Humor and hope in ‘The Last Romance’ from Port Royal’s Coastal Stage Productions

This inspiring play, “The Last Romance,” will thoroughly involve and amuse you for all of the right reasons.

The script by Joe DiPietro will capture your imagination, and hold your attention through the two-act romantic comedy. We, in the preview audience, were thrilled with the chance to laugh, and laugh some more ... and then, by turns ... saddened, in a way, as we took in the thoughtful, serious plot twists.

The director, Christine Grefe, with assistance by Gregg Steele Heppner, focuses everyone on the life events of the characters during the flow of the show. And the actors who offer them so impressively — Tony Falgiani, Margy Oehlert, Betty Pearson, and one more — are outstanding.

Briefly, this significant play will engage and entertain you ... there are unrelenting laugh lines throughout as well as some poignant, soulful moments, too. While the storyline features characters as they confront their golden years, with authoritative issues of loss, especially, will resonate with everyone. DiPietro and this outstanding cast reminds us that age must not define who we are, what we do, and, ultimately, our effect, our consequence.

That said, and most importantly, the words, brought to you through the gifted cast will warm your heart and reinforce your understanding and appreciation of the importance of relationships and respect of family, close friends, even friends who are not so close ... oh, and pets!

The storyline unspools quickly, as we meet widower, Ralph, (Tony Falgiani) strategically positioned on a park bench ... a dog-park bench, as it turns out. He’s 80 years old, and has spent most of his years as a railroader, married, a family man, though as we find out, beginning in his earliest days, he was gifted and talented and actually wanted to pursue a vocal career in opera.

After the passing of his wife, Ralph is now living with his 77-year-old sister, Rose (Betty Pearson), a disappointed woman whose husband left her 22 years ago. She seems to mean well, but is disappointed about her circumstances, and is trying to extract meaning in her life by focusing on the care, feeding and scheduling of the details of Ralph’s life. She is smothering his life, as she looks for purpose in her own.

One day Ralph, with a kind of plan in mind that would in some way change the routineness of his daily activities with the possessive Rose, makes a little adjustment on his highway of life. Carol (Margy Oehlert) is attractive, vibrant and interesting, and ... oh ... somewhat younger. He’s captivated, and takes immediate steps to meet her, charm her and even flirt with her. Imagine that! A little like taking the first olive from a bottle — after the first, it all becomes easier. You won’t be surprised to find that everything, everything will change.

Here’s the surprise ... and, by the way, sharing this surprise will not detract from your enjoyment of “The Last Romance,” but clearly, will add dimension and positively enhance it. I simply can’t wait to pass along this happy bit of very good news ... and do remember the opera part of my earlier introduction of Ralph.

So, there is a “young man,” an opera muse, really, who appears unexpectedly throughout the performance. He punctuates the storyline with his classic, dramatic appearance and, most especially, his most amazing bass-baritone voice!

Who is it, you may ask. Who is that handsome young man, that opera muse, who sings so beautifully, in Italian, some completely appropriate and fitting phrases of Italian opera? Unaccompanied, as he is positioned dramatically toward the rear of the set, and who helps move along the romantic bent of “The Last Romance,” he looks remarkably like Rodney Vaughn! But wait, Rodney is the co-producer of Coastal Stage Productions.

We typically count on Rodney Vaughn to see to matters behind the scenes. He came to Coastal Stage all of those years ago, with vast experience in acting and singing roles, and he is simply jaw-dropping here.

What an astonishing piece of romantic comedy. As you enjoy this outstanding production, remember to take home with you DiPietro’s, suggestion that through it all, we must search for and recognize the transformative impact of love and respect.

If you go

What: “The Last Romance” from Coastal Stage Productions.

Where: AMVETS Banquet Hall, 1831 Ribaut Road, Port Royal, SC.

When: Oct. 25 through Nov. 3 on Fridays and Saturdays at 8 p.m.; Sundays, 2 p.m.; Saturday matinees added to meet demand.

Special opening night catered event 7-8 p.m. Oct. 25.

Tickets: coastalstageproductions.com; 843-717-2175.

This story was originally published October 24, 2019 at 9:19 AM.