Love at any age: ‘Social Security’ a comedic take on finding romance when you least expect it

You are never too old to fall in love.

That is the sentiment behind “Social Security,” according to show director Lewis Hauser.

“Social Security” follows two sisters as they navigate their elderly mother falling in love with a 98-year-old artist. The play will run at The Adobe Theater, opening Friday, Feb. 27, and running through March 22.

Hauser has directed the play twice in Los Angeles but says each time is different, and he is never bored with the story.

“I always start over if I’m directing a show that I’ve directed before …,” Hauser said. “Because it’s a different cast, it’s a different atmosphere.”

He was approached by Adobe to direct a comedy, and “Social Security” was the first one he thought of, Hauser said.

The show is set in 1980s New York City but takes place in a single set, the apartment of David and Barbara. The play relies heavily on dialogue to explore the outside world.

“That’s where my work as a director really kicks in, because I have to make the audience see (the outside world) through the dialogue,” Hauser said. 

He said his goal is to make the audience feel like they are eavesdropping on the characters and their lives rather than watching the show.

He said each actor has different acting methods, and his role as the director is to present the vision of the show’s author, Andrew Bergman.

“They have to fall into his vision, and yet they bring their own experiences to the role,” Hauser said. “That’s the magic of theater.”

The 1980s era of the show affects not only the set but also the love story between Sophie and the artist. He said the play would not work with the modern ease of communication.

“Social Security” also navigates the relationship between Sophie and her daughters, as they grapple with their mother’s impending marriage.

“She’s been widowed for some time, and now she really finds true love again …,” Hauser said, “and she’s actually the only one that’s dealing with it in a normal manner.”

Hauser said the play is a beautifully written piece, filled with humor and heartwarming moments that audiences can connect with no matter their age.

“I think everybody, especially seniors, are going to identify with this show,” Hauser said.

“It’s a senior love story, that’s what it boils down to,” he said. “It’s a senior love story, and it just proves that you could fall in love and you could find your true soulmate no matter what age.”

Elizabeth Secor is an arts fellow from the New Mexico Local News Fellowship program. You can reach her at esecor@abqjournal.com.