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Darryl Alan Reed (left) stars as Donald and Carla Renata stars as Rheba in the Geffen Playhouse&#

An oddly genuine comedy is celebrating the family unit as the Geffen Playhouse headlines the standard of American comedy standards in a 1937 Pulitzer Prize revival.

Currently running through May 22, the Geffen presents George Kaufman and Moss Hart’s comedy “You Can’t Take It With You.”

This first great American comedy focuses on one of the most unconventional and eclectic families ever created for the stage. Following the Sycamore family of Manhattan, the audience is presented with bout after bout of roaring fun.

The play, written in 1936, is now being directed by the playwright’s son, Christopher Hart, who brings the legacy of his father to the production. As a child, Hart went to rehearsals with his father, gaining an understanding of the play’s context and meaning as a comedy in that era. With this knowledge, he was able to slightly update the piece for a current audience while still respecting its original context.

“The apple didn’t fall too far from the tree; he has an insight into the play and characters that no one else can possess,” said Carla Renata, a student in the UCLA extension program studying public relations who also plays Rheba, the maid and muse of the Sycamore household.

Although the play was written about 70 years ago, the piece still maintains a modern relevance. The smart comedy’s message sweeps the borders of time, offering an intimate view into the beauty of relationships.

“‘You Can’t Take It With You’ stands the test of time,” Renata said. “I find more and more nowadays that when people dust off the covers of a project and bring it back out, it is more timely now than ever.”

Another indication of the play’s time-spanning elegance is its anticipation of modern television; without “You Can’t Take It With You,” the modern TV sitcom may not exist.

“In a time when radio was popular, Hart and Kaufman had the forethought to create a situation worthy of modern entertainment,” Renata said.

Although the play is relevant to a contemporary audience, it can be challenging for the modern world. With the undertones of an earlier period of American history, the script was reworked to not propagate the stereotypes of the day that certain characters possessed. Particularly, Renata’s character was updated to not portray a stereotype, but rather a person working in home with valid relationships.

“This play challenges me because I am a very modern woman of this century,” Renata said. “I am an African American woman, and it was challenging to take on the role of Rheba knowing that it had that language of the ’30s for my people.”

With the modernized revival, “You Can’t Take It With You” fills the Geffen’s 2004-2005 season’s celebration of American originals. This play is a manifestation of the American experience as it presents the family unit in a time of crisis.

“It appropriately reflects what the family experience is within a home and how odd it can be, how funny it can be, how warm and loving it can be,” Renata said.

While the family presented is unconventional, and situations are exaggerated to incite comedic relief, the play celebrates the roots of America in its celebration of the American family.

“The play is a celebration of relationships, of family relationships, of romantic relationships, of unconventional relationships,” Renata said. “It celebrates life and how people experience life within a very unconventional family.”