it happens: The Last Romance

I t's never too late. Love is possible.

You're never too old for it.

So claims "The Last Romance," which has its southeastern United States premiere at the Florida Repertory Theatre April 24-May 17.

At a recent lunch break, its two leads sat and talked about love, romance, aging and life.

David S. Howard (recently in the Rep's "Indian Blood" and the title character in "Visiting Mr. Green") plays Ralph, an 80-year-old man who falls in love with Carol.

The feeling is mutual. Though they come from different economic and social backgrounds, sparks fly between the two when they meet in a dog park.

Carol (played by Sara Morsey, last seen at the Rep as Amanda in "The Glass Menagerie"), doesn't want to tell him her age, but will admit to being "beyond 70."

"She touchy about her age," says Ms. Morsey.

Though younger than her character, Ms. Morsey doesn't want to state her age, either. Directors would then pigeonhole her, she fears. But it's obvious that she's "playing up," playing a character much older than her own age. "I've been playing older than my age since I was about six," she says.

Fron the top, Sara Morsey, top Morsey David S. Howard, Jason Parrish and Carrie Lund star in Florida Rep's production of "The Last Romance."

Offstage, without make-up and costuming, Ms. Morsey and Mr. Howard could easily be mistaken for father and daughter.

So do people really fall in love in their senior years?

"Of course it happens," she says.

Mr. Howard recalls a scene from "I'm Not Rappaport," in which he played an 81-year-old man: "He thinks he's falling in love with a girl on a bridge," he explains. "He says: 'It's not the sex, it's the romance. The schmeckler's out of business, but the romance remains. The body just goes along for the ride.'"

There's a chemical attraction that never dies, he says. "I see the same thing happen with men even older than I am, and I'm older than dirt," he jokes. (Mr. Howard, like his character, Ralph, is 80.)

For example, he adds, there's a theater patron in Sarasota, where Mr. Howard has often performed. Now in his 90s, the man buried his wife a couple years ago. But then Mr. Howard saw him at an opening night reception.

"He had a girlfriend with him," he says. "He looked 10 years younger! He was bright and cheery. He was in love! They were sitting together, holding hands.

"It happens."

"It could happen to anybody," Ms. Morsey says.

"It's a very natural and wonderful thing," Mr. Howard adds. "My father-in-law is 96 and he has a lady friend who's 12 years younger. They have a very romantic, wonderfully exciting relationship. They live near each other. They've been together for many, many years. And it's a romance.

"It happens. "They think love stops. 'It's impossible.' But it happens."

"Of course it happens," says Ms. Morsey.

The mistaken idea that people don't fall in love or have sex in their golden years, she says, is probably "perpetuated by the kids of people who don't want to think of their mom or dad having another spouse. And a lot of kids don't want the money to go to anyone else."

But the misperception of no romance and no sex after a certain age may fade as the years pass, she says. As Baby Boomers begin to age and become senior citizen themselves, they'll quite likely think about love and romance in one's golden years differently, now that it's affecting them.

She believes that what's true in acting is also true in life: "We can all experience anything," she says. "What limits you is your imagination. You have the ability to imagine anything that would happen to any human being ever. People get caught in a place where they see themselves one way… They see one thing."

But everyone has the ability to change their mind, she says. "It's about making choices. "If we can do that on stage as a character, why can't we do it in life?"

Robert Cacioppo, Florida Repertory Theater's producing artistic director, is directing "The Last Romance." In addition to Ms. Morsey and Mr. Howard, Carrie Lund and Jason Parrish round out the cast.

"The Last Romance" was written by Joe DiPietro, who wrote the popular "I Love You, You're Perfect, Now Change," as well as Florida Rep's last production, the comic thriller "The Art of Murder." Mr. DiPietro recently came to town to see "The Art of Murder" and also sat in on a rehearsal of "The Last Romance."

"He's a wonderful craftsman," Mr. Howard says of the playwright. "He's able to write in so many different styles about so many different kinds of things.

"Life encompasses so many things, so many ideas. That's part of what he put into this play. He does not want to put people into straitjackets. That's part of why he's such a good writer: He has a very broad view of life."

In America's youth-obsessed culture, where it's so common for people to get plastic surgery in order to look younger, older people are often overlooked. Or invisible. They're not often seen as capable of carrying on a great romance or being swept up in passion.

After all, the reasoning goes, who would want someone with gray hair

or wrinkles?

Some people believe older romances are based on who people are on the inside, rather than on what they look like on the outside, and that as people age, they begin to appreciate qualities of an individual that they overlooked when younger.

 

Ralph (David S. Howard) and Carol (Sara Morsey) find love in their golden years.

But Ms. Morsey disagrees.

"I do believe that superficial young people become superficial older people," she says, "and cranky young people become cranky older people."

Acting, Mr. Howard contributes, pushes people to look beyond the superficial.

"You find other qualities in your life," he says. "You're constantly examining yourself… having to look into yourself for the raw material for your life and your understanding of your character. That helps you to appreciate more of the possibilities in life… It makes you a more complete person."

Is love in one's golden years sweeter, because it happens so late in life that you don't take it for granted, or bittersweet, because you realize there's not as much time left to share?

"It depends on the circumstances," Mr. Howard says. "In some situations, it can be bittersweet."

COURTESY PHOTO Robert Cacioppo

For example, children might object to the new relationship, or health concerns might interrupt a budding romance.

But the two actors agree: Cupid isn't ageist. The cherub's arrows can strike young and old alike.

Love and marriage can happen at any age.

"Anything can happen at any age," Ms. Morsey declares.

if you go

>> "The Last Romance" >> When: April 24-May 17 >> Where: Florida Repertory Theatre, 2267 Bay St., in the Arcade Theatre in downtown Fort Myers on Bay Street between Hendry and Jackson >> Cost: $20, $35, $39 >> Information: Call 332-4488 or (877) 787-8053 or go to www.FloridaRep.org.