Joe Simonelli’s comedy “Half Baked” opens at the Off Broadway Palm on April 18 for 40 performances. The show follows two retired brothers who open a little café in Central Florida with their wives. But, as is the case in all Simonelli plays, there’s a bit of a problem. Simonelli explains.
“One guy’s got a gambling habit. He’s behind and he owes money to the bookies. The restaurant is failing, so he decides to bake cannabis into the appetizers to stimulate business. You don’t put it in the desserts because if you put it in the desserts, they leave and go to the Waffle House when they’re hungry. But if you put it in the appetizers, they’re hungry for dinner, see? And dessert as well, so you keep them there.”
When an old boyfriend and a loan shark show up, things get complicated — and hilarious.
“You write what you know, you know what I mean?” Simonelli quipped.
Local actor Chris Durso has read a lot of plays. He says the reason that Simonelli’s comedies are so popular is because they leave audiences with a warm feeling.
“They’re encompassing in a small environment,” said Durso. “You walk out with a happy feeling and maybe thinking a little bit.”
“Half Baked” runs through May 24 in the Off Broadway Palm.
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Simonelli’s comedies typically contain numerous wrinkles and subplots. For example, in “Half Baked,” the two brothers are married to sisters.
The Off Broadway cast features Patrick Treadway as Jay Allen, Michael Weaver as Sonny Allen, Shannon Connolly as Veronica Allen and Donna Schulte as Martha Allen. Brad Chidester plays Marty Minkoff, Chance Cintron is Ethan Preston and Rachael Lord is Nadia, with Gerrie Benzing and Cameron Rogers as understudies and John Repa as swing.
The 85-seat Off Broadway Palm Theatre is located just off the main lobby inside Broadway Palm. The doors open a half hour prior to showtime for seating. For patrons who choose to have lunch or dinner with their performance, dining is in a separate dining room.
“It’s going to be done at a dinner theater in Indiana in May,” Simonelli noted, referring to the 400-seat Derby Dinner Theatre in Indiana. “So it’s picking up steam.”
Simonelli’s first comedy, “Roommates,” had reviewers calling him “the next Neil Simon.”
In fact, Simonelli is represented by the late Neil Simon's and Larry Gelbart’s agent, Gary DaSilva. Da Silva says that Simonelli is “in good company with his more famous counterparts.”
Simonelli’s body of work ranges from comedies and dramedies to ghost stories and thrillers. He’s even written a full-length musical about internet dating called “Romance.com,” which he expects to bring to the stage locally in a season or two.
For all his success, Simonelli’s flagship play remains “Men Are Dogs,” which opens at the Cape Café Dessert Theatre on April 23 and runs for 12 performances through May 11.
Support for WGCU’s arts & culture reporting comes from the Estate of Myra Janco Daniels, the Charles M. and Joan R. Taylor Foundation, and Naomi Bloom in loving memory of her husband, Ron Wallace.