Marked with sparklingly witty dialogue, Jeff Daniels' Apartment 3A is an enjoyable interpersonal comedy about the nature of meaningful human connection. In Tandem Theatre rounds out its season with a well-rendered version of the play.
Tiffany Vance stars as Annie, a troubled woman moving into an apartment rather suddenly. She works for a local PBS station undergoing a pledge drive. The work stress mixes with stress of a far more personal kind as she finds herself trying to keep her distance from a couple of men. At home, there is a charming married gentleman named Donald (Simon Jon Provan). At the station there is a co-worker named Elliot (Doug Jarecki) who is totally in love with her. Events conspire to bring the three together in a comedy with heart and depth brought lovingly to the stage by director Jane Flieller.
Vance manages the challenge of appearing simultaneously strong and vulnerable with respectable grace. Jarecki deftly shifts back and forth between comic and serious moments. Provan delivers just the right amount of charm needed to make the quirkiness of a gregarious neighbor obsessed with casual friendship seem perfectly natural. Gene Shuldt brings an endearing gruffness to the edges of the play in the role of Dal, the apartment manager who only shows up for a few scenes.
In Tandem Theatre's production of Apartment 3A runs through May 19, at the Tenth Street Theatre, 628 N. 10th St. For ticket reservations, visit intandemtheatre.org or call 414-271-1371.
