Elijah Conger as Paul Bratter and Beth Lane as the newlywed Corie Bratter in the Mid-Ohio Valley Players production of “Barefoot in the Park” that opens at 7:30 p.m. Friday at the Players Theatre, 229 Putnam St. (Photo provided)

MARIETTA – The 2025-26 season at the Mid-Ohio Valley Players Theatre in Marietta closes Friday with the opening of its next production, the comedy classic “Barefoot in the Park” by Neil Simon.

The show opens at 7:30 p.m. Friday with performances also scheduled at 7:30 p.m. Saturday, June 26 and June 27 and at 3 p.m. June 28.

“Barefoot in the Park” is a romantic comedy set in the 1960s that follows newlyweds Corie and Paul Bratter as they adjust to married life in a tiny New York City apartment. Corie is spontaneous, while Paul is sensible, leading to a series of humorous clashes and misunderstandings.

When Corie tries to play matchmaker between her mother and their eccentric neighbor, Victor Velasco, the situation becomes even more chaotic.

Beth Lane plays newlywed Corie Bratter.

Elijah Conger, left, and Beth Lane play the newlyweds Paul and Corie Bratter in Neil Simon’s comedy “Barefoot in the Park” that opens at 7:30 p.m. Friday at the Mid-Ohio Valley Players Theatre, 229 Putnam St., Marietta. Tickets are $13. (Photo provided)

“Corie is a young, positive woman who has not had to take care of a thing in her life on her own. She is naive and fun-loving,” Lane said. “The show is a wonderful comedy that shows what fun a marriage can be. I look forward to seeing our community enjoy a wonderful show filled with laughter.”

Paul is played by Elijah Conger.

“The best way to describe Paul is ‘particular.’ He likes things in a very neat and orderly way and he does not like any disruption to his routine,” he said.

It has been a lot of fun to explore a character like that, Conger said.

“I haven’t really gotten to do something like that in a while and that is not at all what I am like as a person,” Conger said.

Rehearsing a scene from “Barefoot in the Park” are, from left, Danny Bayer as Velasco and Leslie McGoron as the mother. The show opens at 7:30 p.m. Friday at the Players Theatre, 229 Putnam St., Marietta. Tickets are $13 and other shows are scheduled for 7:30 p.m. Saturday, June 26 and June 27 and 3 p.m. June 28. (Photo provided)

Danny Bayer, a seasoned performer with the Actors Guild of Parkersburg, is making his debut with the Mid-Ohio Valley Players as the neighbor Velasco.

“Victor Velasco is a very adventurous middle aged man who likes to go mountain climbing, is a gourmet chef and is quite the ladies man,” Bayer said.

Bayer is familiar with the show, having performed in it before.

“In college I had the same part of Victor Velasco and then at another theater I was the Delivery Man and I understudied the Telephone Man, so I have been everybody but Paul,” he said.

“Barefopot in the Park” is a great show, Bayer said.

Corie Bratter, played by Beth Lane, right, tries to match Velasco, played by Danny Mayer, with her mother in the comedy “Barefoot in the Park” by Neil Simon. The show opens at 7:30 p.m. Friday at Players Theatre, 229 Putnam St., and tickets are $13. (Photo provided)

“It’s Neil Simon and there’s lots of laughs,” he said.

Jena Lane Blair chose to direct “Barefoot in the Park’ because the show has always been among her favorites.

“We did the show in 2006 and I was just so tickled to have the opportunity to revive it. It is such a sweet, wonderful story,” Blair said.

Blair can’t wait for audiences to see the show.

“This is a feel-good show, it is filled with laughter, happiness, and it is a charming piece,” she said.

Tickets are $13 each and are available at midohiovalleyplayers.com or at the box office beginning two hours before each showtime. Players Theatre is at 229 Putnam St. in downtown Marietta.

This show, which closes the season for the community theater group, is sponsored by Dr. William and Sue Cline and is presented by arrangement with Concord Theatricals on behalf of Samuel French Inc.

The cast is:

Corie: Beth Lane

Paul: Elijah Conger

Mother: Leslie McGoron

Velasco: Danny Bayer

Telephone Man: George Faber

Delivery Man: Mack McHale

The assistant director is Vanessa Rake Koon and the state manager is Eliz Kinser.