Something funny's going on at the Glendale Centre Theatre!

Theatre review

LUCKY STIFF, the hilarious musical farce now playing on Glendale´s popular theatre-in-the-round stage, is a panacea for anyone suffering a case of the blahs or the blues.

Written by Lynn Ahrens (music by Stephen Flaherty) and directed by Mark Knowles, the play´s outlandish plot, colorful cast, sets, and costumes, not to mention the snappy dialogue, jitterbug-speed dancing, and yes, the sweet and predictable love story, is sure to leave the audience amused, amazed and occasionally aghast.

What would YOU do for six million dollars?

That´s the question Harry Witherspoon (Jason W. Webb), a lowly shoe salesman stuck in a dead-end job, must answer when he gets a telegram informing him of an astounding and unexpected inheritance. His immediate answer is "anything," until he learns the astonishing terms of Uncle Tony´s Last Will & Testament.

In order to prevent the $6 million from going to Tony´s favorite charity, The Universal Dog Home in Brooklyn, Harry must take "his uncle" on a week´s holiday in Monte Carlo. Expenses are pre-paid and the itinerary is settled, including gaming at The Casino, skydiving, deep-sea fishing, and scuba diving (these make for hysterical, laugh-out-loud scenes!) but Harry must do it all…with a corpse!

Harry is understandably shocked. But in the scheme of this screwball play the terms seem somehow reasonable, at least to the audience, who gleefully accepts the wheelchair-bound, well-preserved (by a taxidermist) body of dear Uncle Tony with it´s accompanying cassette player and recorded instructions.

The monkey wrench in the works – you know there has to be one – is Annabel Glick (Kelly Michelle Smith), a loyal supporter of the Universal Dog Home. She "dogs" Harry´s every step, determined to catch him in a mistake that will ensure the money "goes to the dogs."

It´s only when Rita (Alison England), Uncle Tony´s near-sighted, pistol packing, embezzling, mistress "widow" arrives, along with her geeky optometrist brother, Vinnie (Clayton Shane Farris) to retrieve "her" money, that Annabel and Harry call a truce.

But their romantic, if tipsy, sleepover is disturbed by Harry´s wild nightmare in which fiendish, psychedelically colored dogs torment him. (Hey… didn´t I see a dream sequence like that in Fiddler on the Roof?)

What follows is the anticipated mad-cap chase, with bodies lost, shots fired, identities mistaken, and the biggest surprise of all … well, I don´t want to give that away! (And no, the body doesn´t come to life.) Let´s just say that everybody gets his due in the end.

Webb (Skye Masterson in GTC´s "Guys & Dolls"), makes an appealing Harry, the perfect "good-guy" hero. Smith aces the role of Annabel, purposeful, yet ingénue sweet. England´s portrayal of the loud-mouthed, avenging Rita contrasts nicely with Farris´ meek and pessimistic Vinnie.

Another two dozen fascinating characters (and objects) are hilariously performed by Stephanie Hayslip, Alex Rose Wiesel, Jason Keef and Leo Foti. Bravo! You guys rock! Your lightning-fast costume changes are unbelievable.

Also quite intriguing as the play progresses is the amazing way a single set piece becomes a counter, a desk, a bar, a bed and a piano, among other things. (Watch for it!) Kudos to Tim Dietlein for its clever construction!

Other amusing bits of staging are the "transportation" vignettes (planes, trains, subway) performed comically, but realistically with very few props.

And last, but certainly not least is Kyle Kelley, who flawlessly plays the body of Uncle Tony. He is amazing; not a cracked smile, false catch of a flopping arm, or reaction to anything going on around him as he´s whipped and whirled in and out and around the stage. An Oscar-deserving performance, for sure!

LUCKY STIFF runs Thursdays – Saturdays at 8:00 pm, with Saturday & Sunday matinees at 3:00 pm, through October 17.

Prices range from $21.00-$26.00; group rates available. Call (818) 244-8481 for information and reservations.

The Glendale Centre Theatre is located at 324 N. Orange Street, in Glendale, CA