HARTFORD, CT — Come knock on the door of Hartford Theater Works’ annual production of “Christmas on the Rocks,” there’s a familiar face waiting for you.
“Christmas on the Rocks ’24,” is playing at the Hartford Theater Works, the little playhouse at 233 Pearl St., Hartford, that provides an intimate setting for theater buffs locally.
And playing the role of the bartender in the comedy/drama “Christmas on the Rocks” this year is none other than veteran actor Richard Kline, 80.
If the name doesn’t ring a bell, then the show that made him famous might, especially since the character he portrayed also “worked” in a bar.
Kline is best known as “Larry Dallas,” swinging wingman to the late John Ritter’s “Jack Tripper” on the hysterical “Three’s Company” back in the late 1970s/early 1980s.
In this performance in Hartford, Kline isn’t on the prowl like he was at the fictional “Regal Beagle” in Southern California.
Instead, he’s the bartender at a local bar on Christmas Eve, and his customers are a cavalcade of lonely souls “who come to pour out their Christmas woes,” according to Hartford Theater Works.
While the topic seems depressing, Theater Works describes the show as a “delightful parody” with humor on full display.
The show actually started Nov. 29 in Hartford and it continues through Dec. 22.
Shows of “Christmas on the Rocks” are slated from Tuesday through Sundays through Dec. 22, with some days offering early evening and matinee shows in addition to night performances.
The play contains strong language and adult content and it is recommended for those aged 16 and over.
