The Butler Little Theatre opened its second show of its 70th season Friday night with Tom Dudzick’s Christmas themed “Greetings,” getting a warm reception.

I won’t mislead you in saying this is a typical or frivolous holiday tale nor one that does not have poignancy and sentiment.

It delivers a fairly common message of redemption and forgiveness but travels an alternate route that provides a different perspective on that message.

It deals with faith, disbelief, cosmic interventions and how a middle class family learns to cope with points of view slightly and/or vastly different from their own.

The play begins with a young couple, Andy Gorski and Randi Stine, played by Jonathan Kearse and Rikki Stupka, who are flying from New York City to Pittsburgh and spend Christmas with Andy’s family.

This is her first encounter with his family and of course he is a bit uptight about how she will be accepted by them. He warns Randi that his Catholic parents may have a problem with her being a Jewish atheist and that the only one who may be fine with it is his sister, Missy.

At home, Emily Gorski, portrayed by Carol Albright, is bustling around preparing the house and dinner for the family as her husband, Phil, played by Harley Allen, putters about in the basement getting more decorations and perhaps another bottle of beer.

Missy, played by Tessa Flannery, we find on the floor tending to the manger scene. It doesn’t take long for it to be revealed that Missy has a form of autism and her verbiage is limited primarily to, “Oh Boy,” “Oh Foohie,” and “Grrr,” though Emily swears that earlier she said “Greetings” clear as day.

Then Andy and Randi arrive and much “getting to know you” small talk happens with numerous one liners and levity but with an air of discomfort as the young couple does their best to steer the topics away from touchy areas.

However, with Phil’s persistent questioning more truth comes out that causes more tension within the household.

Just as things seem to come to a breaking point over a debate on whose belief in faith and the universe is correct, causing the guests to pack their bags, Missy lucidly sends them greetings from beyond.

She has become a vessel for a spirit hoping to provide a new perspective on existence and reconnect them to essential elements of life that often get overshadowed by the modern world.

The cast delivered a solid and sincere performance of the fairly wide emotional dynamics of the script.

For his first major role, Jonathan Kearse handled himself and the demands of his character admirably and I look forward to seeing his progress as an actor in the years to come.

Rikki Stupka gave a fine performance as her character evolved from intellectual security to emotional wreck to calm acceptance.

Carol Albright is always delightful on stage and she did not disappoint while playing the loving and flustered mother and wife.

The crowd pleasing Harley Allen played up the grumpy and cantankerous husband and father with great energy. However, I felt a few times he came across as being an angry man rather than one who is frustrated with the changing world around him.

Flannery completely endeared the audience to the sweet autistic adult child and intrigued us with the wit and wisdom of this particular holiday spirit.

I thought on the whole the production was a success and congratulations are to be given to first time BLT director, Tricia Eichler.

There is quite a bit of humor in this show and plenty of familiar situations of family living.

A few times as Phil and Emily were verbally going back and forth I felt as though I were on the couch watching my parents and I’m sure I wasn’t alone.

I would say also that even though this is a holiday play, it is one that one might say could appeal to those who are spiritual but not religious. For the devout there is nothing blasphemous or offensive but perhaps only an exercise in possibility and understanding.