Famous playwright Neil Simon took note of the ups and downs in romantic relationships and wrote plays from what he saw.

So while you might not get a marital lesson out of his 1971 play Plaza Suite opening Friday at the Ritz Theater, you’ll likely be entertained.

“He’s really an observer of relationships,” says Newberry’s Plaza Suite Director Bonnie Lyon. “Plaza Suite is a great way to spend an entertaining evening laughing about those perplexing aspects of love and marriage that we all encounter in our daily lives.”

THE SUITE GIST

The curtain opens to three successive vignettes, which range from serious to slapstick. They show two couples and one potential couple all at different places in their relationships.

Sam and Karen Nash are trying to celebrate their wedding anniversary despite a dying flame and Sam’s alleged affair.

Jesse Kiplinger and Muriel Tate are childhood sweethearts that are meeting again after 12 years, without too much expectation from Muriel.

Married couple Roy and Norma Hubley discuss their relationship during their daughter’s wedding.

“The first act deals with a disintegrating marriage. The second act deals with childhood sweethearts who reunite for an afternoon and the third act shares what happens between a couple on their daughter’s wedding day,” says Lyon. “All acts are filtering though Simon’s witty analysis of the universal world of love and marriage.”

THE PLAYERS

John Fowler of Lexington and Sandy Steffen, a former chairman of Newberry Community Players, play Sam and Karen Nash.

Fowler has acted in Aiken, Sumter, Chapin and Newberry. Steffen has worked in all areas of the Players and recently performed in the Chapin production of “Dearly Beloved,” which was selected as the best play by Columbia community theaters.

Newberry Player newcomer Russell Shealy and Newberry Player veteran Danielle Shull act as the second couple, Jesse Kiplinger and Muriel Tate.

Real-life couple Chris and Deb Wells play Roy and Norma Hubley.

Lyon has directed around a dozen shows at the Ritz and has been involved with the Community Players since 1976. She was a part the play selection committee that selected Plaza Suite.

RELATING

The story shows how the ebb and flow of relationships, and how many begin relationships they think will be perfect. Lyon says like in real life, the characters find out several years into their commitment, that they must grapple with and reinvent their perspectives.

As the show unfolds, Lyon thinks audience members will relate to the characters’ struggles saying, “Oh, seen that. That’s happened to me too,” she says. “It’s a universal topic in that it deal with the relationship between men and women.”

SHOW TIMES

Feb. 27 and 28 at 8 p.m.

March 1, at 7 p.m.

March 5 and 6 at 8 p.m.

March 7 at 3 p.m.

The $10 tickets are available at JezeBelles and Munson Music. Discount $8 tickets are available for student, military and senior citizens.

Lyon thinks teens will enjoy the show, but says it has a few curse words and is not suitable for children.

Reservations, and more information, are available by calling the Ritz box office at 276-1963.