Beaver Bobcat Players welcome you to 'Meet The Underpants' from Steve Martin

BEAVER ― Sure, you can count on a classic farce to be fine theatrical entertainment.

But The Bobcat Players Community Theater thinks it has something even better − a classic farce repurposed for the 21st century by comedy icon Steve Martin.

Yes, THAT Steve Martin, the famous actor/writer who has taken a work by early 20th-century German playwright Carl Sternheim and adapted it for contemporary theatergoers.

"Meet The Underpants," a high-energy, hilarious play opens the Bobcat season April 5-6, and April 11-13, and offers audiences this sage advice: Never underestimate the power of a glimpse of lingerie.

The play is set in 1910; the place is Dusseldorf, Germany. The occasion is a festive parade through the streets of the city.

In attendance is Louise Maske, the lovely but somewhat bored housewife of a staid and somewhat stuffy government clerk. Hoping to get an unobstructed glimpse of the king, Louise steps upon a bench, and just as his majesty’s cortege passes by, her bloomers fall. An unfortunate accident of timing, to be sure, but Louise recovers both her undergarments and her dignity in one fell swoop. It is too late, however, to escape notice of thecrowd, and the slip of the slip (or in this case the knickers) sets in motion a series of events that prove amusing, seductive, and cataclysmic.

In short order we are introduced to Louise’s husband, who is horrified that her mishap will cost him his job; a flamboyant poet and a petulant hypochondriac, who compete for Louise’s attention and affection.

More zany characters wait in the wings as Martin’s play unfolds with double entendres, satirical commentaries and slapstick bits that are hallmarks of an involved and irreverent farce.

"The Underpants" is a tour de force that highlights Martin’s skill as a playwright in addition to his acting talent, says the local show's director, Stephen Gallagher of Wilkins Township, a newcomer to the Bobcat Players but a long-time veteran of professional and community theater.

Gallagher says he feels at home with the Beaver company, and he is grateful that his name often is mentioned in connection with a theater seeking a director for “a weird show.” He is no stranger to the Bobcat Players, having interacted with several of their board members through other theatrical projects.

He encourages audiences to “come in with an open mind and a willingness to laugh at this absolutely ridiculous play," and praises the seven actors who bring “a passion to perform” to their work.

Community theater is “a challenge, a feat of juggling schedules and balancing time," Gallagher said in a press release. "But the cast and crew have been extremely dedicated to bringing my twisted vision to life. I am so very proud of all of them.”

Featured in that cast are Bobcat Player veterans Elizabeth Glyptis of Pittsburgh's North Side as the innocent but enticing Louise Maske; Andrew Mayle of Conway as her overwrought husband, Theo; and Jennifer Kopach of South Fayette Township as Gertrude Deuter, the nosy neighbor who revels in naughtiness.

Three potential renters of the Maskes’ extra room are played by Bobcat newcomers Bob Rak of Peters Township; Eric Rummel of Pittsburgh and Nate Butler of Hopewell Township. Rounding out the cast is another familiar face, Kevin McGuire of North Sewickley Township, as a surprise persona near the play’s end.

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"The Underpants" is being performed at the Ed Schaughency Theater in Beaver Area Middle School/High School on April 5-6 and 11-13. The curtain for all shows is 7:30 p.m.

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Tickets cost $15 at bobcatplayers@yapsody.com; at the Hostess Shoppe in downtown Beaver; or by phone reservation at 1-878-207-0309. Tickets also may be purchased at the door on evenings of performances.

Scott Tady is entertainment editor at The Times and easy to reach at stady@gannett.com.

This article originally appeared on Beaver County Times: Steve Martin farce 'Meet The Underpants' staged by Bobcat Players