Page 18 THE VILLADOM TIMES I, II, III & IV • March 5, 2014 ‘The Other Josh Cohen’ is hard-luck saga of likable guy by Dennis Seuling You know things are a little off when, about 10 minutes before the start of “The Other Josh Cohen,” the current production at Millburn’s Paper Mill Playhouse, a hooded figure comes onto the dimly lit stage and starts remov- ing objects -- a TV, a window shade, CDs, a cake, and every thing else he can carry. It’s an auspicious opening for a musical play that chronicles the bad-luck life of the title character, broken into two roles, contemporary narra- tor Josh (David Rossmer) and the Josh Cohen of the past (Steve Rosen). Josh, a little nobody in his late thirties, is devastated to find his apartment stripped of all his worldly posses- sions. This is yet another setback in a life that has not been going well. Making matters worse, it’s Valentine’s Day and Josh has no serious relationship. In fact, Valentine’s Days past and present consistently make his life worse. Josh is a pleasant enough guy, and his two incarnations trade lam- entations and encouragements in songs and wisecracks, always with an optimistic, comedic point of view. Rossmer and Rosen also wrote the book, music, and lyrics of the show, which had its original run at Manhattan’s SoHo Playhouse in 2012. In a series of vignettes, the audi- ence sees Josh’s assorted short-term girlfriends (played by Kate Wetherhead, who also plays numerous other small Steve Rosen and David Rossmer in ‘The Other Josh Cohen.’ roles). A three-piece on-stage ensemble serves as the musi- cal source, and its members occasionally take on roles in assorted episodes of Josh’s life. Both men manage to balance acting, singing, and even a bit of choreography to hold attention throughout the 90- minute show, which runs without an intermission. Once the initial shock of the loud, rock-inflected score wears off, these guys win over the audience with their smiles, enthu- siasm, and on-stage charisma. The songs involve assorted episodes in Josh’s life, though their lyrics are more signifi- cant than their melodies, which are not distinctive. Though some might regard Josh as a loser, the show has a sweet, even gentle tone that never inches into cynicism or bitterness. There are elements in Josh’s personality that all can identify with, so he becomes a kind of Everyman. The show is a bit lost in such a large theater and might work better in a more intimate setting. “The Other Josh Cohen” is not the typical show pre- sented by the Paper Mill. The playhouse’s specialty is full- staged revivals of Broadway musicals. For instance, the theater’s last production was “Oliver!” and the next will be “South Pacific.” Sandwiching “The Other Josh Cohen” between these two classics is a daring scheduling decision, since the show has a very loud score with one simple set. This is not a show that fans of Rodgers and Hammerstein or Lerner and Loewe might embrace. The audience on opening night consisted of a cross section of age groups, and a lot younger attendees than one usually sees in Paper Mill’s audiences. Perhaps that is the point. However, it is somewhat disappointing, despite the charms of the show, to see such a scaled-down production. “The Other Josh Cohen” will be performed Wednesday at 7:30 p.m., Thursday at 1:30 and 7:30 p.m., Friday at 8 p.m., Saturday at 1:30 and 8 p.m., and Sunday at 1:30 and 7 p.m. Tickets range from $27 to $98 and may be purchased by calling (973) 376-4343, at the Paper Mill Playhouse box office at 22 Brookside Drive in Millburn, or online at www.papermill.org.