{"id":228591,"date":"2026-03-20T14:13:22","date_gmt":"2026-03-20T14:13:22","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ca\/228591\/"},"modified":"2026-03-20T14:13:22","modified_gmt":"2026-03-20T14:13:22","slug":"fatastically-funny-ladies-at-westminster-playhouse-orange-county-tribune","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ca\/228591\/","title":{"rendered":"Fatastically funny \u2018Ladies\u2019 at Westminster Playhouse \u2013 ORANGE COUNTY TRIBUNE"},"content":{"rendered":"

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BOBBY D. LUX and Adriano Brown as Leon and Jack in \u201cLeading Ladies\u201d (WCP photo).<\/p>\n

By Thom deMartino
Orange County Tribune<\/p>\n

Lord, what fools these mortals be.
Westminster Community Playhouse is at it again, with their newest production: the fantastic farce \u201cLeading Ladies.\u201d Written by Ken Ludwig and directed by Gregory Cohen, it\u2019s the story of a pair of struggling actors \u2013 Shakespearean, by trade \u2013 in 1952 York, Pennsylvania and their get-rich-quick scheme that doesn\u2019t play out quite the way they\u2019d planned.<\/p>\n

\"\"<\/a>Meg (Mandy Abbigail Krause) is niece to her elderly (and wealthy) Aunt Florence (Yvonne Robertson), and set to become heiress when she passes \u2013 but at the moment, she is more concerned with making it to a production of \u201cScenes From Shakespeare\u201d playing at the local Moose Lodge.<\/p>\n

Unfortunately her curmudgeonly beau, the Rev. Duncan Wooley (Chris Brennan), has lent his car to a neighbor\u2026 convenient timing, as he\u2019s no fan of actors or their trade.<\/p>\n

The following day, English thespians Leo Clark (Bobby D. Lux) and Jack Gable (Adriano Brown) are commiserating over the lack of enthusiasm the previous night\u2019s show inspired\u2026 as well as their lack of cash. But upon reading in the local paper about the well-off Florence looking for her missing relatives Max & Steve \u2013 having shipped off to England years before \u2013 the actor convinces his cohort that they can pose as the two young men, to gain a rich payday when the elderly woman finally shuffles off the mortal coil.<\/p>\n

Or can they?<\/p>\n

\"\"<\/a>Into their train car skates the effervescent Audrey (Sara Kersnowski), a local girl who\u2019s happy to fill the pair in on Florence\u2019s story, and her search for her *nieces*, Maxine & Stephanie \u2013 that is to say, Max & Steve. Unfazed by this revelation (and accustomed to playing the opposite sex in some of Shakespeare\u2019s work), Leo convinces Jack the pair can play their roles in drag to hoodwink the old woman.<\/p>\n

Upon arrival, the pair of \u201cnieces\u201d are met by Meg and Duncan\u2026 the latter being more than a little suspicious of the sudden appearances of the disguised Leo and Jack, as their claim to the inheritance may threaten his hopes to sway Meg to eventually turn hers over to his \u201cfoundation.\u201d<\/p>\n

Further complicating matters is Doc Myers (Greg Stokes) the local physician (who\u2019s no fan of Duncan), and his son Butch (Andrew Yonce), who is himself crushing hard on Audrey\u2026 only now, Leo and Jack are finding themselves smitten by Meg and Audrey \u2013 but how can that ever work out? And yet, when Leo discovers that Meg knows and admires his work as an actor, he begins to hatch a risky new plan\u2026 one that may throw their moneymaking scheme into chaos.<\/p>\n

This is a fantastic farce the Westminster Community Playhouse is staging, with lots of laughs and outstanding comedic physicality by the actors (such as by Brennan\u2019s Duncan as he flails around in frustration, venting about actors, or Brown\u2019s Jack in drag, struggling to stay upright as he strides unsteadily in heels.)<\/p>\n

There\u2019s splendid timing and quick changes, marvelous chemistry between Krause\u2019s Meg (called \u201cMargaret\u201d by her would-be cousins) and Lux\u2019s Leo, as well as between Jack and Kersnowski\u2019s Audrey. There\u2019s excellent interplay between the multiple characters, with sharp dialogue and snappy delivery, and the actors\u2019 energy really shows how devoted they are to this comedy.<\/p>\n

Lux has some great bits throughout, and really shines in this role, while Brown is an outstanding new addition to the Westminster Community Playhouse roster (as are several other new faces in this show.)<\/p>\n

It\u2019s a marvelous and fun production, a treat for both veteran theatergoers and new patrons of WCP. Playing through March 29, \u201cLeading Ladies\u201d is an immense amount of fun for all, and one to catch while you can.<\/p>\n

\u201cLeading Ladies\u201d: Mandy Abbigail Krause, Bobby D. Lux and Adriano Brown star in this comedy of love and deception. Playing through March 29 at the Westminster Community Playhouse, 7272 Maple St, Westminster. Ticketing information available online at http:\/\/www.wcpstage.com<\/a>, or call (714) 893-8626.\u00a0 \u00a0<\/p>\n

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