One thing I learned during the years when I was a crisis consultant was that no matter how bad the situation, there was always an opportunity if you looked hard enough.

While in no way minimizing the seriousness of the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic, the crisis has been a catalyst for creativity and innovation.

My favorite innovation is the surge in alfresco dining, most recently at The Pines Dinner Theatre on the Patio, 448 N. 17th St., Allentown.

At the June 20 inaugural dinner and show, the charming partially-covered patio contained a number of tables, each placed further apart than the recommended six feet of physical distancing. The simple stage set up against an outside brick wall provided great sightlines and a sense of intimacy with the two-person cast, while maintaining safe spacing.

The show, “He Said, She Said,” features the acting and singing talents of Jen Hope and Kristofer Holz, billed as the “incomparable Catskills act of Hope and Holz.”

Newly-written by Pines co-owner and artistic director Oliver Blatt, the musical begins as a tale of two “sisters” whose act premiered at Crystal Spring Resort in 1977. The sister act was soon dropped, and the duo went on to perform together for the next 35 years.

According to the script, after taking a break from show business for five years, the duo is reunited on The Pines’ stage to share their stories of working the circuit, and to perform some of their favorite songs.

As the play progresses, Hope and Holz reveal some of the old grievances and passions that led to their breakup.

As an actor, Hope’s emotions range from endearing to sassy to a bit vindictive. She has an impressive singing voice, belting out “I Get a Kick Out of You,” among many numbers. Her facial expressions while singing “Under the Boardwalk” are worth watching.

Holz has the perfect lounge-act singing voice, putting over his songs well, especially during his “I Remember It Well” duet with Hope. His cavorting around the stage in his fetching costume during “My Little Buttercup” is good for laughs.

The music is directed and played onstage by the amazing Stacy Bechtel. The only original music is the title song, “He Said, She Said,” composed by Blatt.

After the show, Blatt said The Pines was lucky to have the patio space outside its main theater building. “If we were any other place, this wouldn’t have happened.”

When the actors speak Blatt’s lines that “it’s so nice to be back on stage again,’’ they certainly are referring not only to their characters return as Hope and Holz, but also to the opening of the stage at Pines Patio.

It’s hard not to join in with, “It’s nice to be back in the audience again.”

“He Said, She Said,” Thursdays and Saturdays through Aug. 22. Tickets: Pines Dinner Theatre box office, 448 N. 17th St., Allentown; pinesdinnertheatre.com; 610-433-2333