Up and Coming Weekly is a weekly publication in Fayetteville, NC and Fort Bragg, NC area offering local news, views, arts, entertainment and community event and business information.
Issue link: https://www.epageflip.net/i/662278
14 APRIL 6-11, 2016 WWW.UPANDCOMINGWEEKLY.COM Arsenic and Old Lace, a '40s-era dark comedy, is brining a "cavalcade of stars" to the stage of the Cape Fear Regional Theatre, as well as a lot of laughter, according to Patty Cucco, one of the many CFRT actors who will appear in the show. The 14-person cast is a veritable who's who of the community's acting community. Joining Cucco in the leading lady role is Libby Seymour. The two play sisters, Abby and Martha Brewster, two well-bred dowagers who are the backbone of the their community - as well as serial killers. Ken Griggs plays the sisters eccentric brother Teddy, who thinks he is Teddy Roosevelt. Cameo appearances are made by Bill Barker, James Dean, Denver McCullough, Steven Minow, Nathan Pearce, Deon Releford-Lee, Bill Saunders and Paul Wilson. Director Nick Minas is excited about the cast and the show. Minas, who has worked at the CFRT several times over the past couple of years, brings out every bit of humor in the show. "When Tom Quaintance, the CFRT artistic director, told us Nick was directing, we were excited," said Seymour. "He knows funny." Both Seymour and Cucco are excited about the direction the show is taking - even though they were not as excited about the show when they were first asked to take the roles. "It seemed a bit too old fashioned, a little overdone," said Cucco, referencing her thoughts when she first heard the show was in the season's line up. "There is a part of you that wants to do something new," said Seymour. "But there is a reason why this show is a classic." Cucco said the cast, many of whom have worked together over the years, is working very hard to pull all of the humor out of the material. "It's really very funny," she said. The show, set in Brooklyn, New York, revolves around the sisters, and the unique lives they have created for themselves within their community. The sisters are caretakers. They take care of their brother and their nephew. They take care of the children in the community and their neighbors. They see their life of service to their community as a calling. In their zeal to help others, they find a different calling: killing lonely old men. "It's almost a spiritual calling," explains Cucco. "They see the killing as a charity. In their eyes, they are only helping the lonely older men out. They believe they are doing them a favor." The older gentlemen in question are invited into the women's home and are fed a mix or elderberry wine and arsenic. The women then dispose of the bodies in their basement, with the unknowing help of "Teddy" who believes he is burying men who died from yellow fever while digging the Panama Canal. The show brings together many theatrical elements and combines horror with comedy, coming across a little spooky, but really funny. "It is an old show," said Seymour. "The fact that this show is as old and as funny, show you that it is a real classic" "It has an enduring quality," said Minas."It's scary and funny and plays compellingly for laughs without over playing it." Bot h Cucco and Sey mour have draw n inspirat ion f rom people t hey k now to bring life to t he roles of t he sisters. Bot h looked to t heir ow n families for inspirat ion. "I had a maiden aunt who was very straight laced and who had to have everything just so," said Cucco. "I come from a long line of Marthas. There's a little Martha in me." Cucco noted that the play is very family friendly. The show opens on Thursday, April 7 and runs through April 24. Tickets range in price from $12 to $25. On Friday, April 15, The Brewster Sisters will host a wine tasting at 6:30 p.m. just prior to the show. For tickets, call the box office at 323-4233 or buy online at www.cfrt.org. Box office hours are Tuesday through Saturday from 1-6 p.m., and prior to showtime. Arsenic and Old Lace On Stage at the CFRT by JANICE BURTON writ-er [rahy-ter] – noun 1. a person engaged in writing books, articles, stories, etc., esp. as an occupation or profession; an author or journalist. If you see yourself in that light, Up & Coming Weekly would love you to join our creative, talented, community-oriented line-up of contributing writers. If you are interested in joining our writing team, e-mail sample articles or questions to: editor@upandcomingweekly.com For more informtion, call 910-484-6200. JANICE BURTON, Associate Publisher, UP & COMING WEEKLY. COMMENTS? Edi- tor@upandcomingweekly.com. 910.484.6200.