OnStage Playhouse begins its 2010-2011 season with Joseph Kesselring’s classic comedy “Arsenic and Old Lace,” playing through Aug. 21 at its downtown Chula Vista theater. The play is directed by Bob Christiansen and produced by Kathy and Paul Schaeffer.
It is 1941 and while there is a war brewing in Europe, all seems peaceful in the Brooklyn neighborhood where the Brewster sisters live —except when their nutty nephew Teddy blows his bugle.
The sisters are known for there charitable activities, helping any neighbor who may be in need. Then their nephew Mortimer, a drama critic, discovers an inconvenient truth: his Aunts’ charity extends to putting lonely old men out of their misery by offering them some elderberry wine laced with arsenic. When another brother, the evil Jonathan, arrives on the scene, Mortimer worries that he himself is going insane.
The cast includes Gracie Lee Brown, Christiansen, Lee Donnelly, Brian P. Evans, Desmond Hassing, Eileen Ivey, Thomas Mack, John McLean, Chris Megginson, Steve Murdock, Steve Oggel, Paul Rossi, Joey M. Ryan, and Paul Schaeffer.
Mark Zweifach is serving as assistant director.
Performances are Thursday, Friday and Saturday at 8 p.m., with a Sunday matinee at 2 p.m. There are additional Saturday matinees at 2 p.m on Aug. 7 and 14. There is no performance on Sunday, Aug. 8.
Tickets are $16 for adults and $14 for seniors, students and active military. Group discounts also are available. To make a reservation, call 422-7787.
For more information, visit the Web site at www.onstageplayhouse.org.
