Dan Butler and photos of the Cast Photo by Joan Marcus

After receiving a DUI, and with his job as a sports radio commentator on the line, Harry (Dan Butler) reluctantly and flippantly goes to rehab. Barb (Portia), the no-nonsense program director and counselor, peppers her conversations with "fun facts" about addiction statistics, and she sees through Harry's wisecracking as a defense mechanism. "You know, a sense of humor can help," she tells him. "It can also be a big pain in the ass if you use it to never actually answer a question."

The other rehab residents include Vince (Chiké Johnson), an avuncular, supportive, and forgiving member of the group. Isaiah (Greg Mozgala), whom Harry describes as a "fast talking pharmacist who never met a pill he didn't like" but "with an extra love to OxyContin," is less tolerant and has no patience for people who backslide and succumb to temptation.

Andrea (Samantha Mathis), who is on her fifth visit to rehab, is lonely and considers Jack Daniels to be her one and only true friend. Rounding out the small group is George (Quentin Nguyễn-duy), a sullen and morose 25-year-old when he's not drinking and vivacious and chaotic when he is.

With fluid direction by Jackson Gay, the play comprises many short scenes, which are punctuated with voiceovers by recovering addicts describing their experiences achieving sobriety. (Daniel Baker's sound design and music and Stefania Bulbarella's projections offer smooth transitions between the scenes.) This is a play that seeks to reveal the stark realities of rehab while applying a thick comic veneer. (Beowulf Boritt's scenic design and Mextly Couzin's lighting capture the cold and institutional atmosphere of the facility.) The writing often veers toward didacticism, but to their credit, Manton and Teinowitz do not rely on 12-step jargon to drive home their messages. The sobering truths of addiction are mainly provided in Barb's "fun facts" and in Harry's comedic asides.

Tellingly, though, the rehab denizens find some solace watching nightly reruns of "Cheers," and they root for the show's recovering alcoholic and bartender, Sam Malone. (Fun fact: Butler, the show's star, is perhaps best known for his Bulldog character on "Frasier," a spinoff of "Cheers.") Unfortunately, the play's episodic quality, jokey humor, and well-calculated revelations about the characters' personal lives and backstories make Another Shot seem more like a situation comedy than a finely etched character study. At times, the play seems to be written with a built-in laugh track in mind.

Nevertheless, like a good sitcom, the actors bring a lived-in quality to their roles. Butler, a resourceful and accomplished performer, draws guffaws even when tasked with delivering a litany of groaners and dad jokes. He gets strong support from the other cast members. Portia provides emotional grounding, while Johnson, Mathis, Mozgala, and Nguyễn-duy give nuanced performances while working with and against some melodramatic contrivances.

Although flawed, Another Shot is not without its merits. The production offers an important reminder that stories about addiction are necessary to normalize the recovery process, reducing the stigma often associated with rehab.