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Keystone Players dabble with danger in ‘Arsenic and Old Lace’

The amiable spookiness of Joseph Kesselring’s Arsenic and Old Lace will be a perfect match for playgoers who want to have a good laugh Halloween weekend. The Keystone Players will present this classic comedy Saturday at 7:30 p.m. and Sunday at 2 p.m. in Brooks Theatre at Keystone College. The play focuses on two sweet, generous and kind elderly sisters, Abby and Martha Brewster, played by Laura Hughes and Kelly Langan, who, unbeknownst to their admirers, share a penchant for “helping” lonely old men by putting them out of their misery with the help of a little arsenic laced wine. Struggling to deal with his nutty aunts and even crazier brothers, one of whom thinks he’s Theodore Roosevelt, and the other who is a homicidal maniac that looks like Boris Karloff, is the only sane Brewster, Mortimer, played by Robert Eskra. Mortimer’s peculiar brothers will be brought to life by Alphonse Baldino as Teddy and Justin Kraky as Jonathan. Jonathan’s accomplice, Dr. Einstein, will be played by Adam Barndt. Rounding out the cast are Erin Kaercher, as Elaine, Mortimer’s fianc�e, Gary Bisignani, Heather Bixby, Stephen Keating, and Harry Powell as police officers, Bill Zeranski as Elaine’s father, the Rev. Dr. Harper; Bill Honchell as Mr. Gibbs, and Brandon Nadeau as Mr. Witherspoon, director of Happy Dale Sanitarium. Tickets are $6 and $3 for students and senior citizens. They may be purchased at the door. Performing in Arsenic and Old Lace, from left are Laura Hughes as Abby Brewster, Brandon Nadeau as Mr. Witherspoon and Kelly Langan as Martha Brewster