Musical 'Lucky Stiff' to be staged in Pequot

PEQUOT LAKES -- What do you get when you take a hysterically funny plot, one dead body, a nerdy English shoe salesman, 6 million bucks in diamonds and a lot of dogs?

The answer is the Pequot Lakes Community Theatre production of the musical "Lucky Stiff," which opens Nov. 1 for a six-performance run in the Pequot Lakes High School auditorium.

Described as a "charming, outlandish, razzle-dazzle and a deliciously zany throwback," the musical is a farce in the best sense of the word, according to a production spokesman.

If you go

Who: Pequot Lakes Community Theatre

What: "Lucky Stiff"

Where: Pequot Lakes High School auditorium

When: 7:30 p.m. Nov. 1-2, 8-9; 2 p.m. Nov. 3, 10

Cost: $9, adults; $8, seniors; $7, students at Lakes State Bank in Crosslake and Pequot Lakes, Wells Fargo Bank in Pequot Lakes, or at (218) 568-9200

Harry Witherspoon (Daren Blanck), a London shoe salesman with limited prospects in life, falls heir to a $6 million fortune. There's only one catch. To collect on his inheritance, he has to take his Uncle Tony, an Atlantic City casino manager, on a vacation to Monte Carlo.

The will lays out very specific directions for Harry as to exactly how, when and where he must show his uncle a good time. Miss one event, and he's in default, and the deceased's fortune goes instead to his favorite charity, a canine rescue organization.

And just to make it interesting, the charity has sent an agent, Annabel Glick (Amy Borash), to dog Harry's every move, hoping he'll slip up and win one for the pooches.

The catch? Well, as it happens, Uncle Tony is the deceased -- stuffed and mounted in a wheelchair (Tim Leagjeld). Further complicating matters are Uncle Tony's myopia, pistol-packing mistress Rita (Nancy Waller) and her optometrist brother Vinnie (Rande Erickson), who also have their eyes on Tony's millions.

Put them all together and you have a recipe for a classic, full-throttle comedy.

Show times are 7:30 p.m. Nov. 1-2 and 8-9, and 2 p.m. Nov. 3 and 10. Tickets are $9 for adults, $8 for seniors and $7 for students. Tickets are available at Lakes State Bank in Crosslake and Pequot Lakes, as well as the Wells Fargo Bank in Pequot Lakes, or by calling (218) 568-9200.

"Lucky Stiff" is an adaptation of the Michael Butterworth novel, "The Man Who Broke the Bank at Monte Carlo." The musical won the 1988 Richard Rodgers Production Award and the 1990 Helen Hayes Award for Best Musical.

The local production is directed by Blanck and Borash with musical direction by Lauren Nickisch. The production is stage managed by Kay Churchill while the set is designed by Leagjeld.

Other cast members include C.J. Anderson, Danae Blanck, Mark Belanger, Mike Cerise, Ralph DeWitt, Esther Fruth, Sara Heinrich, Carol Heuberger, Lee Kodet, Tiffany Morris, Chuck Neilson, Kim Scheett, Kalen Stoneking and Randi Schopper.