The Love Boat Reunion! Fred Grandy, Ted Lange, Bernie Kopell and Jill Whelan Share Smiles at Off-Broadway Play Opening

There was a lot of love in the room on Tuesday, Sept. 9 when the cast of The Love Boat reunited for the Off-Broadway premiere of the new play, Lady Patriot.

Written and directed by Ted Lange, who played bartender Isaac Washington in the 70s TV series, Lady Patriot stars Fred Grandy and Jill Whelan — better known as The Love Boat‘s purser Burl “Gopher” Smith and Vicki Stubing, daughter of Captain Stubing (the late Gavin MacLeod).

The play is running at Theatre Row in New York City through Sept. 20.

Joining the trio at opening night was Bernie Kopell, aka doctor Adam “Doc” Bricker. All posed for a sweet photo after the performance.

In addition to Grandy and Whelan, Lady Patriot also stars Josie DiVincenzo, Gordon Goodman, Chrystee Pharris, Derek Powell and Count Stovall.

Lady Patriot tells the story of a spy hunt inside the confederate White House during the Civil War. When secret information begins leaking from president Jefferson Davis’s closest circle, suspicion falls on those around him. The play follows three women connected to the events — Davis’s wife Varina, Union sympathizer Elizabeth Van Lew and formerly enslaved spy Mary Bowser — as their lives intersect in a struggle of loyalty, deception, and survival.

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Lange said he came upon the idea to write the play after reading a book on the life of Van Lew.

“I happened upon the contribution of Black slave, Mary Bowser, as a Union spy, [and] I added into the mix the plight of the confederate first lady, Varina Davis,” he explained in a release. “I soon realized I had a story about the patriotism of three different schools of thought.”

He went on to rave about working with his costars again. “I delight in working with my Love Boat cast mates, Jill and Fred,” he said. “We have artistic chemistry and it is fun to see our love of theatre blossom on stage.”

Whelan seems to share the enthusiasm. Back in May, she opened up to PEOPLE about the dynamic of collaborating with her former costars again.

“It’s really special because I’m working with them as an adult now rather than as a kid,” the actress said. “We enjoy each other’s company and we enjoy each other’s intellect — whether we have it or we don’t — but we all love each other’s sense of humor and we know each other so well. When we work together, there is a shorthand that is super satisfying.”

After the play wraps, Lange, 77, Grandy, 77, Kopell, 92, and Whelan, 58, will be together again, this time for Princess Cruises’ ongoing The Love Boat Celebration. They’ll gather on board again in November when this year’s celebration sets sail out of Galveston, Texas, to Mexico.

“That’s going to be super fun,” Whelan teased to PEOPLE. “The guests they’re having are insane.”

Whelan, Grandy and Lange have also been recording episodes of a Love Boat podcast produced by Grandy’s son Charlie. The trio will revisit the series and bring on guest stars who appeared on The Love Boat during its 10-season run.

“We’re still in the planning stages, but we did do an interview with Loretta Swit, we’re doing one with Jimmie Walker, we’ve got one with Morgan Fairchild coming up as well,” Whelan shared.

Tickets for Lady Patriot are now on sale.