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It's not news to area theater fans that Dennis Collins and Lois Nemec know what they're doing on a stage.

But in "On Golden Pond," which opened Friday at the Omaha Community Playhouse, Collins and Nemec so naturally and completely inhabit their characters that you forget they're acting. They simply are retirees Norman and Ethel Thayer, settling into their summer home on Golden Pond somewhere in Maine.

The waters are troubled this summer. Norman, about to turn 80 and a bit forgetful, seems preoccupied with death. Ethel's full-time job seems to be engaging him in life.

A visit from their daughter, Chelsea (Kim Clark-Kaczmarek), further complicates matters. She's fallen for California dentist Bill Ray (Michael Markey) and hopes Norman and Ethel will play host to Bill's young son, Billy (Max Hauze), while she and Bill go to Europe.

The long estrangement between Norman and Chelsea hangs in the air. So does the unrequited crush the pond's mailman, Charlie (Don Harris), has had on Chelsea since they were kids.

All night long, Nemec ("Trip to Bountiful," "Death of a Salesman") and Collins ("You Can't Take It With You," "Shakespeare in Hollywood") serve and volley comedic dialogue like Wimbledon champs.

What they're doing isn't easy. Ernest Thompson's homespun script is more about knowing chuckles than huge fits of hilarity, but their timing and delivery are so good they create and enhance humor at every turn, without ever pressing for laughs.

While Thursday's preview audience didn't fall out of their chairs, it's been a while since I've heard this steady a stream of laughs all night long. Nemec is the perfect setup to Collins' arch delivery. Norman may be old and gloomy, but he's got a crack sense of humor. You could feel the crowd warm to both of them.

Also funny without ever forcing it: Markey as a nervous Bill, whether thinking he's glimpsed a bear or gingerly seeking Norman's permission to sleep with Chelsea.

Harris is spot-on as uncomplicated Charlie (Holy Mackinoley!), handling a New England accent and Charlie's lackadaisical approach to life with ease. Harris knows the difference between character and caricature.

As Chelsea, Clark-Kaczmarek effectively handles key dramatic moments with both Norman and Ethel, making the emotional shifts both effective and affecting. Hauze also brings credibility and playfulness to the arc in his relationship with Norman — an impressive turn by a gifted young actor.

Director Judith Hart and cast make this show distinctly their own. While it echoes the fine 1981 movie version starring Henry and Jane Fonda and Katharine Hepburn, Hart and cast make each character and scene their own, with satisfying results.

Jim Othuse's exceptional scenic and lighting design do much to enhance the proceedings, and Lynne Ridge's costumes were just right. Pacing felt just a tad slow in places on preview night. Adjustment to an audience should soon put that right.

While cast and crew uniformly bring gifts to the table, it's the strong work by Collins and Nemec at the show's core that makes this a solid hit. Expect a bit of salty language, but this "Golden Pond" should work for teens as well as grandparents.

Contact the writer:

402-444-1269, bob.fischbach@owh.com