Palm Canyon Theatre begins its new season with a Neil Simon classic, staging performances during the next two weekends (Fridays and Saturdays at 8 p.m., and Sundays at 2 p.m.).

The play is the second chapter in what is known as the “Eugene trilogy,” following Brighton Beach Memoirs and preceding Broadway Bound. Neil Simon’s semi-autobiographical story is told through the eyes of 18-year-old Eugene Morris Jerome, who is drafted into the U.S. Army during World War II. During basic training, Eugene meets a diverse assortment of soldiers, including the gentle and intelligent Arnold Epstein and the hard-drinking platoon leader Sergeant Merwin J. Toomey.