JERSEY SHORE — When Mortimer Brewster discovers a corpse in his elderly aunts’ window seat and attempts to protect them from the police, the family trait of insanity quickly becomes apparent. One brother thinks that he is Teddy Roosevelt, and his other brother returns home unexpectedly to hide from the police. As Mortimer attempts to keep his family and new fiancee safe, the situation grows crazier by the minute. Who put the body in the window seat? This dark comedy will bring plenty of humor and suspense to audiences in the upcoming performances of Arsenic and Old Lace by Joseph Kesselring.

The show is being performed Nov. 13 and 14 at 7 p.m. in the Jersey Shore Area Senior High School auditorium. Directed by Michele Long, assisted by Emma Blakely, the play is presented by special arrangement with Broadway Licensing, LLC, servicing the Dramatists Play Service collection (www.dramatists.com). Admission is $10 for adults and $5 for students. General admission tickets will be sold at the door.

Drama critic Mortimer Brewster (played by Kevin Larry) has just proposed to his sweetheart, Elaine Harper (played by Emilee Eisner). Elaine and her father, Rev. Dr. Harper, (played by Charlie Snook), live next door to the Brewster House. Mortimer’s two sweet aunts, Abby Brewster (played by Laurel Demers) and Martha Brewster (played by Jocelyn Cunningham), live there with their nephew, Teddy Brewster, (played by Solomon Crouch). The aunts are well-respected in the community, and the local police officers often stop by to check on them. Officer Brophy (played by Ava Pollock) and Officer Klein (played by Abagail Young) are particularly fond of the two ladies. When Mr. Gibbs (played by Jade Alexander) knocks on the door looking for a room to rent, Mortimer realizes that his aunts have been poisoning old men with wine.

The plot develops as unexpectedly, Jonathan Brewster (played by Jack Fetzer) returns home with his accomplice Dr. Einstein (played by Sam Davis) to hide from the police. As Mortimer tries to correct the situation, Officer O’Hara (played by Melody Watson) convinces Mortimer to reluctantly listen to a play that he wrote. Meanwhile, Officer Rooney (played by Jade Alexander) arrives to assess the situation, and Mr. Witherspoon (played by Leland Entz) appears to make arrangements for the insane family members. Audiences will discover that the only thing more deadly than poison is family!

The stage and support crew include Tanner Shade, stage supervisor; Scott Alexander, sound supervisor; Ella Simcox, lighting designer; Sarah Keim, set designer; Heather Haigh, costume designer; Simeon Crouch, sound technicians; Mackenzi Paulhamus, lighting technician; and Charlotte Bierly, ticket sales. Dummy construction was completed by the American Musical Theatre class, and the set construction was completed by Sarah Keim, Allen Keim, Emma Blakely, Michele Long, cast and crew.