Laughter is in full bloom at Westport Country Playhouse's production of "Native Gardens", a brilliant and timely comedy about two backyards and one fence

Westport Country Playhouse presents “Native Gardens,” a humorous and meaningful play about well-intentioned neighbors who become feuding enemies, running through March 8. The comic culture clash is written by Karen Zacarías, who was recently hailed by American Theatre magazine as one of the 10 most-produced playwrights in the U.S. Director is JoAnn M. Hunter. “Native Gardens” is the fourth production in the Playhouse’s 2024-25 “Season of Laughter,” a slate of five shows from October through April, chosen specifically to energize the community with a welcoming sense of warmth, humor, and joy.

"Native Gardens" is a relevant and uplighting story that resonates with the audience. This production is a sharp and witty with lots of laughs, a strong cast, a stunning set. The set is incredibly intricate and impressive -- it features two contrasting homes and their backyards.

Image of (left to right): Anthony Michael Martinez and Adam Heller in Westport Country Playhouse's production of "Native Gardens". Photo by Carol Rosegg.

"We’re thrilled to present Karen Zacarías’ celebrated play ‘Native Gardens’ on the Playhouse stage,” said Mark Shanahan, Playhouse artistic director. “Zacarías’ brilliant comedy is a laugh-out-loud story that masterfully balances sharp wit with hilariously bad behavior even as it explores deeper issues about race, class, and what it truly means to be a good neighbor in modern America. Director JoAnn M. Hunter has assembled an extraordinary cast and design team, and we know audiences will be thoroughly entertained as we continue our ‘Season of Laughter’ with this wonderfully funny and timely tale.”

In “Native Gardens,” expectant parents Tania and Pablo Del Valle move in next door to longtime suburbanites Virginia and Frank Butley. A dispute over their yard’s property line spirals into an epic, flower-flinging war over taste, class, personal identity…and gardening. With Pablo’s upcoming office barbecue party threatening the Butleys’ plans for the future of their yard, can these couples ever learn to love their neighbor and mend the fences that separate them?

The cast includes Paula Leggett Chase as Virginia Butley (Broadway: “Tootsie,” “On the 20th Century,” “Bye Bye Birdie,” “Curtains,” “The Pajama Game,” “Dirty Rotten Scoundrels,” “Kiss Me, Kate,” “Damn Yankees,” “Crazy for You,” “A Chorus Line”; 2020 Drama Desk Featured Actress nominee for “The Unsinkable Molly Brown”; Tours: “A Chorus Line,” “Cabaret”; TV/Film: “The Sound of Music, Live”; Linedy Genao as Tania De Valle (Native of Hamden, CT; first Latina performer to originate the leading role in an Andrew Lloyd Webber Broadway musical; named to Variety’s “Broadway Actors to Watch List”; Broadway: “Bad Cinderella” as Cinderella, “On Your Feet!,” “Dear Evan Hansen”; Off Broadway: “Women on Fire”; Tours: “Dear Evan Hansen”; Regional: “Passing Through,” “West Side Story,” “In the Heights”; TV/Film: “Death Saved My Life”. Adam Heller as Frank Butley (Westport Country Playhouse: Script in Hand playreading “The Outsider”; Broadway’s “Some Like it Hot,” “It Shoulda Been You,” “Elf,” “Caroline, or Change,” “Victor/Victoria,” “Les Misérables”; Off-Broadway’s “Merrily We Roll Along,”; and Anthony Michael Martinez as Pablo Del Valle (Off-Broadway: Classic Stage Co., 59E59, Vineyard Theatre, New Ohio, The Flea, Theatre Row. Regional: Great Lakes Theatre, Idaho Shakespeare, more; Film/TV: “After Forever” Amazon Prime series; MFA: Shakespeare Theatre Company’s Academy for Classical Acting in DC.

Director JoAnn M. Hunter has over 30 credits on Broadway, the West End, and Australia. Westport Country Playhouse: “The Best Is Yet to Come” 2024 fundraiser; Broadway (choreographer/director): “Bad Cinderella,” “Disaster,” “School of Rock,” “On A Clear Day,” “Broadway Bound”; City Center Encores: “Love Life”; UK: “SuperYu,” “Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat,” “School of Rock”; Upcoming: “Jo: The Little Women Musical,” “Yasuke-The Legend of the Black Samurai,” “Birds of NY” (with Sophie B. Hawkins.)

Creative team includes Anna Louizos, set designer; David C. Woolard, costume designer; Charlie Morrison, lighting designer; John Gromada, sound designer; and Abigail Zaccari, stage manager.

Running time is approximately 90 minutes; no intermission. Appropriate for ages 12 and up. Single tickets start at $40 and are subject to change based upon availability. Buy early for best prices. For information on special offers, including discounts for students, senior citizens, educators, military and first responders, Indigenous peoples, professional playwrights, and groups, as well as options for pay-what-you-will and library passes, visit www.westportplayhouse.org/visit/box-office/.

Performance schedule is Tuesday at 7 p.m., Wednesday at 2 and 7 p.m., Thursday at 7 p.m., Friday at 8 p.m., Saturday at 3 and 8 p.m., and Sunday at 3 p.m. For full details, visit: https://www.westportplayhouse.org/show/native-gardens/

Image of (left to right): Adam Heller, Paula Leggett Chase, Linedy Genao, and Anthony Michael Martinez in Westport Country Playhouse's production of "Native Gardens". Photo by Carol Rosegg.