Debut director Katie Moore had no dilemmas with “Rose’s Dilemma,” which opened to a packed house on Friday night.

The small cast was big on laughs as it brought Neil Simon’s quality to life. Simon, known for his tightly timed comedy and punch lines, would have been proud of this cast which capably delivered. Blocking was great and the power behind the punch lines was effective.

The homey, yet classy, set put the audience in mind of the Hamptons and set the stage for the drama to follow. Lovely plants and flowers brought life to the room. The show opens with Rose and Walsh giggling on the porch.

Newcomer to the Butler Little Theatre, Amy M. Dittman, grabbed hold of the title character Rose and took the willing audience on the journey. Her sassiness combined with her energy made for a vigorous performance.

Her accomplice, Arlene, was well played by Shannon Donovan, whose chemistry with Rose was amazing. Donovan skillfully made the audience laugh and moved them to tears and back to laughter with great ease. Her facial expressions and reactions garnered her share of chuckles from the audience.

It’s not an easy task to ignore another actor on the stage in front of you, but Justin Anderson, who played Clancy, did a super job at treating the ghost in the room as invisible. Walsh, played by Doug Anderson, the ghost of Rose’s past, was a character only Rose could see. The repartee during his scenes had the audience laughing while the actors did not break character at all. Justin’s wit and ease made his performance believable and fun for the audience.

Doug Anderson’s larger than life after death character was enjoyable. His dominant presence on the set and his clever comings and goings kept the audience on their toes. The creative clock passage was the best.

The story is that of a writer with writer’s block who uses her memories to conjure up a way out of her misfortune of having her word well dry up. She has to deal with some real life situations about her deceased partner.

“Rose’s Dilemma” is not your typical Neil Simon laugh o’ minute show. There are tender moments and tough ones mixed in. The acting is super and makes it worth a trip out in the cold to see.