Editor's pick: Forestburgh opens with a bit of Borscht Belt nostalia

WHEN: Tuesday, June 16 to Sunday, June 21. Monday through Saturday at 8:00 p.m.; matinees Wednesday at 2:00 p.m. and Sunday at 3:00 p.m.

WHERE: Forestburgh Playhouse, 39 Forestburgh Road, Forestburgh, NY.

COST: $32 for matinees, $35-$40 for evenings, group and other discounts available. See website.

CONTACT: 845/794-1194 or FBPlayhouse.com.

FORESTBURGH, NY — The Forestburgh Playhouse, which in its 62nd year is the oldest professional summer theatre in New York State, is an important piece of local history. Appropriately, it will kick off the Bicentennial summer with another piece of history, “Wish You Were Here,” a celebration of the heyday of the Borscht Belt.

“I have been waiting for the chance to present ‘Wish You Were Here’ for years, and the county’s Bicentennial provides the perfect opportunity,” said producer Norman Duttweiler. The piece “relives those golden summers full of college waiters flirting with guests, social directors scheduling non-stop fun activities, and guests just having the time of their lives underneath the Catskill skies. If you were there, you’ll love the show for its affectionate memories, and if you’re a little too young to remember those days, come to the show just to see what all the excitement was about.”

Set in Camp Karefree, a mountain resort for adults, “Wish You Were Here” focuses on Teddy Stern, anxious about her upcoming marriage to a man she really doesn’t love, who arrives with her flirty blonde bombshell friend Fay for two weeks of rest and relaxation. Before long, she finds herself becoming entangled romantically with one of the waiters, charming law student Chick Miller.

The best-known piece from Harold Rome’s lively score is the title song, which was recorded by Eddie Fisher in 1952 and became an instant number-one hit across the country. In fact, the song was so popular that it was recorded by nearly every singer on the planet that year, including Rosemary Clooney, Bing Crosby and Judy Garland.

Heading up the cast as the romantic leads are Lauren Jelencovich, whose solo career has taken her from Carnegie Hall to the MGM Grand in Las Vegas, and K.J. Hippensteel, who was most recently featured in the first national tour of “The Wedding Singer.” Playhouse veteran Bronwyn Stayoch plays the saucy soubrette, and Edward Juvier, last seen at the Playhouse as Max in “The Producers,” plays Kamp Karefree’s resident womanizer. Playhouse producer Norman Duttweiler is slated for a brief appearance as the owner/manager of the camp (what else?). Playhouse associate artistic director Richard Amelius, a familiar face to Playhouse patrons since 2005, will wear two hats for the production as both director and choreographer.

Other productions planned at the Forestburgh Playhouse for this summer include the Elvis musical “All Shook Up,” “Les Misérables,” the Jerome Kern American musical masterpiece “Showboat,” the rock re-telling of Puccini’s “La Boheme,” “Rent” and the musical hit “Hairspray.” This year, for the younger crowd, there will be a production of Disney’s “High School Musical. As always, the playhouse will also present after-performance cabarets.