As the house lights went down, music from a favorite era filled the Hoogland’s Peggy Ryder Theatre. While the show is not a musical, the pre-show tunes like “Beautiful Girls,” “I’ve Got The World on a String” and “Goody Goody” had me singing along, filled with anticipation for this world-renowned play.
You Can’t Take It With You is a Pulitzer Prize-winning comedy by George S. Kaufman and Moss Hart that explores a few days in the life of an eccentric but lovable family of blood relatives, in-laws, their snake and a few random others. Their genuine naiveté, innocent rules-breaking and well-meaning hearts set in motion a series of events that culminate in a few poignant lessons for all of us.
It’s 1930s New York and Martin Vanderhof, aka “Grandpa” (Keith Wilson), is the head of a madcap but happy family. His granddaughter, Alice Sycamore (Jacqueline Keysear), the “normal” one of the clan (think “Marilyn Munster”), has fallen in love with her Wall Street boss, Tony Kirby (Elijah Sadler). The two want to marry but she has reservations. While she loves her family deeply, she is embarrassed by their idiosyncrasies and fears that the two families – who are polar opposites when it comes to manners, wealth and ideology – will never see eye to eye. Apparently, this is a deal-breaker.
Grandpa is all wit and wisdom and everyone’s touchstone. His perspective serves as the heart of the play, challenging other characters – and the audience – to reconsider their priorities. On not paying his taxes: “I don’t believe in it. What do I get for my money? All those battleships? Why should I pay for something I don’t want?” On making money: “You can’t take it with you, so what good is it? As near as I can see, the only thing you can take with you is the love of your friends.” Or my personal favorite: “Life is kind of beautiful if you let it come to you.”
The rest of the characters each have their own degree of quirkiness and charm, and the cast works very well together. There’s Grandpa’s big-hearted daughter Penny (Katharine Roberts) and her inventor husband Paul (Joey McLaughlin), along with Alice as their younger daughter, aspiring dancer and candy maker Essie (Rachel Bridges) and her husband, musician and accidental anarchist Ed (Lance Perko). There’s also former ice delivery man Mr. DePinna (Michael Savage), budding romantics Rheba the maid and her boyfriend, Donald (played by real-life husband and wife Felicia and Mike Coulter), and Boris (Roy Pyers), Essie’s dramatic and booming Russian ballet teacher. Eventually, a tax collector and a few cops (Dorothy Hutchinson-Gross, Kelly Robertson, Rick Cina, Evan Noyes) the uptight Kirbys (Bruce Davidson and Cathy Doyle) and drunk actress Gay Wellington (played to the hilt by Cynthia Higginson) also make an appearance and add to the chaos.
The likability of the play is something that brings audiences, and sometimes actors back over and over again. Felicia and Mike Coulter first met doing YCTIWY in 1974 and have since performed in the show multiple times. When I asked what always brings them back, their answer speaks to theme of the show: “It’s definitely nostalgic because it’s where we met, but also the message of doing what makes you happy is the most important thing. It’s just a feel-good play.”
The set is sufficiently colorful and cluttered with mismatched furniture, trinkets and doodads, some that were even on loan from the cast. To me the costumes were more contemporary than period, and perhaps more art and business on back walls would have enhanced the upper level. But neither of those were major detractors.
Director Kim Shafer does an admirable job of staging this classic play and recently posted about it on social media. “For the past six weeks, these 19 people – several of whom were complete strangers coming into the experience – have worked hard to provide our community with something funny. Something hopeful. In the process, they have become a tightknit group, each admiring what the others give and working to achieve an authentic view of people making the best of things when faced with challenges. YCTIWY remains every bit as relevant now as when it premiered nearly 90 years ago. Do yourself a favor and take time out from the cold and gray of January to escape into a place where all people want is to be happy and love without limits. I guarantee you will not regret it.”
You Can’t Take It With You continues Jan. 24-26, 7:30 Friday and Saturday, 3 p.m. Sunday in the Peggy Ryder Theatre. General admission tickets available at HCFTA.org or at the door.
This article appears in Healthy, wealthy and wise 2025.
