Trust Me

A farce in two acts by Michael Messmer

Trust Me ran Friday and Saturday nights at 8 pm September 24 through October 30, 2010. Sunday matinees at 2 pm October 3 and 17.

Siblings, Robert and Charlene have to delay the termination of their trust allowance while they put together a plan to take over their deceased uncle’s company. In order to confuse the lawyer sent to have them sign off on the trust, they switch roles. Unfortunately, the backer for their takeover plan arrives first and they think it’s the lawyer. When the lawyer arrives, the siblings are already up to their eyeballs in deception but now they have to create new cousins to explain why there seems to be two sets of relatives. Complications ensue when Charlene is attracted to the backer and Robert is attracted to the lawyer. Add lemonade that’s been accidentally laced with pain-killer, a need to check a birthmark located on someone’s derriere, a house keeper (who develops a passion for dancing) at her wit’s end trying to keep up with who is who and it’s easy to see why the guests get confused and frustrated.

Watch a Video Clip of Trust Me

Video Notes: Siblings Robert and Charlene have to keep their trust fund while they take over their late uncle's company. To confuse the lawyer sent to have them sign off on the trust, they switch roles.

Unfortunately, the backer for their takeover plan (Harlan) arrives first and they think he's the lawyer. When the lawyer arrives, the siblings are already up to their eyeballs in deception but now they have to create new cousins to explain why there seems to be two sets of relatives.

Complications ensue when Charlene is attracted to the backer and Robert is attracted to the lawyer. Add lemonade that's been accidentally laced with pain-killer, a need to check a birthmark located on someone's rear, a housekeeper (Sam; who develops a passion for dancing and old sherry) at her wit's end trying to keep up with who is who and it's easy to see why the guests get confused and frustrated.

Characters--
ROBERT: male, late 20's-early 30's; sometime playboy, impish
CHARLENE: female, about 5 years older than Robert; bright schemer
SAMANTHA: female, about 20 years older than Charlene; housekeeper
HARLAN: male, about the same age as Charlie; handsome financier
JENNIFER: female, about the same age as Robert; attractive lawyer

Dexterity

By Michael Messmer, Directed by Jennifer Dithridge

Dexterity opened on Friday, November 5, 2010 with performances on Friday and Saturday nights at 8pm through December 18th, with Sunday matinees at 2pm on November 14th and 28th.

Arden Playhouse is pleased to present Dexterity, a new play by Michael Messmer, Sacramento’s most prolific comedy playwright. Dexterity has a lot of heart and a whole lot of laughs as we see what happens to literary agent Jerry Goodman, a man who may be too kind for his own good.
Jerry has taken an option on a new novel. If he can’t make a deal with a Hollywood producer to pick up the option, he is out of a job (and a huge amount of money). The producer asked Jerry to show him an authentic New England Christmas, so Jerry rented a farmouse in Connecticut. Jerry’s wife isn’t happy about rearranging her life for the holidays but she’s doing her best to make things go well by bringing in part-time help to cook. Immediately complicating matters is a homeless man Jerry brought home. Dexter alters personalities from a barely verbal derelict who may be hearing voices to a seemingly well-educated, erudite and romantic assistant (who may suffer from narcolepsy). The cook thinks there’s something familiar about Dexter and doubts he’s really a homeless person, but a relationship begins to develop between them that adds both confusion and zest. When the producer and his wife arrive early, Jerry and his wife provide a plausible explanation for Dexter’s presence. When Dexter discovers that the producer isn’t what he seems, information is supplied that appears to ruin the deal and Jerry’s career. But Dexter isn’t what he seems, either, returning Jerry’s kindness with surprising generosity.

Watch a Video Clip of Dexterity

Video Notes: Good-hearted people look like easy prey to self-serving people, but sometimes help can come in the most unexpected ways. Dexterity has a lot of heart and a load of laughs as we see what happens to literary agent Jerry Goodman, a man who may be too kind for his own good.

Jerry's often been in trouble trying to help struggling new writers. He also has a habit of trying to help the down-and-out. This time he's taken an option on a new novel. If he can't make a deal with a Hollywood producer to pick up the option, he is out of a job. The producer, Gordon, asked Jerry to show him an authentic New England Christmas, so Jerry rented a farm house in Connecticut.

Jerry's wife (Stelle) isn't happy about rearranging her life for the holidays but she's doing her best to make things go well by bringing in part-time help (Terry) to cook. Complicating matters is a homeless man Jerry brought home from the train station. Dexter alters personalities from a barely verbal derelict who may be hearing voices to a seemingly well-educated, erudite and romantic assistant (who may suffer from narcolepsy).

When the producer and his wife (Dede) arrive early, Jerry and his wife provide a plausible explanation for Dexter's presence. When Dexter discovers that the producer isn't what he seems, information is supplied that appears to ruin the deal and Jerry's career. The cook thinks there's something familiar about Dexter and doubts he's really a homeless person, but a relationship begins to develop between them that adds both confusion and zest. Of course, Dexter isn't what he seems, either, returning Jerry's kindness with surprising generosity.

Characters--
JERRY: male, 40's
STELLE: female, 40's; Jerry's wife
TERRY: female, 30's; part-time cook and housekeeper
DEXTER: male, 30's; maybe homeless, maybe not
GORDON: male, 50's; Hollywood producer
DEDE: female, 50's; Gordon's wife

Mervin’s Magic

a comedy in two acts written and directed by Michael Messmer

Friday and Saturday nights at 8 pm, January 7, 2011 thru February 19, 2011. Sunday matinees at 2 pm January 16 and 30.

About the Play: Some people think wealthy Mervin Coleman can’t run his company because he’s staying away from the office. A psychiatrist has been retained to evaluate Mervin’s competence. Meanwhile, Mervin’s niece (Lisa) wants him to find out if her husband (David) is having an affair. When David shows up to talk about a problem he has with his new business and introduces a strange woman, Mervin thinks she’s the “other woman” and does his best to scare her away. How he sorts out his problems, helps save a marriage, neutralizes his sister and manages to keep the psychiatrist from having him put away makes for a fast-paced comedy (with farcical elements) with lots of twists, sword-fights and surprising warmth.

Watch a Video Clip of Mervin's Magic

Video Notes: Family relations can get complicated and very funny quickly, especially when a sister thinks she knows what's best for everybody and her brother is trying to sort out his life.

Since the death of his wife, Mervin Coleman has spent more time at home setting up a charitable foundation and engaged in sword fights with imaginary villains than he has in running the family's corporation. His older sister, May (who has always thought she was better at business than her brother), lets him know that a psychiatrist (Chris) has been brought in to evaluate his mental state.

Meanwhile, his niece (Lisa) asks him to find out if her husband (David) is having an affair. When David shows up to talk about a problem he has with his new business and introduces a strange woman, Mervin thinks she's the "other woman" and does his best to scare her away. Which shouldn't be too hard, given his penchant for dueling with imaginary foes, except that Chris knows a few things about fencing as well, both the physical and mental varieties.

May creates more complications, both for Mervin and her son's marriage. How he sorts out his problems, helps save a marriage, neutralize his sister and manages to keep the psychiatrist from having him put away make for a fast-paced comedy (with farcical elements) with lots of twists, sword-fights and surprising warmth.

Characters--
MERVIN: male, late 50's; wealthy executive, widowed, a bit odd
LISA: female, 30's; married to Mervin's nephew, David; having marital problems
MAY: female, late-50's to early-60's; older sister of Mervin, mother of David
DAVID: male, 30's; trying to live up to his mother's expectations.
CHRIS: female, 40's; psychiatrist with a sense of humor

The Murder Room

by Jack Sharkey (produced by special arrangement with Samuel French, Inc.), Directed by Candi Pickering - mystery farce in three acts

The Murder Room ran March 4, 2011 thru April 16, 2011. Friday & Saturday at 8 PM. Sunday matinees at 2 pm March 13 and 27.

About the Play: Wealthy Edgar Hollister marries Mavis Templeton who, after a few hours of blissful marriage, apparently tries various ways to kill him. The Murder Room is a comedy described as Abbot and Costello meet Agatha Christie with some Monty Python thrown in. It is a wild send up of every murder mystery ever written.

Fool’s Retreat

by Michael Messmer (a farce in two acts)

The show opened April 29, 2011 and ran Friday & Saturday at 8 PM thru June 11, 2011. Sunday matinees were at 2 pm, May 8 and 22.

About the Play: Chris, an accountant running from the mob, has been taken by Diane to hide in a women’s health resort. Magda manages the resort with the help of Maxine. Gwen, an actress with problems, is there for help. Rudy, the mob hit-man arrives disguised as a doctor. An overheard phone call leads Diane to think Gwen is the hit-man in disguise, which leads to all sorts of hilarious situations. Then things get really complicated as Chris dons another disguise to find out what is going on, forgets who he is (thanks to a couple of slams from a lethal door) and becomes the object of affection of several women for very different reasons.

Watch a Video Clip of Fool's Retreat

Video Notes: Wild fun as characters get confused. A score card might be helpful, but you'll be laughing too hard to take notes. Just because you're not paranoid doesn't mean they're not out to get you.

Ever overhear part of a conversation that sounds like it may have something to do with you? It's easy to let your imagination take over...especially if there's something stressful going on at the same time.

Chris, an accountant, discovers that he's been doing the books for the mob. Before he can make a deal with the Feds he spots a mobster coming for him. With the help of Diane (a client he'd like to know better) he goes into hiding at a women's health retreat...disguised as a woman.

The retreat is known for its discretion in keeping client's identities secret. Which is one reason, no doubt, that Gwen, an actress with problems...stress and exhaustion...she calls it, is there. At the same time, the local police have one of their cops, Maxine, undercover at the retreat.

Then Rudy, the mob hit-man, arrives and is mistaken by Magda (the retreat manager) for the new medical specialist that has been expected. Diane overhears part of a phone call by Gwen that leads her to think Gwen is the mob guy. Rudy overhears part of Diane's conversation with Chris about Gwen and thinks she is the guy he's after. Maxine overhears part of Chris' phone call to his lawyer and thinks he is the drug dealer. Thanks to a door that should never be where it is and a change in disguise, Chris is mistaken for someone else by Magda, Rudy, Gwen and then Maxine. Even Chris gets confused about who he is.

Then it gets complicated.

Characters--
MAGDA: female, 40's to 50's, take-charge attitude
GWEN: female, late-20's to early-40's, actress, stressed
DIANE: female, 30's; self-confident, model
CHRIS: male, 30's; shy accountant on the run
MAXINE (Max): female, late-20's to early 30's, cop appearing as maid
RUDY: male, 40's to 50's, hit-man for the mob

Lovely in Danger

by Dave Chapelle, Director: Candi Pickering

August 5 - 27 at 8pm on Fri. & Sat. nights; Sun. matinees on August 14 & 21 at 2pm
Lovely in Danger is a melodrama with a shorter than normal running time. This show will be specially priced at $10.00 and is suitable for the whole family! No group rates for Lovely in Danger.

Shady, evil and dishonest Filmore Filcher uses various disguises and treacherous tactics to get his greedy paws on the Lovely Ranch, owned by beautiful Amy Lovely and her stalwart Aunt Aggie. Filcher and his not so silent partner, Morganna Snit, want to build a luxury resort and health spa catering to the very rich on the Lovely’s ranch. Will the ladies see through Filcher and Morganna’s sneaky scheming or will they lose everything? Only true-blue Hoot Galoot can save the girl he loves and her ranch...but will he be in time?