Finding the humor in 'Mid-Life'

In the spirit of American Cabaret Theatre's long-running presentation of "Menopause the Musical," Theatre on the Square has launched "Mid-Life! The Crisis Musical," a bittersweet homage to all the petty annoyances -- and some not so petty -- that come with getting a little long in the tooth.

"Mid-Life! The Crisis Musical" is memorable not so much for its songs as for its comic situations. Seemingly targeted at baby boomers, "Mid-Life!" offers comfort to 40- and 50-somethings by suggesting that laughter is indeed the best medicine.

This show's particular brand of medicinal humor tends more toward smiles and chuckles than belly laughs. At least, that was the case the night I saw it.

Still, the subject matter is varied enough to keep things moving, without relying on telling the same joke over and over. Bob and Jim Walton, the show's creators, satirize everything from mammograms to prostate exams, from children who move out of the house to those who won't, and from the ticking of a woman's biological clock to the ticking of a man's gold watch at retirement.

Inevitably, some subjects come across funnier than others.

Nathalie Cruz's suggestively raised eyebrows and increasingly desperate demeanor during a series of dates in the "Biological Clock" scene struck me as hilarious. But others laughed at her more during the second act, as she joined Catherine Vaughn Mobley and Cindy Phillips for "He Got What He Deserves," a cynical tune about wandering husbands and divorce.

The men in the cast --Bill Book, Darrin Gowan and Dave Ruark -- had one of their best moments in "Weekend Warriors," an amusing take on aging amateur athletes.

Despite all the silliness, "Mid-Life!" also has poignant moments, especially toward the end of the show. It contains a few sensitively written lines about sensitive subjects, like losing parents to death or dementia. Interestingly, those moments offer some of the best acting in the show.

Contact Star reporter Whitney Smith at (317) 444-6226 or whitney.smith@indystar.com.