New Classics Theatre presents the World Premiere of Northwest playwright Jeff Stilwell’s new metaphysical comedy about saving a marriage, “One Tile Short,” opening July 9 at New Space Theatre in Shoreline.

The heart-warming and madcap comedy tells the story of Angie’s attempt to take exhausted husband Pip camping to get him away from his Grand Mosaic, a collection of the greatest spiritual traditions in the attempt to forge a true and lasting international peace. Her increasingly exasperated attempts to find time alone with her husband are thrown over, however, as Pip brings his work with him, her would-be lover Trevor suddenly appears in the attempt to woo her still, and a zany Park Ranger keeps popping up with another campfire song to sing!

“One Tile Short” marks the 11th play of Stilwell’s to be produced, earning the playwright accolades from local theatre critics. The Driftwood Players production of of his play “Traffic Stop” also garnered two awards at the Kaleidoscope competition in 2007.

“It’s a really quite beautiful play. The performances of the cast are finely nuanced,” Stilwell said. “You’ll find it all there — uproarious laughter, sweet moments of tenderness, a devilishly handsome villain that you’ll love to hate.” “One Tile Short” features a cast of familiar Northwest stage faces in Carissa Meisner Smit as Angie, David Bailey as Pip, Lars Enden as Trevor, and Mike Way as the Park Ranger. The comedy also marks the fourth time that many of the cast has worked with Stilwell.

Bailey also contributed technical design to the campground set which hosts a final duel with broomsticks, instead of foils, between Pip and Trevor. “It may sound surreal, but it’s also wonderfully wacky,” Stilwell said. “David and Lars are working hard, putting in several hours of stage fencing, learning to handle those brooms with ease.”

The comedy runs for nine performances, July 9 to 25. Visit the theatre group’s website, newclassicstheatre.org, to meet the cast, read the script, and read Becky Backstage’s kooky and irreverent interviews with the playwright and cast.