Scapan

Adapted by Michael Messmer

Performance dates: 8 PM September 14 thru October 20 on Friday and Saturday nights with 2 PM Sunday matinees on September 23 & 30 and October 7 & 14.

About the Show: Arden Playhouse presents “SCHEMES & SCAMS OF SCAPAN”, a revised and updated version of Moliere’s classic farce “Scapin”. Although revised, this version by the writer who has been called one of the greatest masters of comedy in western literature, retains all of the wild farcical situations, commedia style, dazzling comic dialogue and fast pace of the original.

Watch a Video Clip of Scapan

The Costume Ball

by Norman Beim
(Produced by special arrangement with Samuel French, Inc.)
This delightful comedy is directed by Michael Messmer

Performance Dates: 8PM Fridays and Saturdays - - November 9, 10, 16, 17, 30; December 1, 7, 8, 14, & 15, Sunday Matinees 2PM - - November 18; December 2 & 9

About the Show: Harry and Gwen are going to a charity masquerade ball, but Harry’s costume has gone astray. Gwen suggests that he wear an old dress of her aunt’s. He doesn't like the idea of wearing a dress. They bicker; she wins. Harry tries on the dress and starts to enjoy it. Add some makeup, a wig...and something to make him not look so flat-chested, and he feels like he's playing a glamorous role. The doorbell rings. When Gwen opens the door, Harry is discovered dressed as a woman by Wilbur Wilberforce, an upright businessman from Chicago, whom Harry hopes will save his advertising agency from bankruptcy. Harry panics and pretends to be “Hilary”, supposedly Harry's sister from Boston.Things get rather sticky when Wilberforce seems to be enamored of “Hilary.” But then there's one more twist that let's us know Harry wasn't as clever as he thought in playing the role of Hilary.

The Elf Factor

An original holiday play performed especially for children, but FUN for all ages.
Written and Directed by Blake Flores
With Original Musical Score by Dario Vanni

Performance Dates: December 1 – December 23, Saturdays at 11 a.m. and 1 p.m. Sundays at 5 p.m.

About the Show: An elf shares her story of how Bedlam, the evil landlord, threatens to shut down Santa’s toy shop and ruin Christmas for all. Meanwhile, a princess is banished to the North Pole to discover the true meaning of Christmas. Everyone then bands together to showcase their unique talents in hopes that their gifts are enough to save Christmas.

Any Friend of Percy D'Angelino is a Friend of Mine

by Jason Milligan
Produced by special arrangement with Samuel French, Inc.
Directed by Blake Flores.

8PM Fridays and Saturdays - - Jan. 11, 12, 18, 19, 25, 26; Feb. 1, 2, 8, 9, 15 & 16. Sunday Matinees 2pm. - - January 20, & 27; February 3.

About the Show: Following is a "blurb" about the show from French's website.

Presented in Los Angeles with Peter Falk, Christian Slater and Jean Smart, this side splitting Mafia comedy begins with a mysterious stranger arriving at the Long Island estate owned by a renowned mob boss. Why is "Tony" there? To kill the venerable Frankie? To work for him? The mobster's bombshell wife has her own theories. Hilarious antics designed to divine Tony's purpose end with the discovery that he is a soap opera star signed to play Frankie in a feature film! Frankie detests movies and determines to have his guest fitted for cement shoes, but he warms to the idea of being glorified in a Hollywood epic. Laughs abound as he coaches Tony on how to play him.

Bunny Times

Written and directed by Blake Flores

Performance Dates: Saturdays and Sundays - - March 9 through 31.Two performances Saturdays at 11AM & 1PM and one on Sundays at 5 PM.

About the Show: An evil scientist who invented a quirky, unreliable time machine, went back in time in quest of power and riches but inadvertently altered the course of bunny history. As a result, the Easter Bunny doesn’t come this year. Another scientific genius (his good twin), who just happened to be working on a time machine as well, is consulted by an intrepid reporter. While the Easter bunny is running for his life from a pair of wide-eyed farmers, the good brother reluctantly agrees to allow the reporter to use his unproven time machine to try to save Easter. The adventurous reporter ends up in several time periods, including medieval times, and meets with Princess Ostara and her step-mother, the power-hungry Queen Matilda, who hold the key to Easter success, with the help of an impudent court jester.

For Love or Money

Written and Directed by Michael Messmer

8PM Fridays and Saturdays - - March 1,2, 8, 9, 15, 16, 22, 23, 29, 30; April 5, & 6. Sunday Matinees 2pm. - - March 10, 17, 24 & 31.

About the Show: Amanda is rich, but she’d rather work. Her friend, Trisha, thinks a therapist she’s seeing can help Amanda, so Amanda agrees to meet the therapist. She also has to deal with a housekeeper who has serious problems with romance. Paolo (really Paul affecting a wild Italian accent and arrogant demeanor) who dislikes the wealthy and uses his job to insult them, arrives to redecorate Amanda’s apartment which complicates things even further in this wild and zany comedy.

Mistaken identity, hypnotism and deception all contribute to the mayhem, as the cast of characters tries to figure out what to do and whether to do it For Love or Money.

Watch a Video Promo For Love or Money

Video Notes: Mistaken identity, hypnotism and deception all contribute to the mayhem, as the cast of characters tries to figure out what to do and whether to do it For Love or Money.

Watch a Video Clip of For Love or Money

Video Notes: What happens when you're first love shows up claiming to hate rich people and you've just become rich? You get your best friend to pretend to be the rich lady. Can anything go wrong with that plan?

Amanda is selling her business and about to become very rich but she doesn't know what to do with her life now. Her friend, Trisha, brings in Jerome, a therapist who helps people learn how to enjoy life more using hypnotism. But Jerome, who often has money on his mind, isn't above planting a few hypnotic suggestions that make clients (especially women) like him.

When the famously arrogant artist Paolo arrives to redecorate Amanda's apartment, she realizes he is Paul the artist she almost married many years earlier. But Paolo hates rich people, so Amanda pretends to be Trisha.

Complicating matters even more is Katrina, Amanda's maid, who has serious problems with romance, doesn't understand English well and is also accidentally hypnotized. Who is in love with whom and how they figure out what is going on makes for a wild romp.

Characters--
AMANDA: female, 40's to 50's, smart romantic
TRISHA: female, same age range, Amanda's best friend
KATRINA: female, 20's to 30's, still learning English, earthy
JEROME: male, 40's to 50's, unethical hypnotherapist
PAUL (Paolo): male, 40's to 50's, uses Italian accent, arrogant

Harley's Lucky Day

A comedy by Michael Messmer, Directed by Blake Flores

April 19, 20, 26, 27, 28 and May 3, 4, 10, 12, 17, 18, 19, 24 & 25.

About the Show: Harley’s seriously depressed. Hasn’t kept a job in years because he exposed shady accounting and got a reputation as a whistle-blower. His psychiatrist fired him and he thinks his girlfriend left him. He even bought a gun to kill himself but didn’t have enough money for the bullets. He doesn’t think things can get worse. Then Crazy Maggie shows up looking for food and a place to hide. She’s just escaped from a mental hospital where she’s been held because she killed every man who found her attractive. She finds Harley’s pistol and when he finds her, the first question she has for him, with the gun aimed at him is “Do you find me attractive?” His response is just the start of a chain of events that end up making this HARLEY’S LUCKY DAY.

Watch a Video Promo of Harley's Lucky Day

Watch a Video Clip of Harley's Lucky Day

Video Notes: Could life have nothing but misery in store for Harley or could the arrival of an unexpected visitor change his luck?

Harley is an accountant who has been trying to work out his life on a balance sheet. On the negative side he was fired many years ago because he was a whistle-blower. Turned out no one wants to hire someone like that. Then his wife divorced him. Brilliant accounting software he designed was stolen by a company. He's broke. Most of his furniture has been repossessed. He thinks his girlfriend (Julie) left him. He bought a gun but couldn't afford the bullets. One negative after another on the balance sheet.

Then Crazy Maggie breaks into his house. She just escaped from the state mental hospital where she was being kept because she killed any man who found her attractive. First thing she asks Harley when she sees him, while pointing a gun at him, is "Do you think I'm attractive?" Can things get any worse?

An attempt by his girlfriend to get his mind off his problems with a little romance, flops. A scheme planned by his best friend, Art (aided by his girlfriend Sharon) goes wildly wrong. And Maggie takes everyone hostage. It looks like things are going from bad to worse.

And yet, this turns out to be a great day as a wild series of events, the wacky wisdom of a crazy woman, the care and concern of a girlfriend and friends all help Harley to stop thinking about himself and his problems long enough to find a little joy in life. And with one final, unexpected prize...truly makes this HARLEY'S LUCKY DAY.

Characters--
HARLEY: male, 40's; seriously depressed accountant
ART: male, younger than Harley; a good friend
MAGGIE: female, 40's to 50's; has conversations with herself
SHARON: female, same age range as Art; his girlfriend
JULIE : female, same age range as Harley; his girlfriend