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PHOTO BY DEAN LAPIN

LANGUAGE OF LOVE. Cabaret temptress Dominique du Monaco (Heather Malroy) attempts to seduce nerdy British shoe salesman Harry Witherspoon (Vince Wingerter) in “Lucky Stiff” at Lakewood Playhouse.

‘Lucky Stiff’ at Lakewood Playhouse is a laugh-a-minute treat

By Matt Nagle

If you are looking to invest your entertainment money wisely and have some good laughs for it, head over to Lakewood Playhouse and see their 70th anniversary season opener “Lucky Stiff.” A combination screwball comedy/musical/love story, the show features a terrific cast of actors with great chemistry and an obvious love for what they do. Many of the actors play multiple roles and all of them sing, which adds to the delightful story under the deft direction of Michael O’Hara and musical director Debra Leach.

Written by the duo that penned the very popular “Seussical,” Lynn Ahrens and Stephen Flaherty, the story is light and lively with nearly 20 musical numbers that do more to tell the story than the actors themselves, making for a very entertaining show with numerous plot twists and turns and a surprise ending to boot.

Without giving too much away, the story generally goes like this: Harry Witherspoon (played by Vince Wingerter, who has a terrific singing voice) is a British shoe salesman living a normal, not-too-fabulous life…until his uncle Tony Hendon (George McClure, who manages to get laughs even though he plays a lifeless corpse) passes away and Harry’s world is turned upside down. His uncle has left him $6 million, but to get the inheritance Harry must fulfill Uncle Tony’s last wish to have a vacation at Monte Carlo – even though he is dead.

Harry is not at all thrilled to follow through on this assignment, but if he does not the inheritance will go to charity, the Universal Dog Home of Brooklyn. Propped up in a wheelchair with a heart-shaped box full of diamonds in his lap worth the $6 million, Uncle Tony (looking quite dapper in his dark suit thanks to taxidermist friends) and Harry set off together.

Once arriving in Monte Carlo, Harry meets Luigi Gaudi (Elliott Weiner, obviously having fun with this role), a swarthy Italian who offers to be Harry’s tour guide, and the quite lovely Annabel Glick (Leischen Moore and her golden voice), a representative from the dog home there to watch Harry’s every move to make sure he indeed satisfies his uncle’s last request. That is not all Annabel is watching, though, as she and Harry find themselves falling in love despite their antagonistic circumstances.

While all this is going on, Uncle Tony’s death is the topic of conversation all the way over in Atlantic City, where optometrist Vinnie Diruzzio (Lucas Blum in fine form) learns from his legally blind sister Rita la Porta (Kae Blum, who gives it her all) that she accidentally shot Tony and the diamonds belong to her, jewels that she and Tony embezzled from her gangster husband. She wants them back so it is off to Monte Carlo they go.

What ensues is all-out farce, with Uncle Tony being wheeled around throughout all the zaniness. Everyone in the ensemble cast deserves kudos for their work, from leads to those appearing in a variety of other roles. Noteworthy among the latter are Heather Malroy as sensuous chanteuse Dominique du Monaco (and choreographer for the production); Chris Serface in eight roles – club emcee, nun, wealthy Texan, among others; and Kody Bringman playing seven characters including a bellhop, a waiter and a leper. All three get their full share of laughs.

Two other actors in the play deserve special mention, Carol Richmond and Sharry O’Hare. When they are together in any comedy, these two are so Lucy and Ethel when they interact that they deserve their own television show – very talented women whose presence in any production yields a guaranteed hit. (Watch Richmond playing a teetering, drunken maid – she has that one down cold).

Fantastic costumes by Frances Rankos, clever lighting by Scott C. Brown and Michael O’Hara’s casino-inspired stage design are the icing on the cake for this well-done season kick-off for Lakewood Playhouse.

“Lucky Stiff” plays Fridays and Saturdays at 8 p.m., Sundays at 2 p.m., through Oct. 5. For reservations, call (253) 588-0042 or visit www.lakewoodplayhouse.org.

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