Searcy Summer Dinner Theatre kicks off 39th season with “Arsenic and Old Lace”

June 15, 2022 | Department of Theatre , Searcy Summer Dinner Theatre |

Harding University’s Searcy Summer Dinner Theatre is opening a season of  “Mayhem & Mirth'' with the production of “Arsenic and Old Lace.” The show will debut Thursday, June 16, followed by productions of “The Musical Comedy Murders of 1940” and “The Play that Goes Wrong” in July and August. Show casts feature members of the Searcy community and University faculty, staff and students.

“We might mention the many marvelous moments of mayhem and mirth that our minions have imagined for the magnificent members of our metropolitan milieux,” said Dr. Steven Frye, director of Searcy Summer Dinner Theatre. “Or maybe the meandering merriment of gourmet buffets making for masterful meals that merit commendation. Or more to the matter — make a move to meet with magic.”

“Arsenic and Old Lace,” one of the most popular plays of all time, features the shenanigans of the eclectic Brewster family. During the show you will meet Mortimer, a mild-mannered theatre critic for a major metropolitan newspaper; Martha and Abbey, his charming and innocent aunts who populate their cellar with the remains of socially and religiously “acceptable” roomers; Teddy, who thinks he is Teddy Roosevelt; and Jonathan, a malevolent and maniacal murder on the lam. The show is directed by Britton Lynn and will run June 16-19 and 23-25 in the Ulrey Performing Arts Center.  A buffet dinner provided by Chartwells Catering will be served at 6:30 p.m., and the show will begin at 7:30 p.m.

Individual tickets are $35, and a limited number of show-only seats are $20. Season tickets are also available for $90. Tickets can be purchased online at hardingtickets.com , by phone or at the box office. For more information, visit harding.edu/ssdt .

Harding University is a private Christian, liberal arts university located in Searcy, Arkansas. Accredited by the Higher Learning Commission, it is the largest private university in the state. Harding’s student body represents students from across the U.S. and more than 50 nations and territories. The University offers more than 110 undergraduate majors; 14 preprofessional programs; more than 40 graduate and professional programs; as well as numerous study abroad opportunities including locations in Australasia, Peru, England, Greece, Italy and Zambia. For more information, visit harding.edu .