George Gershwin and Arnold Schoenberg did not seem to be natural tennis partners. Gershwin was 37 and Schoenberg was 62 when they met.

Although both were musical geniuses, Gershwin was a popular favorite while Schoenberg’s 12-tone method of composing was too academic and experimental to be embraced by the general public. It was called “atonal.” Schoenberg said it should have been called “pan-tonal.”

Schoenberg visited Gershwin weekly for tennis, which is the basis for the Crowded Kitchen Players audio drama production of “Twelveness: A Play in Three Scenes” by Charlie Barnett.

The play is bookended with music by Barnett, who also recites a few stage directions and scene descriptions throughout.

It begins with Gershwin (Dan Ferry) becoming frustrated because he’s losing tennis matches to the older Schoenberg (David Oswald).

They are served refreshments by Ginger Rogers (Trish Cipoletti). Rogers is said to be Gershwin’s girlfriend, and he is working on music for a Fred Astaire-Ginger Rogers movie.

Gershwin obviously admires Schoenberg and is sensitive about obtaining approval from him. In turn, Schoenberg says Gershwin is beloved, implying that he does not have to worry about criticism.

Schoenberg laughs when Rogers says music is good because it makes people dance, saying it should have a deeper structure that moves men’s minds.

Gershwin and Rogers visit Schoenberg and are served dinner by his wife Gertrud (Syd Stauffer). Things become testy when Schoenberg questions the value of Gershwin’s songs, saying everything that he writes is the same: “a George Gershwin piece.” He even says, “People should not be entertained by music. It is too important.” Discounting popularity, he says, “I write my music for me.”

Rogers convinces Schoenberg to dance, which he says he never does. The physical contact breaks through Schoenberg’s cold exterior, revealing feelings that belie his abstract music theories.

Gertrud contradicts her husband at various times throughout the evening, and it becomes clear that she is unhappy with the traditional, subservient role that Schoenberg expects of his wife. She is beginning to feel more free since coming to America, doing things like going to see a movie alone.

Gershwin only had about a year to live when “Twelveness” takes place. He died in 1937 from a brain tumor. He declines throughout the play, at first having minor accidents and saying that everything smells strange. During dinner at the Schoenberg home, he is distracted by the ticking of a clock.

The Crowded Kitchen Players presented “Twelveness” in 2017 as a stage play that switched scenes between the first and second floors of the Charles A Brown Ice House, Bethlehem. It had a different cast that that for the audio version, except for Stauffer as Gertrud.

The audio version, “Twelveness: A Play in Three Scenes,” is one and one-half hour in length and is directed by Ara Barlieb and Pamela Wallace. It is much different than the stage version, drawing more attention to the theoretical music arguments, and requiring more imagination from the listener regarding character interaction.

With only four actors and an emphasis on dialogue, it works in the audio format. Oswald and Stauffer use light accents, so they can be understood, and can be distinguished from the other two characters.

The portrayals seem historically accurate and they perfectly fit the play, The story builds as Gershwin is portrayed by Ferry as gradually more and more neurotic. Schoenberg is portrayed by Oswald as unemotional except concerning music, Rogers is portrayed by Cipoletti as flirtatious. Gertrud is portrayed by Stauffer as slowly finding herself as a person.

“Twelveness: A Play in Three Scenes” by the Crowded Kitchen Players can be downloaded at: www.ckplayers.com/audio-theatre