Las Vegas Little Theatre hosting production of ‘Prelude to a Kiss’

From the moment Gillen Brey first read the play "Prelude to a Kiss" in the 1990s, she loved it.

When she saw it staged by a small community theater in Florida, Brey knew she needed to either perform in it or direct it.

Almost a decade later, she will get her chance when she directs it for the Las Vegas Little Theatre, 3920 Schiff Drive.

Not one for sappy romance, the fact that she enjoyed "Prelude" so much surprised her, at first.

"It's a show I've always had a real affinity for," says Gillen, who has been working with the theater group since November. "It's really funny and twisted. It's a different kind of show."

The play, written by Craig Lucas, has long been considered by critics to be a commentary on living with HIV and AIDS. It's a funny, romantic play about a young couple who meet, marry and then face overwhelming obstacles to their relationship, Brey says.

At the wedding of the lead characters, Rita and Peter, an old man asks to kiss the bride. When their lips meet, Rita changes bodies with the old man. The action follows the three people as they try to right what went wrong.

"The message is about who do you love, the person inside the body or the body?" Brey says. "You have to answer the question of what you would do if the woman you loved turned into a 60-year-old man."

Penni Mendez plays Rita while Andrew Eddins is Peter and the Old Man is portrayed by Dave Pomeroy.

Brey wants to keep the action flowing, so she's using a revolving stage. Audience members will be able to see some of the set-up and costume changes.

Contact reporter Sonya Padgett at spadgett@ reviewjournal.com or 702-380-4564.