Lovebirds take a second shot at amour

Jenny Aldrich barely squeezes through the entrance to Starbucks before the abnormally heavy door threatens to smash her derrière. She sets a giant black poster board, plastered with photos from past theatrical productions with her other half, down against the window and grins.

Her husband, Don Walker, is a tall, dark and handsome teddy-bear-of-a-man who can pull off a variety of striking characters, especially when he’s sporting the mustache of a Frenchman and a beret. The duo has performed together 10 times as a couple and 20 to 30 times in the same production — they’ve acted together so often, they’ve lost count.

The pair first met 19 years ago when they were cast as a little old Irish couple for “Veronica’s Room,” at the Golden Apple Dinner Theatre. Aldrich quickly realized during rehearsals that if she stood right in front of Walker while director Garry Allen Breul gave his notes, Walker would rub the back of her neck.
She points to a photo from about 10 years ago, when she and Walker starred in “Murder at the Howard Johnson’s,” a suspense comedy about a love triangle and also one of the couple’s most memorable performances.

“In the first act, we are meeting to kill my husband,” Aldrich said. “In the second act, my husband and I are meeting to kill him (Walker). And then, in the third act, they are plotting to kill me! If people knew how much fun acting was, everybody would be an actor!”

Starting Wednesday, March 10, Aldrich and Walker will play the leading roles as the Glenridge Performing Arts Center launches its first professional theatrical production, “The Second Time Around,” with Breul directing the show — and keeping the couple in line.

“This is a delightful play because we have these different characters — my son, his daughter, my daughter-in-law and his son-in-law,” Aldrich said. “One at a time, we have to deal with them. Kyle Turoff is my daughter-in-law and she drives me crazy! We have that little artificial sweetness ... ”

Aldrich says working with Breul is like starting out eating a Hershey’s chocolate bar, but when it comes time to consume the last bite, the bar has transformed into a deliciously decadent dark-chocolate torte.

“When I first heard that Garry was directing, I thought ‘Oh no, now we’re going to have to really work!’” Aldrich said. “Garry always wants more. He doesn’t let you rest, doesn’t let you be complacent and keeps probing for more to make the play fuller and rounder and deeper and more real and better. But this is
perfect for us.”

Because Walker is also performing in “The Life of Galileo,” at the Asolo Repertory Theatre, he was unable to attend the interview with his wife, but Aldrich phones Walker in the middle of the interview to chat.

“Jenny is the second time around for me, not just in the show, but in real life, too,” he says. “I think we’re meant for each other — star-crossed, as they say. She is my perfect co-star, and I can’t imagine anybody that I’d have more fun with. We finally got it right.”

BOX
If You Go
“The Second Time Around”
Where: Glenridge Performing Arts Center, 7333 Scotland Way
When: 8 p.m. Thursday, March 11 and Friday, March 12 and 2 and 8 p.m. Saturday, March 13
Tickets: $17.50
Information: Call 552-5325 or www.theglenridge.com

Contact Loren Mayo at [email protected].