Charlene Baldridge

Playwright Paul Rudnick has long been known for fluffy, rather thin plays that provide elevated sitcom tailored for the off-Broadway fare of sophisticated New Yorkers. Best known among these is “I Hate Hamlet,” seen cheek by jowl with “Much Ado About Nothing” at Intrepid Shakespeare Company recently.

As Intrepid demonstrated, it is possible to succeed brilliantly with Rudnick if one has the right cast and a daring director with flair. Furthermore, it is possible, while letting loose Rudnick’s sparkling language, to find a modicum of humanity, as Diversionary Theatre does with Rudnick’s 1996 comedy titled “Regrets Only.” Seen Sunday, Aug. 31, the play continues through Sept. 21 at the University Heights LGBT theater company.

A loss, the politics of same-sex marriage, an impending heterosexual marriage amendment and a work-walkout ahead of its time are the events that cause lifelong friends and even the family maid to reexamine their allegiances.

Socialite Tibby McCullough (Kerry McCue), who never met an expensive gown she didn’t buy, and her super-successful attorney husband, Jack (Charles Maze), have enjoyed a marriage of 30-some years, produced a smart daughter named Spencer (Rachael VanWormer), who is also an attorney, and are reliant upon their lesbian maid, Myra Kesselman (funny Teri Brown), to make sure the household runs smoothly and no one takes life too seriously (one never knows whether Myra will be Cockney, French or Irish upon her next entrance).

Enter Tibby’s best friend, gay fashion designer Hank Hadley (Andrew Oswald), whose longtime lover recently died. When Jack announces that he’s been asked to go to Washington to help President Bush draft a new definition of marriage between a man and a woman, his trip elicits discussions of gender, love and marriage and ultimately requires Tibby and Hank to redefine their friendship.

To add to the mayhem, Spencer announces she’s marrying the unseen Peter, described as an über-Nazi style attorney. First, she will accompany daddy to D.C. and then wed. Of course Hank will design her dress, and legions will work the reception, assigned cake, flowers, etc.

Act II is enlivened by the appearance of Marietta (Dagmar Krause Fields), Tibby’s freewheeling, much married mother. Complications arise, but darling, the gowns are divine and so are the women who wear them.

Director Jessica John has a gift for this type material, and if anyone can find the heart of the piece, it is she. Oswald embodies the deeply human designer without undue bitchiness. Hank’s friendship with Tibby goes far beyond the eye-candy he creates for her to wear. He is the lover of her cleverness, and a certain bitchiness must exist to set up her numerous, outrageously apt one-liners. Recently arrived in San Diego from Arizona, McCue is a true find. The others are all solid. The direction, splendid.

These are, take it or leave it, love ‘em or leave ‘em, the beautiful people.

Alina Bokovikova is costume designer. Matt Scott creates the Upper East Side Manhattan dwelling and the city beyond; Peter Herman, the wigs; and Luke Olson, the lighting. Kevin Anthenill is sound designer and composer.

It’s interesting to note that La Jolla Playhouse Artistic Director Christopher Ashley staged the original production of “Regrets Only” at off-Broadway’s Manhattan Theatre Club.

—Charlene Baldridge moved to San Diego from the Chicago area in 1962. She’s been writing about the arts since 1979. Her book “San Diego, Jewel of the California Coast” (Northland Publishing) is currently available in bookstores. She can be reached at [email protected].