Arsenic and Old Lace, presented on stage at Wells High School

The Wells High School Players are proud to present their fall play, Arsenic and Old Lace for four performances beginning November 30th. Producer Ryan Lane and Director Andrew Lopez are instrumental in bringing this hilarious comedy to the Olenn Performing Arts Center at WHS.

Show dates, times, and ticket prices for Arsenic and Old Lace are as follows: a matinee on November 30th at 3:30 pm, free for students and seniors, all others $5; December 1st at 6:30 pm, $5 for students and seniors and $8 for adults; December 2nd at 7 pm, $5 for students and seniors and $8 for adults; and December 3rd with a matinee at 2 pm, $5 for students and seniors and $8 for adults. General seating and tickets will be available at the door one hour prior to showtime.

This delightful dark comedy opens with two “seemingly harmless” sisters, Martha and Abby Brewster who have lived in their father's house in Brooklyn for all of their lives. Now, as elderly ladies, they share it with their nephew, Teddy. The two fondly tolerate Teddy's firm belief that he is President Theodore (Teddy) Roosevelt, even to the extent of allowing him to dig the Panama Canal in their cellar.

Their domestic bliss is enhanced by the increasingly regular visits of Teddy's brother Mortimer who grows ever fonder of Elaine Harper who lives next door with her father. Mortimer is very fond of his aunts but fonder still of Elaine. It seems that these domestic arrangements will lead to the inevitable happy conclusion. However, when Mortimer makes a disturbing discovery, the path to a happy ending becomes anything but clear. Abby and Martha Brewster may look like kind and helpful old ladies but they're hiding some dark secrets!

Arsenic and Old Lace was written by Joseph (Otto) Kesselring in 1941. It first appeared on Broadway during that same year. Directed by Frank Capra, the motion picture version of the play appeared in movie theaters in 1944.

On the set of WHS’s 2022 production of Arsenic and Old Lace are cast members (top row and left to right): Miles Archer, Anne Michelle Randall, Landon Jacobson-Theriault, and Crow Campbell. Front row: Elizabeth Nichols and Sam Coleman.