It can be hard to be part of a traditional Jewish family – especially when no one is Jewish.

However, the cast of the Lawrence Community Theatre’s next production, “Jest a Second,” is beginning to feel like family.

The show, which will open at 8 p.m. Friday and run for three weekends at the theater, 1501 N.H., is the sequel to “Beau Jest,” which the theater performed last January. Director Charles Whitman and four of the six cast members have been involved in both productions.

“It’s like putting on a comfortable pair of shoes,” Peggy Sampson says. “It was just comfortable coming back for the first read-through.”

Sampson, who will reprise her role as the mother, Miriam Goldman, in “Jest a Second,” isn’t the only one excited about the reunion.

Whitman said he couldn’t be more thrilled to continue the project.

“We’re revisiting the same Jewish household in Chicago that we learned to love last year, with an additional character,” he said. “We were fortunate to have a really fine cast last year, and most of those people are back.”

After acting with the theater for more than 15 years, Whitman says he decided to take on a new role four years ago. Now he has directed the theater’s last four winter comedies.

“I think of myself as a comic actor, so it is a comfortable fit for me,” Whitman says. “I love acting, and I thought it would be interesting to try directing, and it is interesting and very challenging.”

Sampson, who headed the play selection committee for this season, said there were originally no plans for a second installment of the Jewish comedy.

But with the success of “Beau Jest,” the sequel came around haphazardly after the community theater wrote the playwright, James Sherman, to laud his script, Sampson says.

“We had such a positive feedback while we were doing ‘Beau Jest,'” she recalls. “He said, ‘No one ever tells me when they’re doing my shows. Thank you.’ He suggested we check out ‘Jest a Second,’ so we did.”

The play focuses on Miriam and Abe, the parents of two children, Joel and Sarah. Though Sarah has a baby on the way, Joel’s surprise might be even more stressful for the family.

“I think it’s funnier than the one we did last year, and I’m just thrilled to perform with the same actors and the same director,” said Charles Decedue, who plays Abe. “He tells a very charming story while making you laugh your insides out.”

Although all members of the cast have prior experience in theater, none were very familiar with Jewish culture, so Whitman recruited a little help.

Theater volunteer Judith Scheff taught the cast Jewish traditions and even some expressions in both Hebrew and Yiddish.

“We’re doing a comedy, but we want to be completely respectful,” Sampson says. “For an actor, that’s just one more layer you get to work with.”

Growing up in an ethnic Chicago family, Sampson says she drew inspiration for her role from relatives she observed during her childhood.

“It seems there are a lot of Southern comedies, a lot of Jewish comedies and a lot of Italian comedies,” Sampson says. “I think that there’s a sense of ethnicity that adds to the comedy.”

She says rehearsals have been a nice relief during the winter months.

“I love the play. I love doing a play in January,” she says. “Even though we rehearse all through the holidays, it’s the best thing to do on a January evening to come to the theater and do a comedy.”

Whitman says he’s eager to welcome theatergoers out of the cold to warm up with a laugh.

“Everyone want to feel better in the winter,” he says. “It’s January, and you need a lift. It’s funny, uplifting. It’s family.”