Pacelli students to bring the laughs with performance of ‘Arsenic and Old Lace’

Published 9:52 am Wednesday, March 21, 2012

The Pacelli Catholic School auditorium will be howling with laughter this weekend.

Pacelli students will perform the frightfully funny comedy “Arsenic and Old Lace” this Friday and Saturday.

“It’s one of my favorite shows,” said Lucas Johnson, co-director. Johnson’s no stranger to the play, as he was part of a performance during college and previously directed the play at Austin High School. What makes this oddball play stand out is the cast Johnson has this time around.

Email newsletter signup

“Looking around at the students this year, we had the people to do it,” he said.

The classic story centers on young Mortimer Brewster, who finds out a terrible secret surrounding his aunts and must find a way to win the girl of his dreams while leaving his brother in the dark.

Though the play had a few contemporary plot twists when it was written in the ‘40s (like a joke on actor Boris Karloff’s appearance), there’s enough timeless comedy to keep everyone’s attention.

“It’s almost an old-fashioned screwball comedy,” Johnson said. “It’s one of those old chestnuts that always comes around, and it’s good.”

“Arsenic and Old Lace” takes place at 7 p.m. Friday and Saturday at Pacelli Auditorium. Tickets are $6 for adults, $4 for students and can be purchased at Pacelli.