West Windsor, N.J. – What do two cops, three crooks, eight doors, and a kilt-wearing killer have in common? They’re the moving parts in UNNECESSARY FARCE to be presented by The Pennington Players at Mercer County Community College’s (MCCC’s) Kelsey Theatre this month. Seven actors deliver up the laughs Fridays, Jan. 20 and 27 at 8 p.m.; Saturdays, Jan. 21 and 28 at 8 p.m.; and Sundays, Jan. 22 and 29 at 2 p.m. Kelsey Theatre is located on MCCC’s West Windsor Campus, 1200 Old Trenton Road. A reception with the cast and crew follows the opening night performance on Jan. 20.
This classic farce, which features slapstick and pratfalls galore, pairs with a contemporary American plot. An embezzling mayor is scheduled to meet up with his new accountant in a hotel room. In the room next door, two undercover cops are supposed to catch the meeting on videotape. But there’s some confusion as to who’s in which room, who’s watching the video, who’s taken the money, who’s hired a hit man, and why the accountant keeps taking off her clothes. If it sounds confusing, it’s all part of the fun!
The cast features seven of Kelsey Theatre’s favorite personalities: Michael Gilch of Princeton as Eric Sheridan, an underachieving cop in a small American town; Maria Aromando of Neshanic Station as Billie Dwyer, a newly minted police officer; Sarah Stryker of Princeton as Karen Brown, the accountant; John Maurer of Ewing as Mayor Meekly; Stephanie Zimmerman of Hamilton as Mrs. Meekly; Matthew Cassidy of Morrisville, Pa., as Frank, the Mayor’s head of security; and James Houston of Bound Brook as Todd, the progressively unintelligible Scotsman.
Notes the show’s director, Peter Bisgaier, “Good farce can be very challenging. The actors do a lot of physical comedy, including some stage combat, and combine it with rapid dialogue and dialect that are key to the plot. Our production team is creating side-by-side motel rooms with a total of eight doors. We are having a lot of fun at rehearsals and are looking forward to sharing it with our audience. It is a very silly, very zany show.”
In addition to Bisgaier, the production team includes Producer Judi Parrish, who is also designing sound and sets; Lighting Designer M. Kitty Getlik; Fight Choreographer Katie Downey and Stage Manager Vicki Kaiser.
Tickets are $18 for adults, $16 for seniors, and $14 for students and children. Tickets may be purchased online or by calling the Kelsey Box Office at 609-570-3333. Kelsey Theatre is wheelchair accessible, with free parking available next to the theater.
Theater/Organization Pennington Players
Theater/Organization Website: http://www.kelseytheatre.net/
Theater/Organization Address: Kelsey Theatre 1200 Old Trenton Rd Kelsey Theatre 1200 Old Trenton Rd West Windsor Township, New Jersey 08550 (Map It)
Theater/Organization Phone: (609) 570-3333
