Sergei Rachmaninoff figures prominently throughout Spring Forward, Fall Back, a story of fathers and sons and the sons that come next, of musical connection and of cultural identity.

The Russian composer enters first as an unseen neighbor of the protaganist Richard's younger self; he plays away unseen in the downstairs apartment he inhabits, much to Richard's father's annoyance. Perhaps in an act of rebellion, or perhaps out of genuine affection for his work, Rachmaninoff becomes Richard's favorite composer later in life, one he defends to his own unappreciative son. Rachmaninoff's Second Piano Concerto, an ever-changing piece that can be gloomy one movement, assaulting the next, figures prominently throughout the play, weaving in and out of various scenes to poignant effect.

As a composer, Rachmaninoff has often been dismissed as mere schmaltz (a fact addressed directly in Spring Forward, Fall Back), and the same accusations may be brought against this play as well, particularly because of the deeply personal nature of its subject matter, and its intimate connection to playwright Robert Brustein. And while Rachmaninoff often gets a bad rap for cheesiness or, at best, can be embraced despite of his overtly romantic nature, the same largely can be said for Spring Forward, Fall Back. It has its moments of overindulgent sentimentality, but its more often come about as genuinely heartfelt than cliché.

There is nothing particularly unusual about the dynamic between Richard and his father, a working-class Polish (or Russian, if you ask him) Jew from Brooklyn, or with his son, a stubborn Deadhead. The story moves in a non-linear fashion between Richard's existing life as a lonely old man (a loneliness that seems somewhat surprising, given the play's later machinations), to his childhood, to the parenting challenges that greet him in middle age and beyond. But the conflicts Richard and his relatives face are universal ones, whether it be fighting for a mother's affection or a clash between old and new world values. The play is particularly interesting when it tackles questions of Jewish identity, and how religion, loyalty, tradition and family all assert themselves in the battle for relevance in each man's life.

Old Richard (Bill Hamlin) is the de facto narrator for the piece, as he remains a presence no matter the story's time period. Hamlin is the least persuasive member of the cast, often lending the same sense of urgency both to meaningful and inconsequential lines, and it is a bit hard to buy him as the same man as his younger selves (Sean Dugan, equally convincing as a devil-may-care child and a defeated father, and the excellent Mitchell Greenberg). Role switches are a sharp staging choice, as Richard's mother becomes his wife (Susan Rome, able to tell a story with facial expressions alone), and young Richard literally becomes his father (also played by Greenberg). Having many characters stick around, though, to literally haunt Richard into his old age, is a bit overwrought as a device. In addition, a side plot near the play's end where Richard's son David's shrill ex-wife (Anne Petersen) takes center stage is a bit tiresome, and distracts from the play's core.

Spring Forward, Fall Back is not a monumental work, but it is a smart piece to which many audience members may find a connection. It runs through Nov. 26 at Theater J. Tickets are available online.