(Seguin) — Laughter is about to take center stage as the Seguin theatre community prepares to open its production of the iconic dark comedy Arsenic and Old Lace by Joseph Kesselring. The live production will run for the next two weekends at the historic Texas Theatre in downtown Seguin.
Director Sheila Lucas says many people still remember the old black and white Cary Grant film from 1944 — a popular comedy that still keeps theatre goers laughing today.
“We were going to do a mystery and then I thought you know with things going on and this that and the other, we don’t need a mystery. We don’t need sad stuff. We need to laugh and this one is time proven and if you have a good cast, it’s hysterical and everyone needs a good laugh and this one is a belly laugh for sure,” said Lucas. “I think our audiences are going to love it.”
Lucas says folks will enjoy the plot – a fast-paced farce filled with murder, mistaken identities, and frantic attempts to keep the family’s deadly antics under wraps.
Arsenic and Old Lace by Joseph Kesselring, follows Mortimer Brewster, a New York newspaper critic whose world is thrown into chaos just after he becomes engaged. While visiting his sweet but eccentric aunts, he discovers their shocking secret — they’ve been cheerfully poisoning lonely old men as a “charity” service. As if that isn’t enough, his delusional brother believes he’s Teddy Roosevelt, and his dangerously unhinged brother Jonathan arrives unexpectedly, adding even more mayhem.
Lucas says what is most exciting is to be able to showcase local talent.
“I think the main thing about this particular group is that it’s half and half. Half of the people in it are known here in Seguin and have been on our stage for many many shows and then the other half are brand new to the Texas stage. One or two of them have never been on stage before like since high school so it’s a really great mix of our veterans and new people to the community,” said Lucas.
Performances are set for 7:30 p.m. on Fridays and Saturdays, Oct. 10, 11, 17 and 18, with matinee shows at 2:30 p.m. on Sundays, Oct. 12 and 19. Tickets are available online at www.thetexas.org