“Arsenic and Old Lace,” by Joseph Kesselring and directed by Wyatt Ewell, is coming to the stage this month at Attic Productions April 4, 5, and 6. In this classic dark comedy, Mortimer Brewster is living a happy life. He has a steady job at a prominent New York newspaper, has just become engaged, and has come to visit his sweet spinster aunts to announce the engagement.
Mortimer always knew that his family had a bit of a mad gene– his brother believes he is Teddy Roosevelt and his great-grandfather used to scalp Native Americans for pleasure– but his world is turned upside down when he realizes that his dear aunts have been poisoning lonely old men for years.
When Mortimer’s maniacal brother, Jonathan (who now resembles Boris Karloff), returns on the night that the aunts were planning to bury the latest victim, Mortimer must rally to help his aunts and protect his fiancée, all while trying to keep his own sanity.
The play is produced by special arrangement with Samuel French Inc., with partial funding by the Virginia Commission for the Arts and the National Endowment for the Arts.
Evening performances start at 7:30 each day, Saturday matinees start at 2:30. All adult tickets are $15, with a reduced rate for those 18 years and under and for groups of 10 or more at $12. Call the Attic Productions box office (473-1001) for reservations. Volunteers are staffing the office on Monday and Wednesday, 3-7 p.m., and Saturdays 10 a.m.-2 p.m.; leave a message at other times.
Attic Productions is located at 7490 Roanoke Road, Fincastle.
The cast for “Arsenic and Old Lace” is:
Abby Brewster – Sally Miller
The Rev. Dr. Harper – Greg Spickard
Teddy Brewster – Pete Farnham
Officer Brophy – David Boyer
Officer Klein – Paul Mullins
Martha Brewster – Kathy Boyer
Elaine Harper – Grace Abele
Mortimer Brewster – Kevan Kavanaugh
Mr. Gibbs and Mr. Witherspoon – Steve Aaron
Jonathan Brewster – Anthony Neal
Dr. Einstein – Gary Reid
Officer O’Hara – Jeff Shelton
Lieutenant Rooney – Gene Marrano