The laugh-out-loud ups and downs of love
Coronado Playhouse is delighted to present Barefoot in the Park, the beloved romantic comedy by legendary playwright Neil Simon. Overflowing with wit, warmth, and emotional honesty, this classic play explores marriage, compromise, and the courage it takes to truly meet another person halfway.
Set in a modest sixth-floor walk-up apartment in New York City, Barefoot in the Park follows newlyweds Corie and Paul Bratter as they navigate their first days of married life. Corie is a free-spirited romantic eager to embrace life’s adventures, while Paul is a cautious young lawyer focused on stability and responsibility. As the realities of adulthood settle in, their clashing philosophies lead to laughter, conflict, and ultimately, growth. Alongside them are Corie’s widowed mother, Ethel, and the eccentric neighbor Victor Velasco, whose unconventional outlook challenges each character to reconsider what it means to live fully.
At its heart, Barefoot in the Park is a story about love in practice rather than theory. Widely regarded as one of America’s greatest playwrights, Neil Simon’s signature humor captures the everyday negotiations of relationships, revealing how intimacy is forged not through perfection, but through patience, vulnerability, and compromise. Though written in 1963, Barefoot in the Park continues to resonate with modern audiences by reminding us that love is not about sameness, but about choosing one another again and again, even when the climb feels steep.
Whether discovering Neil Simon for the first time or revisiting a favorite classic, theatergoers can expect an evening filled with laughter, tenderness, and the comforting recognition that relationships then and now are beautifully imperfect.
Barefoot in the Park will be performed at Coronado Playhouse from Feb. 6 to March 1, Friday & Saturday at 7 pm and Saturday & Sunday at 2 pm. Tickets are available at CoronadoPlayhouse.org.
“A bubbling, rib-tickling comedy.” – The New York Times
Coronado Playhouse is a qualified 501(c) 3 non-profit organization and San Diego County’s longest continuously run community theatre.
