Long before Saturday Night Live, MadTV, or Key & Peele came the granddaddy of all comedy sketch shows, Your Show of Shows. The 90-minute comedy variety show starred one of the biggest comedians of his time, Sid Caesar. The show boasted a hilarious roster of performers, including Imogene Coca and Carl Reiner.

Behind the scenes was a who’s who of comedy writers churning out weekly material for the stars. Those writers included Mel Brooks and Neil Simon. Nearly 50 years later, Simon took his experiences writing for Your Show of Shows and Sid Caesar’s follow up show, Caesar’s Hour, and turned them into the non-stop joke machine that is the Broadway play Laughter on the 23rd Floor. A new production recently opened at The Sherman Playhouse under the direction of Dan Friedman.

Laughter tells the story of over the top comedian Max Prince (played by Bob Cady) and his staff of writers over the lifespan of his hit NBC television show. Young writer Lucas (Colin McLoone) serves as our trusty narrator, breaking the fourth wall, in perfect Neil Simon fashion, to guide audiences through the ins and outs of the writer’s room. While Simon’s script boasts gags and jokes galore, there is a serious exploration of Senator Joe McCarthy’s blacklist and the cost of free speech.

Bob Cady leads the cast as the flamboyant and possibly unstable Max Prince. Cady is an absolute joy to watch. His larger than life presence and physical comedy elevate every scene he is in.

Matching that frenetic energy and comedic prowess is Steve Zerilli as the consistently late hypochondriac Ira. Some of the best moments of the show are when these two get to go toe to toe with their antics.

The writers’ room is filled out with six other writers. As mentioned, Colin McLoone plays Lucas, Neil Simon’s semi-autobiographical role. McLoone perfectly embodies the young, naive newcomer.

Adam Battelstein plays Val, a Russian immigrant with a wry wit delivering some of the more subtle laughs of the night. Chris Bird plays the compulsively wisecracking Milt, who is constantly attempting to impress Prince. Bird skillfully delivers many of the show's best one liners.

Jon Barker takes on the role of Brian, the Irish writer always threatening to make it in Hollywood. Barker’s sly charm is a delight. Andrew Blanchard brings a more serious tone to the piece, but is a nice contrast to the insanity around him.

The two female staff members on Prince’s show are Rebecca Annalise, who nails her role as the no nonsense voice of reason, and Tarah Vega as Helen, Prince’s not-so-dumb blonde secretary.

Every person in the cast is integral to this show’s success. Laughter calls for a tight ensemble delivering rapid fire dialogue and this cast does not disappoint.

The simple yet effective set allows room for quite a bit of physical comedy. At times the actors are upstaged by some of the larger furniture pieces, having to play scenes behind the large last supper-like writer’s table and secretary desk, but the actors do their best to overcome those moments.

Overall, there are plenty of laughs to be had at The Sherman Players’ production of Laughter on the 23rd Floor. Each performance offers a night of escapist theater which will transport you back to a different time when we all just needed a laugh for a laugh’s sake.

Performances continue weekends until April 26, with Friday and Saturday evening shows and Sunday matinees. Call 860-354-3622 or visit shermanplayers.org for ticket details and reservations.