(Left to right) Jeff Lowe portrays Herbert Tucker, Tabbitha McBride plays daughter Libby and Paige Whitney-White is on-again off-again partner Steffy in Bay Area Stage’s production of Neil Simon’s “I Ought to Be in Pictures,” which opens Friday. (Courtesy photo)

The importance of family and fulfilling one’s dreams are just two themes audiences will be exposed to when they see Bay Area Stage’s (BAS) production of Neil Simon’s “I Ought to Be in Pictures,” opening Friday.

BAS co-producer Stacey Loew is a big fan of Simon and has wanted the Vallejo theater company to do a play by the legendary comedic playwright for a long time. However, she wanted to do a play of his that was not performed as much.

“You can only see ‘The Odd Couple’ so many times,” she said.

Simon’s play, which premiered in 1979, tells the story of Libby Tucker, a teenage girl who hitchhikes from Brooklyn to Hollywood to pursue a career as an actress. She meets with a struggling screenwriter, Herbert Tucker, who is also the father who abandoned her family when she was a little girl. Herbert sees this as an opportunity to become a better father to Libby, give her the Hollywood career she has been dreaming of and strengthen the relationship with his on-again/off-again girlfriend Steffy.

“It’s a charming play that has its funny moments and its tender moments,” Loew, the play’s director, said. “It’s appealing because the characters are not just one-dimensional people.”

As with the original play, the BAS production has only three characters. Herbert is played by BAS co-producer Jeff Lowe, and Loew said it was quite a challenge to direct her business partner who has also directed plays.

“We’re like a husband and wife team that aren’t really a husband and wife team,” she said. “When someone usually does the directing, sometimes they’re the hardest people to direct.”

However, “he’s doing an awesome job,” Loew said. “The man is very talented.”

The other two cast members are Tabbitha McBride as Libby and Paige Whitney-White as Steffy, both of whom Loew said are also great.

The play is also a big leap for Loew, who has acted in or done costumes for other BAS productions and is now taking the helm as director for only the fourth time.

“It’s been a joy for me to direct,” she said. “I love to see the creative process take place on stage, theater coming to life and me being a part of it.”

Audiences may laugh, audiences may cry but ultimately Loew hopes everyone becomes invested in the play.

“One of the main things about theater is that it’s a diversion from everyday life,” she said. “It’s going to be so entertaining and fun, so they’ll mainly take away a good time.”

“I Ought to Be in Pictures” will open Friday at 8 p.m. and run through Sunday, June 10 at Bay Area Stage, located at 515 Broadway St. in Vallejo. Evening performances are Fridays and Saturdays at 8, and matinees are Sunday at 3 p.m. Tickets range from $18 to $20, and can be purchased online at https://www.eventbrite.com/e/i-ought-to-be-in-pictures-bay-area-stage-vallejo-tickets-45706493352. For more information, visit bayareastage.org.

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