My evening at The Chandler Studio Theatre Center was one of discovery and enchantment. I had driven on Chandler Boulevard for years and never knew there was a theater located in a tiny mall on Chandler near Coldwater Canyon: the charming, comfortable (though without tons of legroom), intimate 30-seat Chandler Studio Theatre Center.

Currently they are producing the GLAAD and Obie Award-winning play In On It by Canadian playwright Daniel Maclvor. It is a pleasing puzzler of a piece with three simultaneous plots. First, there are the playwright and his actor-lover, trying to decide how to present the characters in the play. They trade off roles, squabbling over who is portraying the characters and situations best.

Then there is the main plot (or seemingly so) concerning a man who comes home to tell his family he is dying (we never know from what) only to find that his wife is indifferent and, in fact, is having an affair. Their son doesn’t even want to know any of what is going on.

On the third level, we have the decaying relationship between the writer and his actor-lover. This subplot, which actually becomes the most immediate and poignant story, takes an unexpected but foreshadowed twist which brings all three plots together. All this is superbly directed by Michael Van Duzer, who keeps the story moving and his actors always interesting and interacting truthfully.

This play just wouldn’t work without two terrific actors. Van Duzer found them in Josh Gordon and Blake Anthony. Gordon is the droller of the two, shining as the unfaithful wife and as the writer. He has a perfect face for the rather clueless writer, and never lets Anthony, whose performance is broader and more active, steal his thunder. Anthony is a rubber-faced comic actor who is both moving in his heartfelt moments and hilarious in his sardonic portrayal of the actor-lover. They make an excellent duo and pull off this tricky material with relish and skill. I look forward to seeing more of Blake Anthony and Josh Gordon's work.

I plan to attend the next show at this newly discovered (for me) space, Shaw's Mrs. Warren's Profession. In On It runs for only one more weekend (through July 12), so hurry to catch this gem at The Chandler Studio Theatre Center. Call (800) 838-3006 for tickets.