As in many cities, where you live determines how you are perceived or even how you perceive yourself. In the Waukesha Civic Theatre's production of "Crossing Delancey," a 1988 film starring Amy Irving, we experience the crossing of lines, the venturing into new territory and how that affects the various characters.

It is Isabelle's (Izzy) story, a young Jewish woman who is experimenting with a life that differs from that of her heritage. She lives alone, works in a small bookstore that caters to upcoming artists and educated readers. Though she loves her Bubbie (grandmother) and visits her faithfully, she longs to be her own person and not succumb to marriage by coercion as advocated by Bubbie and the local matchmaker.

She is attracted to Tyler, a novelist who frequents the bookstore to check on his sales, and when he finally unexpectedly agrees to meet her for a drink, she is so flattered that she leaves Sam, the pickle man, stranded in Bubbie's kitchen, waiting for his date to arrive.

Sam has been solicited by Hannah, the aggressive matchmaker, to be the perfect soulmate for Izzy, a good, hardworking Jewish man with roots in the community. Bubbie approves of the match and applies her inimitable pressure.

This story isn't exactly a good ad for feminism or independent thinking, but it does come off as a charming romantic comedy with many laughs provided by Bubbie and Hannah, the stereotypical, interfering Jewish mothers, doing everything to control the lives of their kith and kin.

Denise Meagher all but steals the show as Bubbie, the self-impressed termagant who is both lovable and challenging. Her misguided love of her granddaughter is as genuine as it is maddening.

The matchmaker, played by Tammy Vrba, was somewhat difficult to understand at times, but we definitely can't miss her aggressive strategies. She plunders food and single women with equal passion.

Both suitors are well defined and starkly contrasted. Tyler, suavely portrayed by Mark Neufang, is attractive and wily while Sam (Matt Lovison) is almost too sincere, solid and understanding to be believable. Yet, there is something dear about him.

The metaphor about the hat is clever and ties everything together. It is good sometimes to experience change and risk, even if it leads to a return to what you were trying so hard to escape. Jenny Kosek as Izzy captures this transformation nicely as she teeters between choices.

The time lapse between scene changes was somewhat distracting and seemingly unnecessary since Bubbie's apartment and the bookstore are both set up from the beginning. But overall, it's still a charming little play that the audience was obviously enjoying.