The Award-winning Waterfront Playhouse on Mallory Square brings the hilarious comedy classic Arsenic and Old Lace to the stage beginning May 11. Previewing on Wednesday May 10, performances are at 8pm Tuesday through Saturday with a Saturday matinee at 2pm on May 20. For tickets call 305-294-5015 or visit www.waterfrontplayhouse.org.  Opening night, May 11, will include a party in the garden catered by 915.

Arsenic and Old Lace is a classic black comedy about the only thing more deadly than poison: family. Drama critic Mortimer Brewster’s engagement announcement is upended when he discovers a corpse in his elderly aunts’ window seat. Between his aunts’ penchant for wine, a brother who thinks he’s Teddy Roosevelt, and another brother using plastic surgery to hide from the police—not to mention Mortimer’s own hesitancy about marriage—it’ll be a miracle if Mortimer makes it to his wedding. 

The Waterfront Playhouse company, directed by Artistic Director Tom Thayer and designed by Michael Boyer includes some of Key Wests favorite performers. Gerri Louise Gates and Peggy Montgomery will play Abby and Martha. Gerri Louise has performed on all three Key West stages & done stand up comedy for many benefits over the last 25 years. Some of her favorite roles were in Vagina Monologues, Swimming with the Sharks, The Odd Couple, Stepping Out & Anton and Show Business. Peggy Montgomery has appeared in Good People, The Cripple of Inishman and The Poetry of Hearts. 

Mathias Maloff and Carolyn Cooper will play Mortimer and Elaine. Mathias was recently seen in Rock of Ages and Jimmy Buffett’s Escape to Margaritaville while Carolyn has appeared and choreographed Kinky Boots, Something Rotten, Priscilla Queen of the Desert, Rocky Horror Show, Young Frankenstein, as well as appearing in Clue, and Dancing Lessons. 

Steve Miller has been cast as Teddy Roosevelt Brewster. Steve is a local Disc jockey on 98.7 Conch Country and U.S.1 Radio, he is also the Executive Director of the Lower Keys Chamber of Commerce. His first time on stage was for a reading of Gross Indecency in 2018. After that he performed in Peter and the Starcatcher, Red Speedo, The Informer, Twice Told Tales and Around the World in 80 Days. During Covid Steve participated in dozens of Radio Plays that were performed by the Key West Players Live on U.S.1 Radio.

Newcomer John DeMicco will play Jonathan .A transplanted New Yorker, he currently is based in NC. NC highlights: Kris Kringle in Miracle on 34^th Street, Clarence in It’s a Wonderful Life, Amos in Chicago, the Waiter in First Date, Sir Galahad in Spamalot, Mrs Bumbrake in Peter and the Starcatcher, and Max Reinhardt in Shakespeare in Hollywood Cabaret and Actor One in Gurney’s The Dining Room.  On film he can currently be seen as Jerry in the feature film Moving Valentine. 

Zachary Franchini, last seen in Kinky Boots!, plays Dr. Einstein, Richard Titus will  play Rev. Harper, Karl Stahl will be play Mr. Witherspoon and Ray West, Wayne Dapser, Donna Stabile, John Swann play a host of Brooklyn’s finest!