“Never to be squandered.”This line from the...

“Never to be squandered.”

This line from the Tony Award-nominated “Prelude to a Kiss” characterizes the philosophy of love and life found in the play, which is to be performed by the El Camino College Theatre Department beginning Friday in the Campus Theatre.

By turns mystical and comic, the play by Craig Lucas tells a tale of love tested and redefined. Released last year as a Hollywood film starring Meg Ryan and Alec Baldwin, “Prelude to a Kiss” features a young couple who fall in love only to be separated on their wedding day when a mysterious old man appears and asks to kiss the bride. As their lips touch, the two swap souls.

The young woman, still beautiful, acquires the spirit of the dying and lonely old man while he, a physical shell, houses the hope and energy of her youth. The bridegroom must first discover the strange exchange and then determine the strength of his love.

The story blends fantasy, philosophy, comedy and romance in a contemporary story appealing to all ages, said director Ron Scarlata, a theater arts instructor at El Camino College.

“This is not a simple little sitcom,” Scarlata said. “The overall message is quite spiritual.”

More than just a love story, the play offers lessons on mortality, commitment and acceptance, he said.

“The ending always moves me, every time we rehearse it,” Scarlata added. “It leaves you crying and feeling warm and evaluating your feelings about your relationships.”

The two-act play features a 20-member cast and a turntable set created by staff designer Chuck Turner. Show times are 8 p.m. Friday, Saturday and March 19 and 20 and 3 p.m. Sunday in the Campus Theatre of El Camino College, 16007 Crenshaw Blvd., near Torrance.

Tickets are $6 and $8. For information call (800) 832-ARTS or (310) 329-5345.