What's most amusing about the show is to see how the likes of Macbeth (played with spiky aplomb by Patrick Pizzolorusso), Hamlet (Josh Odsess-Rubin), and King Lear (an endearingly befuddled John D'Arcangelo), along with Romeo (Ben Holmes) and Juliet (imbued with steamy steeliness by Amanda Tudesco) have adapted to the present day.

The star cross'd lovers, for instance, are privileged prep school kids and Juliet herself has transformed into a creature of pert teen bitchiness and is preciously sexual. Similarly, Macbeth manages to engage in his bloodlust by playing paintball (badly) with kids from the 92nd Street Y. It's rather inspired silliness that could be the stuff of a delicious short play.

Saldarelli expands upon his conceit when he introduces a hapless lawyer -- who just happens to be named Matt Saldarelli (Greg Ayers) -- who hopes to join ranks with the characters. Unfortunately, while he meets (just barely) the first two criteria for club membership, he has to come up with a way to "deface the body, character and/or name of William Shakespeare." The fictional Saldarelli's efforts -- writing and rehearsing a several ill-conceived plays about the Bard -- form a bulk of Getting Even, and, sadly, they just never shine as brightly as what's preceded them.

--Andy Propst