The Play

Arsenic and Old Lace by Joseph Kesselring

The Director

Michele Shapero

The Story

Mortimer Brewster is in love. And he's just proposed to Elaine, the girl of his dreams. What's more, she's accepted his proposal. Now he needs to break up with her.

Mind you, it's just to protect her. Turns out his family is a little weird and Mortimer is afraid maybe it got into his the genes. One could accept his delusional brother, "Teddy Roosevelt," who spends his time digging the Panama Canal in the basement. Perhaps even ignore his psychopathic brother Jonathan who's been out of sight, out of mind, doing God knows what with the Chicago Mob. But he's back. And what's worse, it turns out his two incalculably gentle and caring aunts, Martha and Abigail, have been murdering lonely men by the dozen. And burying them in the basement.

Yes, it's a lot to ask of a girl. Especially one like Elaine, whose father is a Methodist minister.

The Characters

MARTHA BREWSTER A sweet elderly woman with Victorian charm who poisons elderly men.
ABBY BREWSTER Also a darling elderly lady who poisons elderly men.
TEDDY BREWSTER A nephew of Abby and Martha who thinks he is Theodore Roosevelt.
MORTIMER BREWSTER A nephew of Abby and Martha, a drama critic engaged to Elaine.
ELAINE HARPER Mortimer’s on-again/off-again fiancée.
REV. DR. HARPER A minister and the father of Elaine.
OFFICER BROPHY A pleasant neighborhood police officer.
OFFICER O'HARA A police officer, also a would-be playwright who pesters Mortimer to read his play.
LIEUTENANT ROONEY A tough and dominating police commander.
JONATHAN BREWSTER Nephew of Abby and Martha, a psychopath who looks like Boris Karloff.
MR. WITHERSPOON The superintendent of Happy Dale Sanitarium.
DR. EINSTEIN A plastic surgeon and an alcoholic.
MR. GIBBS An elderly man who wishes to rent a room, narrowly escaping poison.

Performances

February 22 - 24, 2019