950's, the show focused on another form of terrorism... blacklisting and persecution known as "McCarthyism." Just as the characters in the play refused to bow to the tyranny they faced as writers and intellects, the cast and company felt they too, should not give in to the terror perpetrated upon our country. Trying to "get back to life as normal" would be the best retaliation they could offer. At the same time, the Broadway show, "The Producers" reopened. Its stars, Nathan Lane and Matthew Broderick were asked why, in the midst of this tragedy, did they feel it was so important that the show go on. Their simple response was, "because people need to laugh." So it was in that spirit that Center Players went on with its own run, selling out most of it's 13 performances to appreciative audiences.

However, overcoming adversity would become the theme of the production. On opening night, VIP theater-goers were to be treated to a pre-show dining experience and program at Center Players' restaurant-partner, Tratorria Portobello. But that same day, restaurateur Umberto Turelli's father passed away. "We were all grief stricken with Umberto's loss, said Center Players' Vice President Bernice Garfield-Szita, "and at the same time not sure how to fulfill the dinner obligation we had with our patrons." But without missing a beat, Turelli's partner and staff stepped in to prepare, host and serve an exquisite meal.

The opening performance went off flawlessly, and the audience was grateful for a temporary escape from the news at ground zero. But the next morning, the show's director, David Sorin received a call from one of the cast members, Chuck Caudill - the recently retired commander of Navel Weapons Station Earl. Caudill had been recalled to active duty to serve on the USNS Comfort that had sailed into New York harbor to assist with the relief efforts. He could not continue in his role as "Val." As fate would have it, Sorin came across Jimi DeStefano, a school teacher and actor from Linden, NJ. DeStefano had played the same part six years ago with another theater company. He met with Sorin and the cast for an intensive week of rehearsal and was in perfect form for the following weekend's performances.

Sorin himself was met with adversity going into the production. During the casting process, he underwent emergency retina surgery, which left him completely blind for several weeks. Even without sight, he forged on. "I was optimistic I would get my sight back," he said, "so giving up was not an option."

As President of Center Players, Sorin has instilled that same philosophy in the group as well. After years of disappointments while trying to establish a permanent theater in Freehold's downtown area, the group finally prevailed this past Spring with the opening of its new home and dessert-theater, the Center Playhouse, at the corner of South and Mechanic Streets.

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