DUMMERSTON — The Vermont Theatre Company's presentation of the classic comedy, Arsenic and Old Lace, concludes May 11 to 13 at the Evening Star Grange in Dummerston Center.
Arsenic and Old Lace is considered to be one of the most famous and most successful comedies of the American theater. It debuted on Broadway in 1941, and was made into a film starring Cary Grant in 1944.
The story tells of the charming old Brewster sisters, Abby (Sue Rowell) and Martha (Nancy Groff), who poison lonely old men and bury them in their Brooklyn cellar.
In addition to a cellar full of gentlemen callers, the ladies share their house with their three nephews: Mortimer (Sam Murphy), a drama critic for a major metropolitan newspaper, Jonathan (Jim Bombicino), an escaped convict who due to a botched plastic surgery now resembles Boris Karloff, and Teddy (Tony Grobe), a harmless lunatic who thinks he is Teddy Roosevelt and charges up the staircase as if it were San Juan Hill, yelling “Charge!” at all hours of the night.
Others in the ensemble include Robert Wellington as Jonathan's plastic surgeon sidekick, Dr. Einstein; Jonathan Reid as the friendly cop on the beat, Officer Brophy; Mike Jerald as the local minister and neighbor Reverend Dr. Harper; Tracy Therieau as Mortimer's frustrated fiancée; Randy Bright as the gruff and surly Lt. Rooney; and Dan Bennett as the aspiring playwright and sometime police officer O'Hara.
Richard Langlois makes an appearance as the representative from the Happy Acres Sanitarium, and John Ogorzalek narrowly escapes becoming another one of the ladies' victims in the role of Mr. Gibbs.
The production is under the direction of Bob Kramsky, who directed Lend Me a Tenor last season. Willow Coronella, a senior at Brattleboro Union High School, stage manages.
Friday and Saturday performances are at 7:30 p.m., and Sunday matinees are at 3 p.m. Tickets are $12 for general admission and $10 for seniors, students, and matinees. Reservations can be made by calling the VTC box office at 802-258-1344 or by emailing vtcreservations@gmail.com. For more information, visit www.vermonttheatrecompany.com.