Rumor has it SVCT presents 'Rumors' by Neil Simon

When all goes crazy, each player runs astray while frantically and comedically attempting to get the story straight in order to save face.

“As it’s titled ‘Rumors,’ there’s a lot of misconceptions and it’s a lot like that game people used to play — telephone — where you would sit in a circle and tell each other something and see if it matches what was originally said in the first place; it’s a lot like that,” said director Stacy Neuberger. “There’s not really murder. It’s more of a ‘did somebody die? or ‘did they try to commit suicide?’ “

Farcical plays are characterized by humorous hyperbole, exaggerated stereotypes, situational irony and physical comedy, according to Encyclopedia Britannica. According to the cast of 10, this play has no shortage of any of these components.

“It’s (a) fast-paced comedy where the entire point is to build up a lot of tension in the audience,” said Spencer Boren, who plays therapist and analyst Ernie Cusack. “It’s just so full of energy and I love having lots of energy on a stage — it’s how I like to perform.”

He said this production’s take on Cusack’s character is unique.

“There’s a way to interpret Ernie where he’s an older man, but instead, the way we’re going for it in our show is that Ernie is a therapist, he’s an analyst who has married a much older woman who is a famous TV chef,” said Boren.

“I think Ernie a lot of times is caught between his status by knowing rich, wealthy, older people than him and being surrounded by that in his society, and he’s also super into his older wife. So, he wants to play a little bit of a peacemaker and make everybody happy, and also, he wants to be all over her.”

Gina Florez, who plays Chris Gorman, said this production has given her the opportunity to dive into acting after coming from a choir and musical theater background.

“Personally, kinda getting more into the acting side of things as opposed to musicals — just personally, that’s been kinda fun for me,” said Florez. “I was in choir, both jazz ensemble and musical theatre, in both high school and college. That was my hobby. I’ve been a nurse for 13 years and gotten established in my career. This is now my release, what I do for me.”

Neuberger said some of the challenges have been integrating the rapid-fire pace of the piece with multiple entrance points on the stage.

“This show has a lot of doors in it and figuring out how to get all the doors that are required for the show up there, and making sure that we have the space for it so that people can get in and out, that was one of the biggest challenges,” she said.

Another factor was creating the chemistry in the cast.

“Creating chemistry between one actor and his cast mates is first to do with trust and establishing boundaries,” said Boren. “We basically had to begin by being very straightforward about what is or is not allowed when it comes to touching each other or being close, what kind of jokes are allowed to be made or what is uncomfortable for one or the other person. Luckily, both me and my scene partner have generally decided that nothing is out of bounds, and so, we’ve been able to go forward with that.

“The rest of chemistry is just timing. The entire thing is so fast-paced that everybody is saying something immediately after the next person.”

With the repetition and camaraderie, it becomes second nature, according to Florez.

“In a farce, they go back and forth a lot — which makes the show funny, so that can be a little bit challenging,” she said. “But once we practice so much, we’ve developed really fun relationships with one another, so that kinda makes it a little bit easier. And then, it just becomes part of your daily (routine).”

For sound technician Brady Silk, it’s all about creating the atmosphere of the ‘80s in the audience’s ears.

“This is set in the ‘80s, so we’re trying to make it sound like the ‘80s,” said Silk. “So, we can’t put — like— a Tesla sound for a car approaching ... So we have to go in and figure all that out and just (make) sure everything is hitting the right time period.”

Neuberger said she chose the play because of its dark humor and as an homage to her home city, San Diego.

“I actually write horror and I liked the dark comedy aspect of it,” said Neuberger. “So, that really appealed to my humor and what I think is funny. I liked a lot of the dark comedy that’s involved ... Because it (the play) started in San Diego — and I’m from San Diego — so I thought it would be a good reach-back to home.”

All hope the audience leaves with a new appreciation for comedy and satiated by a good laugh.

“My hope is that they take that there’s more to comedy than just crass humor — that seems to be what’s out there the most,” said Neuberger. “And that, even we as a small theater can put on a great show that’s usually in a bigger theater or a bigger space. So anything can happen here.”

“This is just to make people happy and to make people laugh and walk away being like ‘what a good show!’ and having that catharsis of having an actual good laugh,” said Boren. “That’s what I want people to take away from the show.”

“Rumors” will be at the Sierra Vista Community Theatre on March 4, 5, 11, 12, 18 and 19 at 7 p.m. and March 6, 13 and 20 at 3 p.m. Tickets are $15 for adults and $10 for youth.