The Angel Next Door is a love letter to the theatre where lovers are reunited, misunderstandings are untangled, and a happy ending is (mostly) guaranteed. Now at Meadow Brook Theatre (MBT) on the campus of Oakland University in Rochester, Michigan through March 9, 2025
Written by Paul Slade Smith, The Angel Next Door is adapted from Ferenc Molnar’s three-act farce, The Play at the Castle (1924) and MBT is one of the first theatres to produce Smith’s version of the show.
All the spectacle takes place in an expansive bedroom at a seaside mansion in Newport, Rhode Island in 1948. Lushly decorated in green, maroon, and gold and complemented by ornate woodwork, it is an impressive set design.
Charlotte Sanders (Mary Robin Roth, Native Gardens) and her husband Arthur (Phil Powers, A Christmas Carol) are playwrights in desperate need of a new hit they can take to Broadway. All their hopes are pinned on a young novelist Oliver Adams (Chris Stinson, Clue: On Stage) and his yet-to-be-published book, “The Angel Next Door.”
Oliver’s novel is based on his interaction with actress Margot Bell (Olivia Ursu, The Marvelous Wondrettes), who he met and fell in love with at a party hosted by the Sanders. Once he signs the contract and gets the novel published, the Sanders can turn it into a Broadway sensation starring, of course, Margot. There’s just one hitch – Margot has no idea the novel exists or the extent of Oliver’s love for her.
To say Oliver is smitten with Margot is an understatement. He idolizes her and has put her on such a high pedestal, that it’s a wonder she doesn’t get a nosebleed. Despite this new information, Charlotte and Arthur are confident everything will work out in their favor. That is until all three overhear a passionate exchange through the paper-thin bedroom walls between Margot and Victor Pratt (David Aron Damane, A Christmas Carol) a narcissistic actor with a booming baritone voice.
Oliver is talented, but he is very naïve when it comes to love. The realization that Margot isn’t the sweet angel of his dreams sends him into hysterics and threatens to ruin his future along with the Sanders’ dreams of a hit play. While Arthur tries to keep Oliver from doing something stupid, Charlotte keeps her composure and comes up with a plan. To salvage the situation, she will simply rewrite what they overheard into a play that will explain everything and get everyone’s plans back on track. Throughout the play, Charlotte champions that she changes people’s lives through the power of theatre and her refusal to sit idly by while everything implodes around her proves that. Roth is a powerhouse in the role.
An unwitting participant in all the madness that ensues is the maid, Olga (Cheryl Turski, Noises Off). Her character proves that sometimes the funniest moments come from not just the dialogue, but rather how it is delivered physically and verbally. And Turski could give a masterclass in deadpan delivery. The audience loved her as she disdainfully attended to the whims of “theatre people.”
The Angel Next Door is a roller coaster ride of hilarity peppered with witty banter, impeccable timing, and plenty of shenanigans. It is a true screwball comedy of side-splitting proportions. The cast had the audience eating out of their hands and each actor was perfectly picked for their role. Even the curtain call was chaotically creative.
So, if you find that reality isn’t all it’s cracked up to be, remember you can always rewrite your way to a happy ending. And I suggest seeing this play to pick up a few pointers.
Photo courtesy of Sean Carter Photography
This performance runs around two hours with a 15-minute intermission.
The Angel Next Door is suggested for audience members in high school and up.
The Angel Next Door is directed by Travis W. Walter with scenic design by Donna Beagle, costume design by Marley Boone, lighting design by Neil Koivu, and sound design by Brendan Eaton. Brittanie Nichole Sicker is the stage manager and Caridad Guy is the assistant stage manager.
Tickets range from $39 to $48 and are available by calling the Meadow Brook Theatre box office at 248-377-3300 or going online at www.Ticketmaster.com. Student discounts are available at the box office. Groups of eight or more should call 248-370-3316 for group pricing.
2025-2026 Season Announced
Get ready for another wonderful MBT season. Artistic director Travis W. Walter announced the upcoming shows for 2025-2026 and you won’t want to miss a moment.
Some of the highlights include another collaboration between MBT and Oakland University School of Music, Theatre and Dance on All Shook Up, a jukebox musical featuring the music of Elvis Presley. We will go to the ‘edge of the world,’ Gander, Newfoundland with the 9/11 inspiring story of Come From Away, and learn a little history with the Tony Award-nominated What the Constitution Means to Me. Plus, other great shows, including everyone’s favorite holiday tradition, A Christmas Carol.
About Sarah Hovis