Coming Back to Jersey
Howard, a middle-aged tailor, indulges in daydreams to escape his humdrum existence. Norma, his suspicious wife, believes he is fantasizing about Dorothy, a sexy widow friend, so she comes up with a scheme to have Dorothy passionately flirt with Howard to test his fidelity. But Norma's plan backfires when Howard retaliates by conniving with Dorothy to turn the trick around. Soon Norma is threatening divorce and conspiring with a widower in a romantic charade to make Howard jealous. When the mixed-up couples are spotted having intimate dinners for two by Howard and Norma's increasingly scandalized daughter and her straight-arrow boyfriend, it all leads to over-the-top assumptions and comedic accusations. Will the couples manage to sort themselves out? Will Howard and Norma ever get back to being the couple they used to be?
Productions
Behind The Scenes
Playwright Carl Williams Talks About
COMING BACK TO JERSEY
Q: WHAT INSPIRED YOU TO WRITE THIS PLAY?
A: Although I don't recall the genesis of the idea itself, the play originated as a 20-minute one act (essentially Act I, Scene 1) in a play festival at Theatre Southwest in Houston. I could see the potential for expanding it to full-length through the various complications that might arise from that opening scene.
Q: WHAT'S YOUR FAVORITE PART OR LINE IN THE PLAY? WHY?
A: My favorite line in the play is when Sidney is convincing Norma she'll have to respond in a romantic way when they play their charade at the Blue Beret, and she says, "I'm a married woman. I'm not used to responding." I like it just because it's funny.
Q: DO YOU HAVE ANYTHING ELSE YOU'D LIKE TO ADD?
A: I set this play in an earlier time period (the 1960s) because morality in the culture at large has certainly changed! Not to mention dress styles, cell phones, etc. What I hoped to achieve was simply a funny, audience-pleasing play.