Review: THREE COCONUTS World Premiere Comedy at Miles Memorial Playhouse

The world premiere comedy Three Coconuts is based on true events that happened in writer Howard Teichman's life as a young boy.

Published on Feb. 21, 2026

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Written and directed by Howard Teichman and Steven G. Simon, the world premiere comedy Three Coconuts is based on true events that happened in Teichman's life as a young boy. Set in Chicago at the end of August 1968 during the Democratic National Convention, the play follows Ida Blumenthal, a middle-aged woman determined to find a new Jewish husband, as she hosts a Friday night Sabbat dinner and invites single Jewish men over, sight unseen. The play features a colorful cast of characters, including Ida's young son Sammy, her brother Irving, and the three men who show up for the dinner, known as the "Three Coconuts." The reviewer enjoyed the story, acting, and staging, as well as the recognition of Yiddish comments, behavior, and attitudes from their own life being raised by a close-knit Jewish family.

Why it matters

The play explores themes of family, marriage, and the changing roles of women in the late 1960s, set against the backdrop of the tumultuous 1968 Democratic National Convention in Chicago. It provides a humorous and insightful look at the challenges and expectations faced by a middle-aged Jewish woman seeking a new husband, while also touching on broader social and political issues of the time.

The details

The play follows Ida Blumenthal, a middle-aged Jewish woman living in Chicago's Albany Park neighborhood, as she prepares for a Friday night Sabbat dinner and invites single Jewish men over, sight unseen, in an effort to find a new husband. The three men who show up are known as the "Three Coconuts": David Alonzo, a bargain-seeking eccentric; Manny Feldstein, a macho peanut thrower at Wrigley Field; and Benny Goodmann, a shy Jewish accountant. The play also features Ida's young son Sammy, her brother Irving, and a neighbor named Maurice who is operating a bordello upstairs. When the police arrive, the characters are all swept up in the chaos.

  • The play is set at the end of August 1968, during the Democratic National Convention in Chicago.
  • Performances of the world premiere production are taking place at the Miles Memorial Playhouse in Santa Monica, California through March 29, 2026.

The players

Howard Teichman

The writer and director of the play, based on true events from his own life as a young boy.

Steven G. Simon

The co-writer and co-director of the play, who collaborated with Teichman on the story.

Ida Blumenthal

The central character, a middle-aged Jewish woman living in Chicago's Albany Park neighborhood who is determined to find a new husband.

Sammy

Ida's young son, whose development is an important part of the story.

Irving

Ida's brother, who is dismayed by her efforts to find a new husband.

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What they’re saying

“I guarantee these two talented actors will remind you of Clarence Williams III and Peggy Lipton as Linc and Julie on The Mod Squad, a popular TV crime drama that debuted in September 1968, a month after the Chicago riots.”

— Shari Barrett, Reviewer (broadwayworld.com)

“his great grandparents are Kvelling from up above”

— Zachary Nemes, Actor playing Sammy (broadwayworld.com)

What’s next

The world premiere production of Three Coconuts will continue its run at the Miles Memorial Playhouse in Santa Monica, California through March 29, 2026.

The takeaway

The play provides a humorous and insightful look at the challenges and expectations faced by a middle-aged Jewish woman in the late 1960s, while also exploring broader themes of family, marriage, and social change during a tumultuous period in American history.