Issue date: 9/12/08 Section: ARTS & LIFE

Media Credit: Charlie McRae

Denton Community Theatre will debut its new production of Joseph Kesselring's "Arsenic and Old Lace" tonight at the Campus Theater on the Denton Square.

This is not the first time that "Arsenic and Old Lace" has been produced by the theater group, as the theater has a long history with the play.

"This play has been done in what is essentially Denton Community Theatre at least three times," director Betty Kay Seibt said. "Originally, about 35 years ago, they did it when the theater was still over the old firehouse, then again in the '80s. It's kind of looked at as one of those modern classics of the theater."

The story in "Arsenic and Old Lace" focuses on three somewhat odd brothers and their two aunts living in Brooklyn in the early 1940s.

"The three nephews are very wacky," Seibt said. "The oldest brother is a homicidal maniac, the middle brother thinks he's Theodore Roosevelt and the youngest is the straight man in the whole play, a theater critic in New York City, and he's trying to overcome being born in Brooklyn."

But none of the brothers realize exactly what their aunts are up to behind the scenes.

"Their aunts are taking in old men, and if they think that they have no home or are lonely, they poison them and give them peace," Seibt said. "They're not killing them for their pensions or anything; they just feel sorry for them so they poison them with elderberry wine spiked with arsenic and cyanide."

The dark comedy comes to a head over the course of one night, when everything that has been going on is exposed and a series of wacky situations ensures.

"It's a classic comedy," said Rebecca Parker, who plays one of the aunts. It's one of those that I think is timeless; it fits all generations. "It is certainly not offensive to anyone; I think it would be something that is multi-generational."

Unlike some other shows, where there may be many set changes and different locations throughout the show, "Arsenic and Old Lace" is almost entirely contained within one set location.

"The whole play has a 'locked room' element of all happening in one place over one night," Seibt said. "It all starts at about sundown on one evening and runs to about 8 o'clock the next morning. There are people who come and go, but the action of the play is entirely in this one room of the house."

Many of the cast members have participated in Denton Community Theatre plays before, and they emphasize the excitement that working with the group as brought them.

"My husband and I moved here five years ago, and we were excited to see that they had a community theater," Parker said. "So when we came to the first play, we signed up to be season members. Since I didn't know anyone in Denton, I thought it might be a good way to meet other women, so I came out. It's a great way to meet people."

Most of all, cast members said the funny and interesting elements of the play reflect the experiences they had behind the scenes.

"It's been an awful lot of fun." Seibt said. "I've had wonderful, wonderful people to work with, the staff here is wonderful, it makes it so easy. They're all very talented."

"Arsenic and Old Lace" will run September 12, 13, 19 and 20 at 7:30 p.m. and on September 14 and 21 at 2 p.m. Tickets are $10 for students and $17 for regular adults.

For more information, go to dentoncommunitytheatre.com.

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