"ARSENIC & OLD LACE"

WRITER

JOSEPH KESSELRING

DIRECTOR

HOWIE HIRSCHFIELD

PRODUCER

MIKE FASS

PRODUCTION COMPANY

HARBOUR LIGHTS PLAYERS

Originally written as a serious murder drama by theater critic Joseph Kesselring on a dare from a victim of his past critiques to "see if you can do any better", it instead got unintentional laughs from the preview audience so he saw its comic potential and rewrote it as a comedy. The sinister lead heavy, Jonathan Brewster, brother of bedeviled yet likable theater critic Mortimer, has his face surgically altered after one of his many murders by his assistant, Dr. Einstein, who, having had too much to drink after watching a horror movie, makes Jonathan resemble Boris Karloff. Early in its run, the play actually cast Mr. Karloff himself as Jonathan which REALLY made the show a hit! This 1986 revival of the play about two adorable spinster aunts who poison lonely men to death as "one of our charities", ran from January through February just as the touring revival with first Abe Vigoda, then Jonathan Frid, in the role of Jonathan Brewster, took to the road.

\"Arsenic & Old Lace\" 'S CAST

Mike Fass