Theatre Works' first show of their 32nd and final season is Neil Simon's "The Prisoner of Second Avenue." This dark comedy tells the story of Mel, a New York advertising executive whose life takes a dramatic turn when he loses his job. As he attempts to come to terms with his joblessness, he realizes he must subsist on his wife Edna's income. When his home is burglarized and his psychiatrist dies with $23,000 of his money, Mel has a nervous breakdown. As the couple recovers together, the audience witnesses their resilience and determination to survive. Although a nervous breakdown is a serious subject, Neil Simon reminds us that even in the face of desperation and despair, there can be laughter. Director Mark Anderson picks a topnotch cast, uses the whole stage, and keeps the pace in constant motion — winning his cast many laughs along the way.

Mark Anderson does double duty, playing Mel while directing. At first a constant complainer, Mel descends steadily into nervous breakdown. Some of his crazy antics include banging on the wall to quiet two German stewardesses in the neighboring apartment, yelling from his balcony at the garbage on the street, and doing the same to the upstairs neighbor. Mark's manic scene — where he rants and raves into utter dejection — is handled beautifully. The humor and pathos show how Mel has become a prisoner in his own home. Two of the funniest moments come when Mel has water thrown in his face and when he takes his revenge during the final tableau by threatening to bury the culprit under a pile of snow. Mark also designed the gorgeous set, while Sharon Charette made the costumes.

Connie Anderson is fantastic as Edna, displaying the many layers of the character. She goes from sympathetic listener to hysterical robbery victim to family breadwinner to take-charge financial manager to small nervous breakdown victim — handling all these transitions on many different levels, winning much laughter along the way. She is adept at both comedy and drama, doing superb work as Edna.

Steve Slate plays Mel's worrywart brother Harry, adding the lightness and comic touches needed in the second act — whether arguing with his tightwad sisters or trying to force Mel to take money to open a summer sports camp. The three sisters are well played by Lydia Matera as Pauline the cheapskate, Roxanne Ladoucer as Jessie who comically cries constantly, and Mary Concannon as Pearl who misremembers things from Mel's childhood. So for a comic look at a serious subject, be sure to catch "The Prisoner of Second Avenue" at Theatre Works.

WOONSOCKET - Ant'ny Claus returns in "Ant'ny Claus: A Dysfunctional North Pole!" and this time, he's got to take over for real following Santa's slip and fall. It's Christmas Eve, the elves are about to go on strike, something's wrong with the reindeer - and only Ant'ny can save the day! Or can he?

All the regular characters return - Ant'ny, Bruno the Elf, Bennie the Reindeer, plus Sonny and Holly, and of course, Ant'ny's mother-in-law, Carmella Senior. They'll be joined by a bunch of new characters - including Mallet and Persnickety the elves, and Notfanuttin' the reindeer.

The show was written and is co-directed by Frank O'Donnell who also stars as Ant'ny.

The show will be presented by Theatre Works in the Masonic Temple, 142 Clinton St., Woonsocket. Showtimes are Dec. 5, 6, 7, 12, 13, 14. Friday and Saturday shows begin at 8 p.m. and Sunday shows at 2 p.m.