Guess Who's Coming to Dinner was a controversial film when it debuted in 1967, just six months after the Supreme Court had struck down anti-miscegenation laws in the landmark Loving v. Virginia decision. Focusing on a young, interracial couple introducing each other to their parents and seeking approval to wed, the movie called into question the true feelings of liberal-minded and activist intellectuals when the theoretical materializes in their own living room. Playwright Todd Kreidler has adapted the iconic film into a smart comedy that still provokes as it resonates with today's societal climate, while retaining both the cultural realities and optimism of the original.

Adriane Lenox, Lonnie Farmer, Malcolm-Jamal Warner, Julia Duffy, Patrick Shea and Meredith Forlenza

The Huntington Theatre Company production is a crisp, tight vehicle driven expertly by director David Esbjornson (All My Sons at the Huntington), who follows Kreidler's lead in focusing on the characters and their personal relationships, while the elephant in the room informs the specifics of their behavior and their concerns. The playwright has given us three-dimensional characters with the ability to think and feel, as well as deliver a laugh line. Blessed with a gifted ensemble, all of whom seem to have advanced degrees in comic timing, Esbjornson sets a quick pace for the light-hearted scenes and slows things down to emphasize the gravity of the dramatic scenes.

A synopsis is that Joanna (Meredith Forlenza) returns early from a Hawaiian vacation and surprises her liberal white parents when she is accompanied by her fiancé, an African-American physician. Matt (Will Lyman) and Christina Drayton (Julia Duffy, "Newhart") are stunned and forced to examine their own reactions and issues, their African-American maid Tilly mistrusts him on sight, and the doctor's parents attempt to exert control over the son they suddenly don't know. Monsignor Ryan (Patrick Shea), the family's friend and spiritual advisor, is the steady voice of reason who homes in on the fact which the others seem to overlook, that all that really matters is that Joanna and John are in love with each other.

Malcolm-Jamal Warner ("The Cosby Show") makes his Huntington debut in the lead, following in the large footsteps of one of his idols, Sidney Poitier. He received some polite entrance applause on opening night, as if the audience was waiting to see whether or not he would deserve it. Warner's characterization of Dr. John Wayde Prentice, Jr., described by Joanna as "the youngest, most important doctor in the world," begins with little fanfare, reflecting the sensitive nature of the situation created by his arrival on the scene. However, Warner gradually lets more of his personality show through as the play progresses and as John's bio becomes known, eventually bringing to the fore his maturity, integrity and, yes, flaws. In a departure from the movie, in which Poitier's character had to be perfect in order to make his race the only possible objection to the marriage, the play's suitor struggles with keeping his temper in check and trying to separate from his parents' influence.

Although she is eleven years younger than John, Joanna is poised to take this giant leap regardless of her parents' feelings. Forlenza's spirited portrayal gives credibility to Joanna's newfound independence (represented in part by rejecting her childhood nickname "Joey") and she balances her sometimes naive optimism with a mature understanding of the real world. It's not that she is blind to the bigotry and other problems they will encounter, she merely refuses to be defined by them. In that way, she differs from just about everybody else in the play. The senior Prentices continue to live in the segregated past, seeing a world made up of racial antipathy, and Lonnie Farmer's bluster and outrage form the mask he wears to camouflage the father's fears. Tony Award-winner Adriane Lenox brings quiet dignity to the good 1950s housewife who stands with her husband, until her change of heart drives her impassioned plea for solidarity from all of the parents.

Lyman is a force as the liberal lion who, accustomed to being the headmaster, is getting schooled by everyone around him. He says as much with his silences as with his words, his inner turmoil playing out on his face, but he conceals his verdict until Matt's big speech recapping the day. Christine, the owner of an art gallery, appears to be something of a dilettante, but Duffy infuses her with strength of character, and she steps up to do the right thing over and over. Christine wears a velvet glove over an iron fist, showing an ability to go to battle without forgoing civility and the social graces.

There is a bit of irony in the Draytons employing an African-American maid, but Tilly is a beloved and respected member of the household. Hers could be a stereotypical role of the hard shell/soft inside, wisecracking servant variety, but Lynda Gravátt makes it so much more as she gives a fully-realized portrayal that let's us know where this wise and loyal woman is coming from, vis-a-vis her skepticism. Shea has a field day as the feisty, straight-talking Monsignor, harvesting every laugh planted in the script for him. However, he is no lightweight, as his character speaks truth to power (Lyman) and calls 'em as he sees 'em. Rounding out the cast, Wendy Rich Stetson emits the appropriate airs as Christine's gallery manager Hilary St. George.

The sleek, tasteful, upscale environment of the Draytons created by scenic designer Dane Laffrey projects the comfort of their lives and their cultural pursuits. With scenes alternating between the living room and the terrace, Laffrey has crafted a rotating set with an open grid as a room divider to allow observation of what is happening in each space simultaneously. Lighting designer Allen Lee Hughes marks the passage of time during this long day with various hues on the backdrop of the sky also reflected on the walls of the apartment. Paul Tazewell's costume designs are stylish and evocative of the '60s decade, right down to the width of John's necktie. Ben Emerson adds a nice touch with the sounds of 1967 playing between scenes, with Scott McKenzie's "San Francisco" and Lesley Gore's "California Nights" helping to transport us.

Against the odds, Guess Who's Coming to Dinner feels fresh and current, although part of the reason for that is the unpleasant fact that we are not living in a post-racial America. For all of the steps forward in the past five decades, arguably chief among them electing the first African-American president, there have been many steps backward and far too many events that call attention to our persistent racial divide. The conflict within the Drayton and Prentice households would be just as telling if one of the families happened to be Muslim or if Joanna wanted to marry someone named Jane. The point is that fear and ignorance still exist in 2014, parents will always be looking out for their children's welfare, and honest communication is the first step toward reaching an understanding and bridging the generation gap. When both families can sit around the dining table together, it is only the beginning, but it is a recognition of the power of love and it offers a hopeful diorama.

Guess Who's Coming to Dinner performances through October 5, 2014, at Huntington Theatre Company, 264 Huntington Avenue, Boston, MA; Box Office 617-266-0800 or www.huntingtontheatre.org.

Written by Todd Kreidler, Based on the screenplay by William Rose, Directed by David Esbjornson; Scenic Design, Dane Laffrey; Costume Design, Paul Tazewell; Lighting Design, Allen Lee Hughes; Sound Design, Ben Emerson; Production Stage Manager, Emily F. McMullen; Stage Manager, Jeremiah Mullane

Cast (in order of appearance): Lynda Gravátt, Wendy Rich Stetson, Julia Duffy, Will Lyman, Meredith Forlenza, Malcolm-Jamal Warner, Patrick Shea, Lonnie Farmer, Adriane Lenox

Photo: Paul Marotta