THE TENDER TRAP
by Max Shulman and Robert Paul Smith
directed by Kevin V. Smith
LIMITED ENGAGEMENT - 7 PERFORMANCES ONLY!
July 3 - 12, 2025
The Edge Off-Broadway Theater
Chicago
New York bachelor Charlie Reader enjoys a life surrounded by attractive women who cater to his every need. And when his married friend Joe comes into town from Indianapolis to discover a cure for the common cold, he finds himself fascinated by Charlie's set-up and what seems like a playboy's paradise. But while juggling relationships with Sylvia, Julie, Poppy, and Jessica, Charlie soon finds himself writing checks his charm can't cash.
Shulman and Smith's Broadway comedy, adapted into a 1955 Technicolor film starring Frank Sinatra and Debbie Reynolds, provides an unfiltered comedic snapshot of mid-century America. Blue in the Right Way's radically reimagined 2025 revival challenges the text's romantic perspective to examine the haunting legacy of the era's rigid social constructs, creating a startling work of visual performance art from an iconic piece of comedic American pop culture.
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Directed by Kevin V. Smith
Text Max Shulman and Robert Paul Smith
Scenic & Lighting Design Tianxuan Chen
Costume, Hair & Makeup Design Alaina Moore
Video & Projection Design Eme Ospina-López
Original Musical Score Katie Klocke
Sound Design Huhao Yang
Production Assistant Vee Villareal
Intimacy Direction Ethan Smith
Violence Design Jay Donley
Fight Choreography Cameron Jarrett
Stage Manager Becky Warner
Technical Director Jeremiah Barr
Master Electrician Baylee Speer
Casting Adelina Feldman-Schultz, Tertulia Creative Solutions
Trailer Maxime Chudeau
Teaser Trailer Kevin V. Smith
Photo Credit Christopher Semel
Box Office Claire Michalak
Special thanks to Emma Ladji & Sonia Perelló
Production Blue in the Right Way
The Tender Trap will premiere at The Edge Off-Broadway Theater in Chicago on July 3, 2025.
CONTENT WARNING This production contains nudity and depictions of sex and violence that may disturb some audience members. Viewer discretion is advised.