‘Sirens’ keeps audiences laughing

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Ellen and Scott Phelps rehearse for their roles in "Sirens" at Citadel Theatre.

Updated: February 2, 2012 3:00PM

Maybe, if you’re a romantically inclined guy deep in the throes of a mid-life crisis, it’s not a good idea to stand near the rail of a cruise ship in waters known to harbor mystical aquatic seductresses.

It’s pretty likely that Sam Abrams, the long-married hero of the romantic comedy “Sirens,” would consider that good advice. Not that he had sense enough to put it into practice himself.

If he had, though, there wouldn’t me much of a story to tell when “Sirens,” a hit at the 2010 Humana Festival of New American Plays, has its Midwest premiere Feb. 3 at Citadel Theatre in Lake Forest.

“This show is so much fun,” said Citadel artistic director Scott Phelps, who plays Sam opposite his wife Ellen, co-starring as Sam’s wife Rose Adelle. “It’s hilarious, it’s romantic, it’s 97 minutes long and it moves like the wind. When I saw it at the festival, I did not stop laughing from curtain rise to curtain fall.”

Not that there is any parallel whatsoever between the comically troubled Abrams marriage and the long-term marriage of the Phelps’ — who met, by the way, 30 years and four kids ago at the Humana fest.

“Sirens” is the story of a man who fell in love with his wife in high school, wrote a hit song named for her, lived happily with her for 25 years — and then found himself uninspired by her halfway through their journey.

Desperate to write another great song, Sam begins looking up old high-school sweethearts, until Rose discovers his 137 female Facebook friends.

Rose decides a cruise of the Greek islands is all that’s needed to rekindle their romance, but the situation is complicated when Sam hears the fabled song of the Siren and jumps overboard.

“Pretty much everyone who hears the Siren’s song jumps ship, drowns and washes up on (the Siren’s) little island. So, she’s kind of surprised when Sam gets there,” Phelps said. “As a matter of fact, the last guy who didn’t die was Ulysses.”

Sam soon realizes his wife is his true love and muse — though the repercussions of his little extra-marital swim are far from over.

“Any couple that’s been together for any significant amount of time is going to know what it is to lose a little of the spark in their romance — at least for a little while,” Phelps said. “They’re going to be thinking, ‘Yep, we’ve had that argument.’”