MR. GREEN, an elderly, retired dry cleaner, wanders into New York Traffic and is almost hit by a car driven by ROSS GARDINER, a 29-year-old business executive, Ross is charged with reckless driving and sentenced to a period of community service.

Over several months he is required to visit Mr. Green, shop for his groceries and clean his apartment. Neither of them is happy with the arrangement. Since the recent death of his wife Yetta, Green has given up on life, refuses to see anyone and does not eat properly. His only solace in life is his Jewish life. At first, Green is hostile to Ross. When he learns, however, that the young man is also Jewish, he warms to him and begins to talk about the wonderful marriage he had with Yetta.

Things seem to be going better until Green urges Ross, who is single and living alone, to go out and meet the right girl. When he is insistent about this, Ross informs him that he is gay. Because of his religious beliefs, Green cannot accept Ross’s homosexuality. Old wounds are opened up. Ross regrets that he broke off with a young man he was deeply in love with after his parents reacted negatively to his sexual orientation. Green is suffering from having cut off relations with his only daughter after she married a man who was not Jewish. Ross tries to break down the barrier between them and persuade Green to reconcile with the daughter that he has driven away. What started as a comedy about two men, who do not want to be in the same room together, becomes a gripping, heart-warming drama as they come to understand, respect and finally care for each other.

The Author

The Author’s other plays include MOTHER’S DAY, BROTHERS-IN-LAW, MR. AND MRS, GOD and I collaboration with Moe Angelos, EDNA AND JOE FOREVER. In addition to his work in theatre, Jeff Baron has written and sold four original screen plays. His film THE BRUCE DIET won the CINE Golden Eagle award and has been featured at film festivals around the world. He has also written for numerous television shows; and his journalism, poetry and fiction have been published in various American and foreign journals.

The Actors

G. Philip Hope (Mr. Green)
Philip returned to the UK after honing his acting skills over a period of 40 years of professional acting and singing in the USA, where he also trained in voice at The Quincy Conservatory of Music, Illinois, and the Lancaster Opera Workshop in Pennsylvania, He has just completed a three month run as ‘Dad’ in CAUGHT IN THE NET at the English Theatre of Hamburg where he first played the part of ‘Mr. Green’ in 2007. He toured widely in the USA, some of his most memorable roles being: ‘Alan’ in Neil Simon’s COME BLOW YOUR HORN, and ‘Michael’ in I DO I DO at the Oasis Dinner Theatre in Florida; ‘Charley Wickham’ in CHARLEY’S AUNT in Quincy, Illinois, and more recently ‘Sir Danvers Carew’ in JEKYLL AND HYDE AT The Broadway Palm Dinner Theatre in Fort Myers, Florida; ‘Uncle Henry’/’Wizard’ in THE WIZARD OF OZ  and ‘Captain Andy’ in  SHOWBOAT at the Broadway Palm West Dinner Theatre in Phoenix, Arizona; and ‘Carrier’  in PHANTOM at The Dutch Apple Dinner Theatre in Lancaster Pennsylvania. On screen, Philip has performed as a background artist in an Indy release FRIENDS AND ENEMIES, THE BOURNE ULTIMATUM, DARK NIGHT, NATIONAL TREASURE II, THE YOUNG VICTORIA, and soon to be released, THE WOLFMAN and THE GREEN ZONE. Philip has produced, directed and musically directed and coached for his own companies Hope Theatrical Productions in Florida and Musicalle in Pennsylvania. He is on a quest to provide a stage for mature actors in the UK through his company Hope Theatrical Productions and he keeps himself busy between engagements with the writing of an original musical.

Collin Baxter (Ross Gardiner)
After graduating from the Guildford School of Acting, Collin Baxter left the UK and moved to Amsterdam to join the half Dutch, half English boyband CAUGHT IN THE ACT. For the next six years Lee enjoyed considerable success performing all over the world, receiving many awards including gold and platinum records and selling over four million CDs worldwide. In 2003 Collin made his first steps back into acting by performing in the critically acclaimed comedy show COMMITTED EXHIBITIONISTS AT THE Edinburgh Festival and landing himself a good agent. Within a year, he had moved back to the UK and began auditioning. Lee performed at The English Theatre of Hamburg in MEN’S SINGLES and returned in 2007 to play the part of ‘Ross Gardiner’ in VISITING MR. GREEN.  Meanwhile, on the big screen, he has appeared in two short films OVERTIME and BATHROOM STORIES, and he played the leading role in his first feature film PROFILE OF FEAR, directed by Jan Braband. Collin also appeared in a supporting role in an episode of DOCTOR WHO. Other credits include Idents for Discovery Channel, various voiceovers for documentaries, a radio play called CHIGBURY SOUND and two national tours playing the chat show host for the award-winning Welsh children’s theatre company, Firehorse Productions. Collin has recently appeared with Anah Ruddin in SIX DANCE LESSONS IN SIX WEEKS a Comedy by Richard Alfieri at the English Theatre of Hamburg, Germany