The West Virginia University School of Theatre & Dance will present the laugh-a-minute screwball comedy, “Arsenic and Old Lace” by Joseph Kesselring in the Gladys G. Davis Theatre, located in the Creative Arts Center March 6-15.
The play revolves around the Brewster family, which is brimming with charming and eccentric – albeit homicidal – characters.
Mortimer Brewster is a drama critic whose two spinster aunts have a unique hobby – they poison lonely old men with elderberry wine laced with arsenic. One of his brothers thinks he’s Teddy Roosevelt, and another murderous brother is on the run from the law. All are getting in the way of Mortimer’s plans to marry the woman he loves.
At a time of isolationist sentiment, right before America entered World War II, playwright Joseph Kesselring skewered the WASP elite’s sense of family heritage by infusing maniacal tendencies into the well-respected fictional Brewster household.
Of the 12 plays written by Kesselring, “Arsenic and Old Lace” is undoubtedly his masterpiece.
While a professor at Bethel College in Kansas, Kesselring lived at Goerz House, a boarding house that is reflected in the setup of the Brewster living room.
Though the play has been a staple on Broadway ever since its 1941 premiere, more people have probably seen the popular 1944 film version by director Frank Capra, starring Cary Grant, Josephine Hull and Peter Lorre. There are a few differences between the movie and the play. The stage version is teeming with inexhaustible high jinks, narrow escapes, and vaudevillian comedy that will have audiences rolling in the aisles.
“Arsenic and Old Lace” is directed by Associate Professor of Theatre Jay Malarcher, known to his students as “Dr. Jay.” He also serves as dramaturg for the School of Theatre and Dance.
“This may very well be the funniest American comedy ever written,” he said. “If you know the play, you know how true this is. If you don’t know ‘Arsenic and Old Lace,’ then do yourself a favor by seeing this incredible cast and production team bring it to life.”
Scenic design is by theater professor Robert Klingelhoefer, costume design is by Master of Fine Arts Costume Design/Tech student Cody Lorich, lighting design is by student Rachel Lake, and sound design is by theater professor Alan McEwen.
The show features Theatre students Stephanie Freeman, Vincent Pelligrino, Nick Ryan, Dominic Massimino, Robert Kaczerowski, Ashley Koon, Brianne Taylor, Stefanie Lemasters, Isaac Snyder, Ryan Leach, Ben Forer, Ben Stansbery, Zach Powers, Mark Combs and Jason Lee.
“Arsenic and Old Lace” is in performance in the Gladys G. Davis Theatre in the Creative Arts Center on the Evansdale Campus March 6-7 at 7:30 p.m., with a matinee on March 8 at 2 p.m. It continues March 10-14 at 7:30 p.m., with a closing matinee on March 15 at 2 p.m.
The show is family friendly and runs approximately two hours and 10 minutes.
Tickets are $20 for the general public and $15 for senior citizens and students. There is a group rate of $10 per ticket for groups of 10 or more.
Tickets are available at www.ticketmaster.com, the CAC or Mountainlair Box Offices, or by calling 304-293-SHOW.
For more information on this production of “Arsenic and Old Lace” please visit www.theatre.wvu.edu, call 304-293-2020, or email theatre@mail.wvu.edu.
An ongoing rehearsal blog is available on the School of Theatre and Dance website at http://ccarts.wvu.edu/theatreanddanceblog.
-WVU-
3/2/15
CONTACT: Charlene Lattea, College of Creative Arts
304-293-4359, Charlene.Lattea@mail.wvu.edu
Follow @WVUToday on Twitter.