Cast Announced for Bradford Little Theatre’s ‘Stay as Dead as You Are’

Bradford Little Theatre has announced the cast of its upcoming dinner theater production, “Stay As Dead As You Are.” The play will be performed at the Masonic Center, 625 South Ave. in Bradford, PA on Friday and Saturday, April 20 and 21 at 7pm and on Sunday, April 22 at 2pm.

Advance tickets cost $20 per person and include dinner, dessert and drinks. Seating is limited, so tickets will only be sold at the door if available. Door price is $25 per person.

Written by Lee Mueller, this “injury” comedy is set at a high school class reunion. Within a brief amount of time, the events of the reunion begin to turn bad, really bad. Director Kristin Asinger stated, “When the cast and crew read through the script during the first week of rehearsals, they found themselves laughing at all of the numerous, funny lines. The characters are all so zany and unique, I am anxious for the cast to bring these characters to life!”

BLT veterans Carrie Russell of Smethport and Jeri Simora of Duke Center, last seen in “Charlotte’s Web” and “I’m Getting Murdered in the Morning” will play the reunion coordinators. Russell will portray the strict yet senile vice principal who becomes even more confused after an incident at the reunion. As the always positive and bubbly class reunion chairperson Babs Gleeson, Simora will do her best to keep the reunion a success. Her “Mr. Positive” husband, Guy Gleeson, will be played by newcomer Jeff Bosworth of Bradford.

Clive Egbert, school janitor will be offered by newcomer Norm Folk of Bradford. The high school’s favorite lunch lady, Ms. Sauerberger, will be played by BLT veteran Cole Vecchio of Bradford. “It will be a fun challenge to transform a 17-year-old male into a 70-year-old lunch lady!” added Asinger.

Reunion classmates include Zach Ruth as Dick Alantra, former athlete and ladykiller; Susan Folk as Gabrielle Fatalle, former cheerleader now turned bitter barmaid; John Priest as class clown Marty Budinski; and Lynne Shannon Kuntz as Gertrude Magillacutty, former wallflower turned knockout. All are newcomers to the BLT stage and live in Bradford.

Rounding out the cast are Chris Lathrop, as class nerd Melvin Wedgewood and John Kearns as Detective Joe Mamet; both Bradford residents just appeared in BLT’s production of “Twelve Angry Men.” BLT newcomer Sandy Macfarlane of Rew will play rookie Detective Sharona Pinter while BLT veteran Anne Holliday of Bradford will be the reunion disc jockey.

Crew members include Suzi Coburn, producer; Chris Minich, assistant producer; Barb Pedersen, stage manager; Megan Truman, assistant stage manager; Diane Kerner Arnett and Ashley Andrucyk, publicity; Marcia McAndrew, costumes; Norm Folk and Holliday, sound; Nanci K. Garris, props; Marcia Morrison, tickets; Kathy Bryant, make-up; Kennedy Street Cafe, catering; Cindy Graham, Ann Fesenmyer and Candy Tingley food and drink logistics. All are Bradford residents except Minich of Custer City, Tingley of Limestone, N.Y., and Andrucyk of Shamokin.

Advance tickets are available at Graham Florist, Ott & McHenry Pharmacy and Tina’s Hallmark. They are also available from cast and crew members; online at www.bradfordlittletheatre.org; or by email attickets@bradfordlittletheatre.org. The audience will be seated in groups of up to nine at a table. Asinger advised that tables are assigned by ticket purchase, so people who want to sit together should buy their tickets at the same time and place.