Grinnell, Montezuma, BGM ready theatrical productions

Young actors and actresses at area high schools have been busy for weeks preparing for fall theatrical productions.

Shows start this weekend in Grinnell, followed by Montezuma and BGM later in November.

“Arsenic and Old Lace”

The Grinnell High School Theatre presents “Arsenic and Old Lace” Oct. 31, Nov. 1 and Nov. 2 in the GHS Auditorium.

Showtime is 7 p.m. for the Friday and Saturday night shows and 2 p.m. for the Sunday show.

The play is under the direction of Holly and Adam Kelley-Chown with Ken Phipps serving as the technical director.

Tickets are $8 in advance or $10 at the door and can be purchased online using the bar code on the production flyer.

“Arsenic and Old Lace” is a dark comedy about a drama critic, Mortimer Brewster, who discovers his two sweet, elderly aunts, Abby and Martha, have been murdering lonely old men by poisoning them with elderberry wine.

The situation is complicated by the arrival of Mortimer's homicidal brother, Jonathan, and the discovery of more bodies, forcing Mortimer to figure out how to handle his family's murderous "charity."

Cast: Peyton Stevenson — Abby; Jack Hinkle — the Rev. Dr. Harper; Brennen Rasmussen — Teddy; Penelope Fennell — Officer Brophy; Lanie Kaup — Officer Klein; Elisabeth Kelley-Chown — Martha; Mallorie Arlint — Elaine; Ben Davis — Mortimer; Trycer Arend — Mr. Gibbs; Holden Smith — Jonathan; Joey Junge — Einstein; France Pedersen — Officer O’Hara; Thea Sherman — Lieutenant Rooney; and Jonathan Solomon — Mr. Witherspoon.

Stage crew: Cameron Corey, assistant technical director; Diane Boyd, stage manager; Lucy Turley, Lilly Madren, assistant stage managers; Eli Boyd, front of house, publicity; River Haenfler, Tab Fabor, costumes co-chiefs; Elliot Squire, Jackson Hutchinson, costumes crew; Izzy Boyer, prop chief; Belle Dewy, Nora Pedersen, Slane McCue, props crew; Lucy Skouson, hair, makeup chief; Maniyah Coomer, Serafina Light, hair, makeup; Alex Vogt, light crew chief; Ty Max Bartlett, light crew; Liam Lease, sound crew chief; Ty McIntyre, Sloan McDonough, sound crew; Aria Burrell, Delena Ekens, set construction.

“Monty Python’s Spamalot”

The Montezuma Drama Department presents the musical, “Monty Python’s Spamalot (Always Look on the Bright Side of Live)” school edition during four performances, Nov. 8, 9 and 15 and 16.

The Saturday shows are slated for 7 p.m. and the Sunday shows for 3 p.m.

Snacks will be available during intermission from the Fine Arts Boosters, and Evelyn’s Floral will be on site so families can purchase flowers for their actors, actresses and crew members.

Tickets are $8 for adults and $5 for students and are available at the door and in advance at Montezuma State Bank.

The musical is under the direction of Kelly Kaup, and Liesl Roorda is the musical producer.

Spamalot is adapted from the film Monty Python and the Holy Grail, which retells the legend of King Arthur and his quest for the Holy Grail with Knights of the Round Table. Follow Arthur as he gathers his knights and attempts to fulfill a divine command to find the Holy Grail, despite numerous ridiculous obstacles, including being forced to sing and dance in outlandish situations. Along the way, you will meet many classic Monty Python characters, including The Black Knight, The Knights of Ni, and Tim the Enchanter.

Cast: Ava DeWeese — historian, cancan dancer, bride; Lola Miller — mayor, mother, Laker girl, knights chorus; A’Riyah DeLong — Finland villager, French person; Austin Wolford — Finland villager, knight; Clayton Ver Meer — Finland villager, knight; Dominic Reif — Finland villager, knight; Eloise Boughton — Finland villager, French person; Greyson Hudnut — Finland villager, knight; Lena Smothers — Finland villager, mime; Whitley Hudson — Finland villager, French person; Alison Wickham — monk, Camelot girl; Alyssa Bos — monk, Laker girl, cancan dancer.

Also Carleigh Klein — monk, Camelot girl, Frenchie; Owen Desrochers — King Arthur; Letisia Wilson — guard 1, body, knights chorus, Tim the Enchanter; Isaiah Wilson — Patsy; Brielle Haughey — guard 2, minstrel, knights chorus; Jayden Doll — Sir Robin; Mya Smothers — Sir Lancelot; Jacob Meyer — Not Dead Fred, knight, the knight of Ni; Broox Stockman — body, Prince Herbert’s father; Dayton Reif — body, knight, The Black Knight; Marley Stowell — body, French taunter, Concorde, bride.

Also Will Rempp — handler — Frenchie, Sir Bors; Armani DeLong — handler, Frenchie; Ethan Desrochers — Dennis (Sir Galahad); Gracie Wilson — Lady of the Lake; Addilynn Ross — Frog, Laker girl, Frenchie, Ni knight; Addilyn Ver Meer — Laker girl, minstrel, bride; Grace Burnett — Laker girl, Camelot girl, minstrel; Ryanne Williams — Laker girl, minstrel, knights chorus; Tinsley Stowell — Laker girl, Camelot girl, knights chorus; Bryn Fantazia — Sir Bedevere; Easton Hudnut — Sir Not Appearing, God, Prince Herbert; Amber Hindman — Camelot girl, cancan dancer, Ni knight; Hope Tish — Camelot girl, French person, Ni knight; Olivia Teumer — Camelot girl, cancan dancer, Ni knight; Karley Eichenberger — Camelot girl, cancan dander, Ni knight; Karlie Mostek — Camelot girl, Frenchie, Ni knight; Ella McGrane — minstrel, Brother Maynard, bride.

“Freaky Tiki”

BGM High School's 2025 school play, "Freaky Tiki,“ is a fast-paced comedy set to open at 7 p.m. Friday, Nov. 14 at the BGM Auditorium. A second performance is set for Saturday at 7 p.m.

Order tickets through BOUND on the BGM website: gobound.com/ia/schools/bgm/tickets.

Tickets are $8 for students and $10 for adults. Both prices include a service fee.

The play is under the direction of Emily Daugherty. Julie Giblin is assistant director.

The titular Wobbly Palms Resort prides itself on being the finest two-and-a-half-star resort in Hawaii. Unfortunately, pride doesn't pay the bills. The resort is losing money and will be forced to close for good unless the staff can impress a mystery guest who's evaluating the property for a possible purchase.

The staff's mission is simple: make sure nothing goes wrong during the unknown guest’s stay.

The chaos begins when a guest Mr. Carlton (Emmit Albers), leaves a mysterious tiki statue with newbie desk clerk Blair (Maggie Manatt), and suddenly, everything starts to go wrong. Could the tiki be cursed?

The French chef, Maurice (Ryder Scott), discovers the star of his dinner special — a lobster — has escaped. An obsessive young man, Philip (Isaiah Williams), is determined to pull off the world’s most elaborate marriage proposal to Amanda (Kaylin Hatfield), but he loses the ring in a piranha-filled pond. And a temperamental opera singer, Valentina (Gracie Gerard), preparing for her comeback concert, loses her voice and has to resort to communicating through charades and a clown horn.

The pandemonium culminates in a crazy chase scene between the butterfly-net-wielding Chef Maurice and Claude (Jackson Wiegand), the unusually large lobster.

Under the demanding-yet-supportive eye of manager Elaine (Gwen McClenathan), and with the perky help of activities director Kiki (Daniela Pacheco), the staff — including superstitious housekeeper Nalani (Addy Hurst), clumsy bellhop Spencer (Tristan Taylor), and Blair — must scramble to keep the resort afloat.

Joining the mayhem are a host of colorful characters, including quirky scientists (Hunter Hiner and Carter Malveaux) and an array of eccentric club members (Anna Miller, A’rhianna Hansen, Abigail Wadhams, Trinity Miller, Aleeah Eichhorn, Isabella Wadhams andRorie Montano).

Ryan Smith and Hailey Henry handle backstage duties for the play.