It’s a case of mistaken identity for two actors that leads to hilarious consequences in “Ken Ludwig’s Leading Ladies,” the fall production for the Stratford High School Drama Society. The comedy runs Nov. 21 at 7:30 and Nov. 22 at 2:30 and 7:30 in the Stratford High School John F. Kennedy Memorial Auditorium. Seats are $14 with a special student matinee price of $10 for the 2:30 performance on Saturday. Tickets can be reserved in advance using the link at the bottom of this article or purchased at the door (cash or check only for walk-in purchases).
The show, set in York, Pennsylvania in 1958, is a farce that centers on two down-on-their-luck British Shakespearean actors, Leo Clark and Jack Gable. The pair discover through a newspaper, that Florence, an older ailing woman, has been unable to find Max and Steve, her sister’s children who moved away to England as children so she may include them in her multi-million dollar inheritance. They decide to pose as Max and Steve to claim portions of it. When they discover that “Max” and “Steve” are actually “Maxine” and “Stephanie,” they continue on, undaunted, using their costume collection to dress themselves as the nieces.
The jokes are smart, well-timed, and have a good mixture of silly gags and intelligent digs – it has something for every sense of humor. It is appropriate for a younger audience as well. And, it includes some Shakespeare – what could be better than that in Stratford?
The Cast includes: Noah Mastro (Leo/Maxine); Eddie Greist (Jack/Stephanie); Zalena Jaimongal (Meg); Skyylar Feggins (Audrey); Orchid Tejada (Duncan); Brennan Kelly (Doc); Zoe Baird (Florence); Aiden Loschiavo (Butch); Natasha Schumann (Moose Announcer) and Josh Dean (Frank/Conductor). Student stage managers include Ace Mellen, Izzy Kruzshak and Maggie LaReau.
The Production Staff is comprised of Mitchell Weinbaum as Stage Director, Damien Soler as Technical Director and Kathleen Murphy as Producer.
SHS Senior and Drama Society President Brennan Kelly really appreciates that this year “we have a very unique and diverse cast who all contribute to the experience in their own way. Seeing those perspectives come together has made Leading Ladies one of my favorite high school productions.”
“What I’ve loved most was costuming it,” said Senior Orchid Tejada, SHS Drama Society Vice President and Costume Designer, “ since when I was younger I had a bit of a fascination with the 50’s as an aesthetic and the fashion of the time.”
The two leads, Max and Leo, played respectively by sophomore Noah Mastro, and sophomore Edwards Greist, have both especially enjoyed making people laugh though their characters’ actions – and have also loved laughing at each other’s performances.
Leading Ladies can be seen on the Stratford High School stage Nov. 21 and 22. Visit https://stratfordhigh.seatyourself.biz to purchase tickets or visit https://www.stratfordk12.org/o/shs/page/drama-society or email Kathleen Murphy as murphy@stratk12.org for more information.
