Sag Harbor - On Tuesday, August 10 Bay Street Theatre will finish out its Main Stage summer season with the opening of a rare production of David Mamet's "Romance." It is farce as only Mamet can write it with gritty language, irreverent social commentary and biting satire.

"Romance" director Lisa Peterson.

Mamet, loved by many and loathed by some, is considered one of America's great living playwrights whose works like "American Buffalo," "Speed the Plow" and "Glengarry, Glen Ross," for which he won the Pulitzer Prize, represent landmarks in the lexicon of modern American drama. He is also a prolific screenwriter with films like "The Postman Always Rings Twice," "The Untouchables" and "The Verdict" for which he received an Academy Award nomination.

To get a handle on the rarely performed "Romance" we spoke directly with the some of the actors appearing in the Bay Street production, many of whom are nationally recognized stars of stage, screen and television in their own rights and with the play's director Lisa Peterson.

Veteran Broadway actor Richard Kind, who will be familiar to all from his TV roles on "Spin City" and "Curb Your Enthusiasm," plays the part of the Judge in this courtroom set farce and although a fan of Mamet admitted, "I am not as big fan of what he has done in his later years, especially with what have been called 'comedies,' but this one is hilarious. I saw it in LA and I remember liking it a lot. Then I read the play recently and I thought, 'I don't understand what he is doing, but it is very funny.' Now that I am working on it, he is smarter than I am and I know exactly what he is doing. It is very, very funny, which is never bad for an evening of theatre."

Veteran stage, screen and television actor Richard Kind is back at Bay Street in a production that he describes as "hilarious."

Kind went on to note that "Mamet funny is different than Neil Simon funny. Mamet does not write funny lines, Mamet writes a funny play." He added, "The funny sneaks up on you and then it overwhelms you." Kind went on to describe Mamet as writing a comedic "symphony" of words and that the responsibility of the actors is to be "worshipful" to those words. Further elaborating Kind said, "There is not one joke in this play, but it all adds to something very zany. Again, it is really a hilarious play."

This is Kind's third production at Bay Street and his passion for the venue is palpable, "What this theater stands for is so noble. They are not putting on "Hello Dolly" and yet, they are not putting on Chekov either or Shakespeare or O'Neill. It is literate, you have to think, but we don't tax your brain and you have to feel, but we don't tax your heart. It is theatre, not just a play. There are plenty of places to go see "Hello Dolly" and they probably make a lot of money. It is sometimes tough to make a buck here because we are asking a little bit of the audience, not just with their money and their pocketbook, but with their brains and their hearts and minds. It's theatre, not just a play, it is theatre!"

Hampton Bays native and soap opera actor Joe Pallister makes his Bay Street debut as the Doctor in David Mamet's "Romance."

Referencing Mamet's well known reputation for pulling no punches in his use of real life language Kind said, "If you are faint of hearing and if you have ever said the words, 'I liked it very much, but why did they have to use that language?' Do not come! I am not kidding, do not come!" Parents with young children should probably keep that in mind and leave the kids home with the au pair for this production.

Along with Kind other nationally recognized actors in the all male cast include Chris Bauer from the hit television show "True Blood," Darrell Hammond from "Saturday Night Live," and Joey Slotnick of "Nip/Tuck."

It is Slotnick's first performance in the Hamptons and when we noted that he could walk out opening night to find the likes of Eli Wallach, Anne Jackson, Alan Alda or any number of other notables in the audience who ardently support the work of Bay Street, he said, "Now that you said that, I am a little nervous. It is really great to have that kind of theatre audience." The actor plays the Defendant in a courtroom black comedy wherein Mamet never really reveals what crime he is accused of committing.

The cast also includes Reg Rodgers who was recently seen on Broadway in "The Royal Family" and Matt McGrath returns for his fifth Bay Street production with Broadway credits that include "Cabaret" and "A Streetcar Named Desire."

Nip/Tuck's Joey Slotnick with Bay Street Artistic Director Murphy Davis.

Making his debut performance at Bay Street is Hampton Bays native Joe Pallister who will be familiar to Soap Opera fans with his recurring roles over the years on "One Life to Live," "Guiding Light" and "Another World." New to Bay Street, he is not new to East End theatre having appeared in Hampton Theatre Company's much heralded recent production of "One Flew Over The Cuckoo's Nest" in Quogue along with several other plays at HTC.

A "Round-Robin" actor interview opportunity for journalists was set up in the Bay Street courtyard entrance.

Pallister gave us his overview of the play as, "It is a courtroom scene that actually goes to the house of the Prosecutor at one point and into the Judge's chambers, but for the most part it all takes place in the courtroom. It is a trial for someone, but you never know what the crime is, it is never revealed what this guy did. There is no jury and the judge is taking way too many antihistamine pills. He is wildly inappropriate, as is everyone else. It is a hilarious play. I have actually walked out of rehearsal watching Scene Two with tears in my eyes it is so funny." Pallister plays the Doctor, who as he says, "Is called in to give the Judge something to straighten him out."

It is Peterson's first time directing a Mamet play, but she noted "I did a lot of work in the early days with the guys at the Atlantic Theatre Company," which Mamet found with actor Bill Macy. She continued, "I have always wanted to be on the inside of one of his plays." Describing the playwright Peterson said, "Mamet really writes symphonies for the theatre. His words are so rhythmic. He really knows how to build a scene and turn a phrase. He really knows how to surprise an audience."

Undoubtedly, this play will surprise and perhaps even shock the audience. What will not be a surprise is the superb production of it that will be mounted at Bay Street. Brilliant actors with great reputations will once again grace the stage of a theatre company that endeavors to enlighten while it entertains us in a venue whose production values are nothing short of first class in every way. "Romance" will run through September 5 and is a must see for Mamet devotees East End wide.

For more information go to www.baystreet.org.