Kirsten Dahl’s play ‘Della Doucet’ features a strong production but not much new in the dating game

The world premiere of Kirsten Dahl’s Della Doucet opens Vintage Theatre’s 2024-2025 season with a tender production of a new play featured last year in Vintage’s new play festival.

Unlike most new play entries nowadays, Della Doucet (pronounced Do-Say) is a romantic comedy focusing on the title character and her world of relationships. This play explores the universal themes encountered in the often-tricky dating world and relationships in general.

We meet Della (Johanna Jaquith) at a crossroads in her life. She leaves behind her abusive husband and her children in Louisiana for an all-or-nothing gamble in New York City. When she arrives in Manhattan, she is hired by “Glowing Maternity” magazine, and Della settles in for her new life in the big city. With some difficulty, she meets and befriends office mate Erin (Corinne Landy), a glaring example of how difficult it is to meet new people busy with their own lives.

During cocktail hour with Della and Erin, Sam (Abid Hassan), a handsome commercial real estate developer shows up. He’s immediately labeled a “suit” by Erin. Although stereotypical, her response adds a layer of playful tension to the play. The attraction is immediate, and Sam courageously introduces himself to the pair with a specific interest in Della.

Relationship ups and downs

Throughout the play, we witness the ups and downs of having an adult relationship in our challenging world. Initially, there are predictable missteps in getting Della and Sam together. Ultimately, fate steps in, and a genuine relationship develops, despite Della being married with children waiting for her back in Louisiana.

Directed by Paul Jaquith, Kahl’s play is a two-act comedy that tells us little new about the art of building relationships. While filled with believable dialogue and some comedic moments, I waited in vain for some kind of a-ha moment to arrive.

According to the author’s notes in the program, Della Doucet is based on a real woman that playwright Dahl worked for while living in New York City. Although Della was instrumental in Dahl’s life in New York, she falls short as a character in the “noteworthy” category. From the program notes, it sounded like Dahl’s life would make for an entertaining and insightful play.

As Della, Johanna Jaquith performs admirably, although she has few opportunities to let loose and bring home a star performance. But she is a solid anchor in the production and brings depth to the character. We care about Della and her complex life; Jaquith is responsible for bringing this alive.

Hassan is appealing and likable as Sam the suit and delivers a strong performance as the somewhat confused and nervous love interest. Landy, as Erin, has the most well-developed character to work with and makes the most of it in a solid and straightforward performance as Della’s new best friend. A special shout-out goes to Mike Moran, who plays multiple roles in the production with great energy and humor.