By Dana Casadei

Chaucer once said, “All good things must come to an end.” So is the case with Broadway Onstage, making its most recent show, “Breaking Legs,” the last for not only the theater, but Dennis Wickline Productions as well, which produced 33 seasons of local professional theater.

After Broadway Onstage’s 20 years in Eastpointe, it seems fitting that its last show is one they’ve done before, “bringing together some of the funniest moments and actors from its past,” according to the show’s press release. The Tom Dulack comedy was first performed at the theater in 2003, with four of the cast members coming back for this production: Tony Amato, Sal Demercurio, Sal Rubino, and Olivia Wickline. And it’s still rather funny after all these years.

It’s 2003, and the action takes place in successful mobster Lou’s (Demercurio) Italian restaurant, which is managed by Lou’s unmarried daughter, Angie (Sharron Nelson). A former professor of Angie’s, Terrence (Charles Davis), comes to see if Lou and his associates, Mike (Amato) and Tina (Wickline), will back his new play about murder. To Terrance’s (Charles Davis) surprise, the trio seems to be interested in producing his off-off Broadway show. But then Terrance discovers that his backers are actually gangsters, after the death of a lesser thug, which doesn’t exactly thrill the hopeful playwright. Terrance must then wait for the family’s final decision on his show. Oh, and he has to write the eulogy for the fallen man. And figure out how he feels about Angie, even though he’s married.

While Dulack’s script lacks a little luster – mainly its underwhelming characters and plot – the actors give it everything they’ve got.

The trio of Demercurio, Amato and Wickline play off of each other with the kind of relaxed comfort that only comes from the familiarity of having done this show together before. Amato’s Mike is the most cartoonish of the trio, filled with constantly changing facial expressions, while Wickline’s Tina is a stone-faced, brassy broad who doesn’t take crap from anyone. Then there’s Demercurio’s Lou, who is the straight man of the group, and a mobster that instantly softens around his daughter.

Nelson’s Angie is headstrong, blunt and has a delivery that shows she’s a woman who is going to get what she wants when she wants it. While Angie is a tough woman, the actress also manages to smooth her around the edges a little and shows some vulnerability, especially in regards to Davis’ Terrence.

Christopher Oakley’s direction makes the conversations in the show feel natural and realistic. Oakley makes sure that his actors also play up the comedy as big as they can, including a scene that closes Act I with Angie and Terrence – and a very good foot massage.

Dennis Wickline’s set feels homey. Dark wood fixtures, such as the tables and bar, contrast nicely against the light blue walls. Photos of Italy cover the walls, while red-checkered tablecloths hang over the tables.

Before last night’s show began, a woman passed around a best wishes sheet for the audience to sign, with messages of how much they would miss this place and to thank Dennis for his years of producing theater. Who knows where Dennis and his gang are going to go from here, but like Mike said during the play, here’s to hoping they continue “breaking legs.”