Sunset Playhouse’s present production combines many of the elements mentioned above. It is a charming, heartfelt look at three Jewish widows and one widower and how they are handling the loss of their spouses. There is reference to a fourth widow who seems to think that serial marriages are the answer, but we never meet her directly, though her latest wedding has quite an impact on the story.

A simple premise sets up the plot. Each month these three widows, who are longtime friends, visit the cemetery together to pay their respects to their deceased husbands. The play opens on the fourth anniversary of Doris’ husband Abe’s death. She seems the most devoted to the idea that he deserves her undying devotion and continued loyalty. Lucille has been dating a lot since Harry died, and Ida is beginning to question whether remaining single for the rest of her life is what she really owes Morrie. The question of how aware the dead are of the living is one that is frequently raised in the play; also what we owe the dead to prove that we really loved them. The widower Sam the butcher also plays a prominent role in the story, the only male cast member.

When Sam starts to show some interest in Ida, Doris and Lucille panic, and they try to sabotage the relationship in order to "protect" her. Things come to a climax when they all attend a wedding of their friend Stella, the one who specializes in marriages. There are some unexpected moments of complete honesty in the last two scenes of the play that are both hilarious and poignant.

The women who play the three widows are sharply delineated and nicely honed. Frances Klumb as Doris is perfect, period. Susan Loveridge as Lucille nails the role. She is flirtatious, funny, sexy, but very moving when she lets her vulnerability and anger show. Sally Marks as Ida has a less flashy role but shows some subtlety in revealing her tentative changes. James Jonas as Sam was excellent at conveying his uncertainty but was a bit one-dimensional overall. Christine Horgen filled her cameo spot well.

The transformation from Ida’s house to the cemetery was impressive and the interim music during the changes was well chosen, thanks to the talents of J. Michael Desper and Jan Pritzl. The costume choices of Barbara Decker and Paula Kroening revealed the characters and added some smiles. The mink coat and the yellow dresses worn to the wedding are two good examples.

The play was a treasure from start to finish - well written, well acted and well directed by Mark Salentine.

Call (262) 782-4430 for tickets. There are some special deals going on right now. This show could make this long, hard winter a little easier to bear. It runs through March 15.