Posted by Curtain Up! on Sep 30, 2026
Review: Barefoot in the Park | Arvada Center | Arvada, CO | Curtain Up | Eric Fitzgerald
At the Arvada Center’s Black Box Theatre, director Kate Gleason’s production of Neil Simon’s Barefoot in the Park breezes in with the buoyant charm that reminds you why this comedy has remained irresistible for decades. Now considered a bona fide classic, the play’s wit and warmth still ring true today—its crisp pacing, lively humor, and delightfully human moments landing with the same freshness that first captivated audiences, all while the romance moves with an undeniable spring in its step.
When Barefoot in the Park premiered on Broadway in 1963, it became an immediate smash, propelled by Mike Nichols’ direction and the irresistible pairing of Robert Redford and Elizabeth Ashley. The 1967 film, with Redford and Jane Fonda, carried that charm to an even wider audience. It also marked an early milestone in Neil Simon’s rise as one of America’s most beloved comic playwrights, later known for classics like The Odd Couple, The Sunshine Boys, and Brighton Beach Memoirs.
In Barefoot in the Park, newlyweds Corie Bratter (Katie Medved) and Paul Bratter (Cam Davis) settle into their impossibly tiny New York walk‑up, where Corie’s impulsive, free‑spirited energy clashes hilariously with Paul’s careful, buttoned‑down sensibility. Their new home comes with its own cast of characters: the endlessly polite Delivery Man (JC Williams) who hauls their belongings up five flights, the weary Telephone Repairman (Kevin Hart) who becomes an accidental witness to their marital growing pains, and the flamboyantly bohemian neighbor Victor Velasco (Gareth Saxe), whose rooftop antics push everyone slightly out of their comfort zone. Even Corie’s anxious Mother (Cindy Laudadio-Hill) gets swept into chaos as the Bratters learn that love—like their apartment—requires flexibility, humor, and the occasional willingness to go barefoot.
Gleason has assembled a superb cast. Katie Medved as Corie cuts a distinct path from beginning to end, shaping her arc with clarity and spark. In her Arvada Center debut, Medved delivers a performance that feels almost rhythmic in its shifts—moving fluidly from bright‑eyed newlywed to a woman suddenly confronting the cracks in her marriage. Cam Davis, making his own auspicious Arvada Center debut as Paul, matches her beat for beat. He brings a wonderfully grounded presence to the role, letting Paul’s tightly wound pragmatism unravel in ways that are both funny and unexpectedly touching, creating a partnership onstage that feels fully lived‑in.
Cam Davis and Katie Medved | Photography Credit: Amanda Tipton Photography
Cindy Laudadio‑Hill delivers a gloriously outsized performance as Mother, wielding her comic instincts with such precision and panache that the audience practically vibrates with delight. Every sigh, every blink, every perfectly bewildered pause lands like a miniature showstopper. Gareth Saxe, meanwhile, sweeps in as Victor Velasco with the kind of sublime, high‑wire theatricality Arvada audiences have come to adore — he’s magnetic, mercurial, and just plain irresistible. And Kevin Hart turns in a sharply tuned, quietly hilarious cameo as the Telephone Repairman, grounding the whirlwind with a wonderfully human touch that makes his brief appearance linger longer than expected.
Cindy Laudadio-Hill and Gareth Saxe | Photography Credit: Amanda Tipton Photography
Kate Gleason’s direction is, frankly, a bit of a marvel. She takes what has become a lovingly preserved snapshot of its era and refuses to let it sit there gathering theatrical dust. Instead, she treats it with just enough reverence to keep the purists calm while slipping in a sly, modern spark that wakes the whole thing up. The play’s trademark charm is fully intact — she’s far too smart to tamper with the engine — but she nudges the rhythms and reactions, so they land squarely with contemporary audiences. It’s a staging that feels both comfortingly familiar and surprisingly current, the kind of balance that looks effortless only because Gleason is doing a great deal of work beneath the surface.
Matthew S. Crane’s scenic design is clean, clever, and punctuated by a downright delightful sight gag involving the overhanging skylight — a moment that earns its laugh without begging for it. Jessie Page’s costumes gently usher the audience back in time, not with loud declarations but with subtle, thoughtful nods to the era that feel both authentic and refreshingly unfussy. And Adara Baltazar’s sound design is steady and assured, supporting the action with confidence that never calls attention to itself — exactly the kind of work that keeps a show humming along while everyone else gets the applause.
Cam Davis as Paul Bratter on Matthew S. Crane’s set | Photography Credit: Amanda Tipton Photography
In the end, Barefoot in the Park at the Arvada Center thrives on the strength of its excellent ensemble — every performer contributes something sharp, funny, or unexpectedly touching — and on Kate Gleason’s deft, quietly daring direction. This is a chance to experience a Neil Simon classic staged with a clear eye toward today’s audience, honoring the play’s legacy while refusing to treat it like a museum piece. It runs through November 1 at the Black Box Theatre and promises, quite sincerely, to delight anyone willing to take the walk.