Menu
‘Arsenic and Old Lace’ takes stage at GHS
The Greencastle High School Theater Department will present the classic comic melodrama “Arsenic and Old Lace” this weekend.
The play will be presented at GHS Parker Auditorium at 7 p.m. on Friday, March 13 and Saturday, March 14. All seats are $6 and may be purchased at the door. The doors open at 6:15 p.m.
Mortimer Brewster (played by Aaron Geiger) is a theater newspaper critic who falls for the girl-next-door Elaine Harper (Bella Green).
As the story unfolds, Mortimer discovers his dear sweet aunts have been poisoning lonely old men. He does not want Elaine to marry into a dysfunctional family, so he considers calling off the wedding.
Mortimer’s aunts Abby and Martha are played by Eihi Yoshinaga and Cassie Koers.
The plot thickens when Mortimer’s psychopathic brother Jonathan (Carter Brown) returns home, with his sidekick Dr. Einstein (Joey Kleffman).
To add to the craziness, Mortimer’s other brother Teddy (Conner Clary) is delusional and thinks he is President Teddy Roosevelt.
Eventually the loud bizarre noises coming from the Brewster home cause the police to show up at the door. Officer Brophy (Alice Howard) and Officer Klien (Michael White) are pleasant neighborhood officers who become frequent visitors. Because of the commotion at the house, Officer O’Hara (Hyrum Hale) stops by to make sure all is well, but he soon shifts topics and corners Mortimer into a discussion about a play he is writing.
Eventually Lt. Rooney (Brian Stewart) bursts in and recognizes Jonathan as an escapee from a prison for the criminally insane. Other eccentric characters who visit the aunts are Mr. Gibbs (Jacob Wadler), Dr. Harper (Dawson Lyons) and Mr. Witherspoon (Derek Taylor).
The crew behind the scenes makes this show a success. Emma Crowe and Gillian Monnett serve as the stage managers. Other crew members include lighting crew Dale Dye Thomas (Director), Stephanie Morales, Michelle Morales, Marleah Muncie and Hyrum Hale; sound crew: Emma Tobin (Director), Ben Huff, Rudy Hagen and Derek Taylor; stage crew Dawson Lyons, Julia Lofaro, Rebecca Hebb, Mya Weddle, Jacob Wadler and Jessica Mulryan; costume crew Olivia Varvel, Mary Katherine Asbell and Caeley Hayes; and makeup crew Marleah Muncie, Eleanore Shillings, Maria Serapio, Ashley Stockall, Jadyn Wadler and Ashley Stockall.
“Arsenic and Old Lace” was written in 1939 by American playwright Joseph Kesselring. The play was directed by Bretaigne Windust and opened on Broadway at the Fulton Theatre on Jan. 10, 1941. A film adaptation was produced in 1944 starring Cary Grant and directed by Frank Capra.
The GHS production is being directed by Amy Thomas. The set designer and builder is Amie Bailey. Amelia Mathis and Makayla Long are the student assistant directors, and Graham Votaw is the DePauw University student assistant.The Greencastle High School Theater Department will present the classic comic melodrama “Arsenic and Old Lace” this weekend.
The play will be presented at GHS Parker Auditorium at 7 p.m. on Friday, March 13 and Saturday, March 14. All seats are $6 and may be purchased at the door. The doors open at 6:15 p.m.
Mortimer Brewster (played by Aaron Geiger) is a theater newspaper critic who falls for the girl-next-door Elaine Harper (Bella Green).
As the story unfolds, Mortimer discovers his dear sweet aunts have been poisoning lonely old men. He does not want Elaine to marry into a dysfunctional family, so he considers calling off the wedding.
Mortimer’s aunts Abby and Martha are played by Eihi Yoshinaga and Cassie Koers.
The plot thickens when Mortimer’s psychopathic brother Jonathan (Carter Brown) returns home, with his sidekick Dr. Einstein (Joey Kleffman).
To add to the craziness, Mortimer’s other brother Teddy (Conner Clary) is delusional and thinks he is President Teddy Roosevelt.
Eventually the loud bizarre noises coming from the Brewster home cause the police to show up at the door. Officer Brophy (Alice Howard) and Officer Klien (Michael White) are pleasant neighborhood officers who become frequent visitors. Because of the commotion at the house, Officer O’Hara (Hyrum Hale) stops by to make sure all is well, but he soon shifts topics and corners Mortimer into a discussion about a play he is writing.
Eventually Lt. Rooney (Brian Stewart) bursts in and recognizes Jonathan as an escapee from a prison for the criminally insane. Other eccentric characters who visit the aunts are Mr. Gibbs (Jacob Wadler), Dr. Harper (Dawson Lyons) and Mr. Witherspoon (Derek Taylor).
The crew behind the scenes makes this show a success. Emma Crowe and Gillian Monnett serve as the stage managers. Other crew members include lighting crew Dale Dye Thomas (Director), Stephanie Morales, Michelle Morales, Marleah Muncie and Hyrum Hale; sound crew: Emma Tobin (Director), Ben Huff, Rudy Hagen and Derek Taylor; stage crew Dawson Lyons, Julia Lofaro, Rebecca Hebb, Mya Weddle, Jacob Wadler and Jessica Mulryan; costume crew Olivia Varvel, Mary Katherine Asbell and Caeley Hayes; and makeup crew Marleah Muncie, Eleanore Shillings, Maria Serapio, Ashley Stockall, Jadyn Wadler and Ashley Stockall.
“Arsenic and Old Lace” was written in 1939 by American playwright Joseph Kesselring. The play was directed by Bretaigne Windust and opened on Broadway at the Fulton Theatre on Jan. 10, 1941. A film adaptation was produced in 1944 starring Cary Grant and directed by Frank Capra.
The GHS production is being directed by Amy Thomas. The set designer and builder is Amie Bailey. Amelia Mathis and Makayla Long are the student assistant directors, and Graham Votaw is the DePauw University student assistant.