Courtesy: Standing Room Only


– Arsenic & Old Lace Opens Friday, March 2nd for a month run.
“This Classic laugh out loud comedy is to die for!!”
Click here to BUY TICKETS.


– A REVIEW
On first entering the theater, what stands-out is the vision involved in crafting this set. I am always amazed at the talent of our local volunteers who bring together such amazing transformations of The Triad’s stage, especially this one’s attention to detail. Co-Producer Dawn Young opened the show by welcoming the audience and so aptly described the varied talent in our community, along with recognizing the mix of familiar faces along with new performers to this SRO performance.

I was impressed with very strong performances by every cast member. There were four performers that literally “stole the show:” Yvette O’Keefe as Abby Brewster, Dawn Wadsworth as Martha Brewster, and Guy Simpson III as Jonathan Brewster. O’Keefe has a history with SRO both on-stage and behind the scenes, yet this role really allowed her talent to shine. Wadsworth is relatively new to the area, so this was her first SRO show, yet superb in holding her own. She and O’Keefe worked so well together that they were totally immersed in their roles as sisters and pulled that off flawlessly. I trust we’ll see more good parts for them in the future. Guy Simpson III is no stranger to the stage nor SRO, having performed since he was 5 years old and been in 25 shows. His commanding performance was all-encompassing, especially in the requirements in conveying this character properly. And number four: Jeremy Chenvert was absolutely spot-on as Teddy Brewster! I so enjoyed his 3 SRO performances last year and glad he returned in 2018, as he’s like fine wine – just gets better and better with experience.

Jesse Geray as Mortimer Brewster is always a treat to watch, having developed depth in articulating challenging roles, and this character stretched him even further. He is amazing. His character’s love interest was played by Megan Glaefke as Elaine Harper in her first major role with SRO, though was in other plays and on their crew. Glaefke was very poised in a smaller, yet supporting integral role and has a great future ahead – stay tuned!

Other favorites returning to SRO stages were Joel Deerfield as Lt. Rooney, Milo Bouchakian as Dr. Einstein and who I so enjoyed in 2017’s 12 Angry Men, Kalen McCrea as Officer Brophy, and Larry Vines-Haines as Mr. Gibbs. New to SRO were Warren Schaffer as Mr. Witherspoon, Ron Adler as Rev. Harper, Steven Fryer III as Officer O’Hara, and Andrew Hellsing as Officer Klein, all exceptional in adding to the show’s “color.”

Arsenic and Old Lace was first performed in Yelm in 1999 with Nancy Tribush Hillman’s production, and this 2018 show was under her superb, precise direction. Don’t miss this show’s return running March 2-25, Fridays and Saturdays at 7:30pm, Sundays at 3pm. Take the whole family ages 5 and up!
Click here to BUY TICKETS!


– About Standing Room Only’s presentation of Arsenic and Old Lace
by Joseph Kesselring with special arrangement with Dramatist Play Service, Inc.

“Arsenic and Old Lace is a high spirited dark comedy classic of American theater revolving around two spinster aunts whose generosity and kindness are famous in their Brooklyn neighborhood. Their nephews: a Teddy Roosevelt impersonator, a murderous escapey from a prison for the criminally insane, and a theater critic in love with the minister’s daughter next door, and the Police.

Inspired by real-life serial killer Amy Archer-Gilligan, who was convicted of poisoning her borders for their pensions, Kesselring initially set out to pen a horror/melodrama with the title Bodies in Our Cellar. He sent the script to actress Dorothy Stickney, hoping she might consider playing one of the aunts. The interest of Stickney’s husband, producer Howard Lindsay, was immediately piqued when he heard his wife gasping with laughter as she read. Lindsay joined forces with frequent partner Russel Crouse — the two were fresh off the Broadway hit Life with Father — to purchase the script. Together with Kesselring, they completely reworked it into a comedy. In a moment of inspired writing and casting, the character of Jonathan Brewster was said to look like Boris Karloff — and Karloff himself was convinced to play the role on stage. Arsenic and Old Lace debuted on Broadway in 1941. New York Times theater critic Brooks Atkinson wrote that it was “so funny none of us will ever forget it.” The New York Herald Tribune called it “riotously hilarious,” and the New York Herald-Tribune pronounced it “side-splitting and terrific.” It went on to play 1,444 performances and was made into a now-classic film directed by Frank Capra and starring Cary Grant.”

WHAT:
Arsenic and Old Lace — Joseph Kesserling’s infectiously funny black comedy about two little-old-lady aunts who see killing as an act of charity. Good, macabre fun!

WHO:
• Written by Joseph Kesselring
• Produced by Standing Room Only
• Directed by Nancy Hillman with Assistant Director Taylor Simpson and Stage Manager Chelsea Bunn
• Starring Andrew Helsing, Dawn Wadsworth, Guy Simpson III, Jeremy Chenvert, Jesse S. Geray, Joel Derefield, Kalen McCrea, Larry Vines-Haines, Megan Glaefke, Miro Bouchakian, Ron Alder, Stephen Fryer III, Warren Shaffer, Yvette O’Keefe.

WHEN:
March 2-25, 2017:
• Fridays at 7:30 p.m.: March 2* Opening Night, 9, 16, 23
• Saturdays at 7:30 p.m.: March 3, 10, 17, 24
• Sundays at 3 p.m.: March 4, 11, 18, 25* Closing night

WHERE:
The Triad Theater
102 E Yelm Ave.
Yelm, WA 98597

HOW:
• (857) 67-STAGE or www.srotheater.org
• Visit us on Facebook: www.facebook.com/srotheater

BUY TICKETS
Ticket Prices:
(open seating)
• Adults: $20
• Military & Seniors: $17
• Youth (ages 5-18): $10
• Discounted tickets available for groups of 10 and larger: $15

OTHER:
Appropriate for ages 5 and up.