PUBLISHED IN THE CHICAGO TRIBUNE SEPTEMBER 9, 2015

From Friday-Sept. 27, Crown Point Community Theatre will be putting on a production of Steve Martin‘s 1993 play, “Picasso at the Lapin Agile.”

The show takes place in Paris in 1904 at a cafe, named the Lapin Agile. In the play, Pablo Picasso and Albert Einstein, two men who at the time are on the verge of making a name for themselves in history, sit in the cafe and discuss what life will be like in the 20th century while debating about the value of talent and intelligence in society.

“There’s a couple different things going on that are exciting. This show will be opening up our 12th season, we have a new lobby to debut, and this is not a common show for the area,” said Director Matt Valuckis.

Valuckis went on, “It’s a very funny, funny show that’s intellectual and entertaining. It has really well-rounded characters and it covers all the gamut of people.”

“The cast is very diverse in terms of age, ranging from as young as 21 up to mid-60s,” he said. “Ben Boruff is playing Einstein as a great intellectual. Will Milhans plays Picasso, and he plays the character showing that he was a little bit of a playboy. Mary Pasyk plays three female characters in the show and it’s great to see her go from one character to another. All in all, it’s a lot of fun.”

“What’s great about northwest Indiana in general is that we have a lot of theater around here. They rival what you could see downtown, but at a fraction of the price. We’re trying to keep the arts alive by doing about nine shows a year. We want to be the hub of theater here in Crown Point and we’re really lucky to have great arts right in our backyard,” said Valuckis.

It is a relatively short show, running 75 minutes and all the action takes place in one act.

Valuckis rates the show PG-13, as there is some adult content and language.

On Sept. 19, Crown Point Community Theatre will be hosting a double header showcase. “Picasso at the Lapin Agile” will be at 8 p.m., and following the show, at 9:30 p.m., Crown Point Community Theatre’s improv team, Makeshift Up, will be taking the stage. The ticket for this double header show will be $20 for adults.

Friday and Saturday shows are at 8 p.m. and Sunday shows begin at 3 p.m.

Beth Casey is a freelance writer.

‘Picasso at the Lapin Agile’

When: Friday-Sept. 27

Where: Crown Point Community Theatre, 1125 Merrillville Road, Crown Point

Tickets: $12-$15

Details: 219-805-4255 or www.cpctbiz.fatcow.com