Jerry Mayer’s Theory of Relativity

One by one, Jerry Mayer is tackling all the members of his family.

“The first play I wrote, ‘Almost Perfect’ (1986), was about us--my wife and me--and my parents,” Mayer conceded. Now comes “Aspirin and Elephants” (opening Friday at the Santa Monica Playhouse), a new foray into “semi-autobiographical” family waters. Said Mayer: “This one is about my wife’s parents, her sister and brother-in-law--and a little about us.”

“We used to have these vacations where my in-laws would take us away on their anniversary,” explained the television writer-turned-playwright. “One year, my father-in-law had had a heart attack and his wife thought that a cruise would be a healing thing. But there’s a lot of stress in the other relationships. It’s three women trying to deal with three very problematic men. So they cover some new ground, get to know each other in a way they hadn’t before.”

Mayer believes the family has dealt well with his revelations.

“My mother-in-law was very involved in this,” he said. “I showed her the first draft and said, ‘Is there anything in there that’s embarrassing to you?’ My wife’s sister, who’s now divorced--the play involves her marriage at a crisis point--said, ‘You weren’t tough enough on (them).’ And my wife, Emily (whose character took some knocks in ‘Almost Perfect’ as a semi-myopic homemaker), is totally behind me. She’s my partner now in producing these plays.”

Mayer believes he’s succeeded in keeping the material from being strictly autobiographical: “I’ve borrowed these things from over a lifetime--and put them in a single (pressure cooker). The springboard is actual people. And I do try to stay loyal to the way they talk, the way they’d relate to a situation. Every writer tries to find his own voice and I’ve found mine in a play. In TV you can do that somewhat, but you have to be loyal to those (set) characters. These are characters I’m interested in talking about.”

Featured in the cast are Susan Cash, Sandra Kerns, Vince McKewin, Priscilla Morrill, William Schallert and Todd Susman.

THEATER FILE: A free, open-to-the-public “Self-Producing” workshop will be held today at the Japan America Theatre, led by JAT general manager Duana Ebata. . . .

Paul Krassner, whose “Growing Up Funny With Paul Krassner” has been running late nights at the Saxon-Lee Gallery, has moved to Theater 6111. . . . The July lineup at Highways performance space includes Peter Rose’s “Berlin Zoo,” Silas Jones’ “Night Commander,” Beth Lapides’ “Globe-O-Mania” and Marshall Weber’s “(C)overt Action.”

CRITICAL CROSSFIRE: Richard Harris’ musical “Stepping Out”--about a motley group of tap dance students in a British basement studio--opened recently at the Pasadena Playhouse. Don Amendolia co-stars and directs.

Said Dan Sullivan in The Times: “Harris understands the general effect that is wanted, but has trouble putting it all together. He can be funny and he can be serious, but don’t expect him to be both things at the same time. This makes for a lumpy evening.”

From Clifford Gallo in the Herald Examiner: “Harris’ strengths lie in his abilities to define and develop his characters so that they’re more than stock, English cut-out figures. Unfortunately, he is less skilled in drawing convincing genuine conflicts . . . Problems aside, ‘Stepping Out’ receives high marks for its sparkling ensemble acting.”

In the Daily News, Tom Jacobs was unimpressed: “Harris’ sense of drama is nil; he sets up potentially explosive situations that inevitably fizzle. His sense of humor is lame. . . . Amendolia has directed with a nice light touch, and his performers do as much as they can with these thin characters.”

From Frances Baum Nicholson in the Pasadena Star-News: “Although a lot of fun on a momentary basis, the play simply promises more depth than it ever delivers. When it comes to character development, one is handed an unfinished painting. Leads are given, but one constantly is left waiting for the other shoe to drop.”

Daily Variety’s Christopher Meeks found “a bright ensemble piece, a working person’s ‘Chorus Line’ . . . The psychology of the play is quite remarkable. The audience, like a proud parent, yearns for the characters to do well despite their problems, which tug at them like weights on a poor swimmer.”