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MWHS Theatre Presents 'Arsenic and Old Lace'
"Arsenic and Old Lace" cast. Back row (from left): Seth Worden, Ben Ortaleza, John Wombacher, Connor Houston, Haley Kummrow, Jake Robertson, Conner Jones, and Merrick Gormley. Front row: Josh Nkhata, Grace Prchal, Destiny Uttecht and Serenity Bownik.
February 18, 2020 — Two murderous old ladies, a Theodore Roosevelt impersonator, a Boris Karloff look-alike and a theater critic in love all come together when Mound Westonka High School Theatre proudly presents the play “Arsenic and Old Lace.” Performances will be held at the Westonka Performing Arts Center (PAC) March 6 and 7 at 7 p.m. and March 8 at 2 p.m. Tickets are $15 for adults and $10 for students/seniors and are available online.
Cast members include senior Grace Prchal as Abby Brewster, senior Destiny Uttrecht as Martha Brewster, junior Merrick Gormley as Mortimer Brewster, ninth-grader Serenity Bownik as Elaine Harper, junior Josh Nkhata as Teddy Brewster and senior Conner Jones as Jonathan Brewster.
Also included in the cast are junior Jake Robertson as Dr. Einstein, ninth-grader Connor Houston as Officer O’Hara, junior Seth Worden as Dr. Reverent Harper, junior John Wombacher as Officer Brophy, ninth-grader Haley Kummrow as Officer Klein, junior Ben Ortaleza as Lieutenant Rooney, junior Seth Worden as Mr. Witherspoon and junior Ben Ortalez as Mr. Gibbs.
Members of the technical crew include junior Jayna Sherman as student director, junior Eve Mikkelson as stage manager, sophomore Gray Paguyo as assistant stage manager and junior Nathan Roberts on light board. Make-up artists are sophomore McKayla Henderson and senior Emilene Loehr. Henderson, Roberts, sophomore Dillian David, eighth-grader Ava Fraser, ninth-grader Maxwell Peterson and junior Brian Von Holtz served on the set building crew.
The production is directed by Hannah Steblay, with Jamie Harms as producer/assistant director and Jay Schueller as technical and set designer.
Mortimer Brewster is living a happy life; he has a steady job at a prominent New York newspaper, he’s just become engaged, and he gets to visit his sweet spinster aunts to announce the engagement. Mortimer always knew that his family had a bit of a mad gene—he warns his fiancée, “Insanity runs in my family. It practically gallops.” His brother believes himself to be Teddy Roosevelt—but his world is turned upside down when he realizes that his dear aunts have been poisoning lonely old men for years!
When Mortimer’s maniacal brother, Jonathan (who strangely now resembles Boris Karloff) returns on the night that the aunts were planning to bury the newest victim, Mortimer must rally to help his aunts and protect his fiancée—all while trying to keep his own sanity. Written by Joseph Kesselring, an uproarious farce, “Arsenic and Old Lace” premiered on Broadway in 1941 to rave reviews, the New York Times writing that it was “so funny that none of us will ever forget it.” It was made into a movie starring Cary Grant, which was released in 1944, after the play closed.
“Arsenic is a hilarious and smartly written comedy about community, friendship and unconditional love that takes protecting family to a comedic extreme,” said Harms. “People love this play, and we’ve put together an incredible ensemble that sparkles with intelligence and comedic ability.”
Pictured from left, are senior actors Conner Jones, Destiny Uttecht, and Grace Prchal