Ken Ludwig Comedy LEADING LADIES Opens At Lakewood Theatre Company, March 4

Lakewood Theatre Company continues its 69th season of live theatre with Leading Ladies directed by Stephanie Mulligan.

In this hilarious comedy by Ken Ludwig, the author of Lend Me A Tenor and Moon Over Buffalo, two English Shakespearean actors, find themselves so down on their luck that they are performing "Scenes from Shakespeare" on the Moose Lodge circuit in rural Pennsylvania. When they learn that a wealthy old woman in search of her two long-lost heirs is on her deathbed, they devise a plan that sends them on the performance of their lives.

The play begins March 4 and continue through April 10, 2022, playing Thursday, Friday, and Saturday nights at 7:30 PM, one Wednesday performance (March 23) at 7:30 PM, one Saturday matinee at 2:00 PM (April 2), and Sunday matinees at 2:00 PM (March 6, 13, 20, 27 and April 3, 10). The show's title sponsor is Bonnie Conger.The directorial sponsors are The Springs Living in Lake Oswego and Drs. Bill & Ricky Korach, and the guest artist sponsor is Samantha Richardson.

The theatre is located at Lakewood Center for the Arts, 368 S. State St. in Lake Oswego. Ticket prices are $36/adultsand $34/seniors. Other discounts are available for students and groups. For additional information and tickets, call the Lakewood Box Office at (503) 635-3901 or order online at https://www.lakewood-center.org

Special note: On Wednesday, March 23, the theatre continues its program called WOW: 25-35. For audience-goers 35 and under, tickets are priced at $25 each. Use the code WOW25 when ordering tickets online to get this special discount. At this performance, there will be a complimentary wine tasting one hour before curtain courtesy of an Oregon vineyard. OLCC rules apply! Bring your ID for the tasting!

The story: Set in 1952, Leading Ladies is the story of two Shakespearean actors wallowing in thespian poverty. Jack (Phillip J. Berns) is ready to retire his tights to find a wife and settle down, while his buddy Leo (Sam Dinkowitz) is eager to earn big bucks. But then, what luck! They hear that dear old ailing Florence (Margie Boulé) of nearby York, PA is about to die and leave her fortune to her two long lost English nephews whom she has never seen. For Jack and Leo, it will be easy work to turn themselves into nephews Max and Steve and grab the cash. When they discover that "Max" and "Steve" are actually "Maxine" and "Stephanie," they continue, undaunted, in drag.

Romantic entanglements abound in this screwball comedy as Leo falls head-over-petticoat in love with Florence's vivacious niece, Meg (Jessica Tidd), who's engaged to Duncan (Nathan Dunkin) the local minister. Meanwhile, Jack swoons over Florence's sweet young neighbor Audrey (Jessi Walters). Ailing Florence somehow miraculously recovers, but the boys decide to keep on with the subterfuge trying to outlast her health and stay close to their new loves.

To keep the pretense going, Leo convinces Meg, who loves Shakespeare, to put on a production at Florence's estate to give himself more of an opportunity to be with her, both as Leo and Maxine. Meanwhile, Meg's fiancé grows increasingly suspicious of the "Leading Ladies." In true Ken Ludwig fashion, chaos ensues on the night of the production when a telegram arrives stating that the real Maxine and Stephanie will arrive that very night!

Other players in the talented cast include Don Stewart Burns as Doc, leader of the Loyal Order of the Moose, and Matthew Sunderland as Butch, Doc's son.

Director Stephanie Mulligan aptly describes Leading Ladies as "a rollicking mash-up of Twelfth Night - one of her favorite Shakespearean comedies - and the brilliant film, Some Like it Hot, with dashes of Mrs. Doubtfire and Charley's Aunt thrown in for good measure."

LTC's production of Leading Ladies is directed by Stephanie Mulligan, the stage manager is Hailee Foster, scenic design is by John Gerth, sound design is by Marcus Storey, lighting design is by Kurt Herman, costume design is by Paige A. Hanna, wigs are by Jane Holmes, incidental choreography is by Laura Hiszczynskyj, properties design is by Micah Steury, and the producer is Steve Knox.

SPECIAL NOTE: Mask and Vaccination protocols are required, and details can be found on Lakewood's website at https://www.lakewood-center.org.

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