NEPA Scene Staff

Misericordia Players perform crazy comedy ‘Arsenic and Old Lace’ in Dallas March 22-25

Misericordia Players perform crazy comedy ‘Arsenic and Old Lace’ in Dallas March 22-25
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From a press release:

The Misericordia Players will present the farcical comedy “Arsenic and Old Lace” on Thursday, March 22 through Sunday, March 25 in the Lemmond Theater at Walsh Hall on the campus of Misericordia University in Dallas.

The classic show, written in 1939 by American playwright Joseph Kesselring, revolves around drama critic Mortimer Brewster, who learns on his wedding day that members of his family are homicidal maniacs and that insanity runs in his family. The key characters include his two spinster aunts, who have taken to murdering lonely old men by poisoning them with homemade elderberry wine laced with arsenic, strychnine, and “just a pinch” of cyanide. A famous film adaptation of the play starring Cary Grant was directed by Frank Capra and released in 1944.

Performances on March 22-24 are at 8 p.m., and on March 25, the show begins at 2 p.m. Tickets, which are $5 for general admission and $3 for senior citizens, Misericordia students, and alumni, are available at the door or online at misericordia.edu.

The “Arsenic and Old Lace” cast features Misericordia University students Dominic Augustine, Shavertown; Natalie Deutsch, Paramus, New Jersey; Adam Ercolani, Bear Creek; Cordell Gresh, Harveys Lake; Stephanie Helsel, Woolwich Township, New Jersey; Breann Hunsinger, Kelayres; Dawson Kerch, Allentown; Kimberly Kowalski, Scranton; Aiden McAndrew, Scranton; Michaela McQuaig, Mechanicsburg; Adam Myers. Bear Creek; Lauren Schuster, Nazareth; brothers Noah Schweiger and Jacob Schweiger, Barton, New York; and Brenden Walker, Waverly, New York.

Jeffrey Kelly of Dallas is the manager of cultural and special events and the theater director at Misericordia University. He is the director and technical director for the production and in charge of lighting design. Audrey Ide of Dallas is the costumer, Harry McKeown of Plymouth is doing set design, and Richard Baldovin of Pittston is the sound engineer. In addition, student Samantha Midkiff of Palmerton will be the technical stage manager, student Madison Mokychic of Monroe Township is the front of house manager, and student Olivia Katulka of West Wyoming will serve as props master.

For more information about the play and other cultural events at Misericordia University, visit misericordia.edu or call the Misericordia box office at 570-674-6719.

Founded by the Sisters of Mercy in 1924, Misericordia University (301 Lake St., Dallas) is Luzerne County’s first four-year college and offers 45 academic programs on the graduate and undergraduate levels in full and part-time formats. Misericordia ranks in the top tier of the Best Regional Universities – North category of U.S. News and World Report’s 2018 edition of Best Colleges and was designated a 2018 Best Northeastern College by the Princeton Review. Money magazine also includes Misericordia in its 2017-18 “Best Colleges” list.