WBS
"Arsenic and Old Lace"
Continues Through Sunday
Mortimer
Brewster (Mitch Resler) discovers a dead body in the
window seat of his two spinster aunt's home. Arab Today photos by
Dwight Hayes
October 9, 2009
Performances of The Whole Backstage
production of Joseph Kesselring's "Arsenic
and Old Lace" begins Friday night at the WBS
Dot Moore Theatre. The play is
directed by Rich Resler with assistance by
April Isom.
One of the
zaniest collections of characters ever
assembled in one play make audiences both
shudder and roar with laughter in Arsenic
and Old Lace. This play of hilarity and
homicide tells the story of the wacky
Brewster family members whose love for
charity has taken an alarmingly murderous
turn.
Theater critic Mortimer Brewster is visiting
his spinster aunts – the sweet, puttering
Abby and Martha. When Mortimer finds a dead
body in the window seat of their home he at
first thinks the murderer is his brother
Teddy, who most of his time under the
impression that he is really Teddy Roosevelt
and that the Panama Canal runs through the
cellar of his home. Mortimer soon learns his
aunts are serving up a lethal brew of
arsenic, strychnine, cyanide, and elderberry
wine to elderly male visitors, and are quite
nonchalant about doing so.
Mortimer’s brother, Jonathan, appears and
struggles to retain his rightful title as
America’s most prolific criminal. He is
accompanied by Doctor Einstein, whose job it
is to surgically change Jonathan's face
every time he has completed one of his
crimes.
When all these people get together on a
September afternoon, in a quiet house on a
quiet street in Brooklyn, the repercussions
almost unhinge Mortimer – the one sane
member of the Brewster clan – and completely
befuddle the Brooklyn police force.
7 p.m. evening
performances are scheduled for October 9,
10, 15, 16, & 17. 2 p.m. Matinee
performances are scheduled for October 11 &
18.
Cast for the
play are:
Abby Brewster
- Jane Kohl
Martha Brewster - Julie Oliver
Mortimer Brewster - Mitch Resler
Elaine Harper - Stephanie McWhorter
Teddy Brewster - Andy Hunter
Jonathan Brewster - Jon Brown
Dr. Einstein - Bill Moss
Officer O'Hara - Ben Whitehead
Officer Brophy - Alan Segers
Officer Klein - Jonathan Chisolm
Lieutenant Rooney - Nicholas Hayes
Rev. Dr. Harper - Don Clemons
Mr. Gibbs - Jason Friend
Dr. Witherspoon - Ed Shirley
For additional
information call the Whole Backstage office
at (256) 582-7469 or email
arsenic@wholebackstage.com |
