NJ theater streaming play about falling in love made by real couple during pandemic

A New Jersey theater is streaming a play about a couple falling in love that was performed by a real-life couple.
“The Nice Man Cometh” is about a first date gone off on a rough start for a mature couple, who reluctantly takes a risk on romance. The play stars married couple Michael Tucker and Jill Eikenberry.
“It’s hard to navigate how to trust somebody. They’ve been through a lot of different things,” says Eikenberry.
Written by Tucker, the play depicts the story of a new relationship between a widower and a divorced woman. It evolves over five scenes, which will be streamed over five days beginning on April 5.
The nonprofit Long Branch theater NJ Repertory Company will stream the play. The theater is dedicated to producing new plays during the COVID-19 pandemic shutdown.
The play was shot during the quarantine.
“We have a barn…we made it into a soundstage and took a week and a half and Jill and I learned the lines and worked on the play,” Tucker says.
Writing while in quarantine, creating their own sets, and shooting in their own barn - the play became a pandemic passion project for the couple who has a long history of working together. They are most notable for costarring in the long running television drama "LA Law."
“I have to say it was one of the most joyous things I’ve ever done working with Jill on this particular play, at this particular time in our lives,” says Tucker.
“This is about two people falling in love with each other. And what a wonderful thing to do when you’re in lockdown with your husband for a year. I highly recommend it,” Eikenberry says.
“The Nice Man Cometh” was shot and edited by filmmakers Karen Thorsen and Douglas Dempsey.
Anyone interested in viewing the play can email njrep@njrep.org to get a free link.