Three Rivers Players is revived by the deadly comedy 'Arsenic and Old Lace'

After some 13 years, the Three Rivers Players is being revived with a production of “Arsenic and Old Lace” that opens on June 22 at the Three Rivers Memorial Building.

The theater company was started in the 70s by John Holden but languished when he died. Thespians Elizabeth and Steve LaMar were actively involved in those years and are behind the revival. Elizabeth is directing the show. Steve is doing sets and lights.

“We haven’t had live theater in Three Rivers for at least 10 years,” Elizabeth said. “I’m so excited to be back in the theater world. I love directing and collaborating with folks.”

She thought it perfect to start with an old comedy classic. “Arsenic and Old Lace” was a film starring Cary Grant in the 40s about Mortimer Brewster’s (Grant’s) zany family, including two spinster aunts who serve poisoned elderberry wine to lonely old men to put them out of their misery.

The plot gets crazier with brother Teddy, who thinks he is Teddy Roosevelt, and brother Jonathan, who looks like Boris Karloff. He’s a serial killer whose plastic surgeon, Dr. Einstein, uses his corpses’ faces to change Jonathan’s appearance since he is running from the law.

Steve is building a window seat to hold a couple of the corpses.

“I told Noelle Charles, who is doing specialty props, that I needed a dead body,” said Elizabeth. “Without blinking an eye, she said, ‘Oh, I’ve got one of those.’”

Charles’ husband is a filmmaker and happens to have a natural body on hand.

“Of course, he’s wearing a Mr. Incredible suit, so we have to change that, and I have to figure out how to put his head back on,” Elizabeth said.

Seasoned & inexperienced cast

The LaMars are seasoned thespians. They met while playing hero and heroine in melodramas at Knott’s Berry Farm. Elizabeth taught drama at Woodlake High School for 13 years and has performed and directed with many local companies.

Steve retired in 2019 after 31 years as a technical theater director at College of the Sequoias.

But many of the cast are newcomers to the stage.

Heidi Sager plays Aunt Martha and has always wanted to do theater. She and her husband taught in an American international school in India for 12 years without much chance of doing theater. When she ran into Elizabeth and learned about the show, she figured this was her chance.

“I play the more gullible sister. She’s all giggly and doesn’t catch on to things,” she said.

“We’re having so much fun. Each night we realize how funny something new in the play is.”

Nancy McFadden plays Aunt Abby. A theater major in college, she was in some of the old Three Rivers Players shows.

“People here are so excited we’re starting up the shows again,” she said. “So we’re hoping the audience will be forgiving. It’s a really good cast mix, and we’ll hopefully get more people who want to get involved.”

Rebecca Paterson, another newbie, plays Dr. Einstein, the plastic surgeon. The part is meant to be a male, but since not too many men auditioned, the part was changed to female.

“She’s supposed to have a German accent, but she’s a shady character, so it’s okay that the accent can be a little muddled,” she said.

“It’s been a couple of tough years for this area with the fires and floods,” said Paterson, who works for the Sequoia Park Service. “So it’s really pleasant to take a little refuge in this comedy about the 40s.”

And there’s a cameo appearance by Tulare County Supervisor Eddie Valero.

“With redistricting, Eddie became our supervisor, and he’s been very involved in helping Three Rivers,” said Elizabeth. “And it turns out he used to do theater.”

Based on real-life murders

Jordan Vieira, who plays Mortimer, is reviving his role. Growing up in Three Rivers, he first played Mortimer in a Woodlake High School version of the play (Elizabeth had been his teacher a few years earlier).

“I’m older now and have a deeper understanding of things. I’d like to think I might be putting a little more into the character, but since it’s such a crazy comedy, I don’t know that it will be noticeable,” he said.

He’s also done a lot of research into the play.

“There’s a book called ‘There’s a Body in the Window Seat’ that just came out in November that gives really good insight into the history of the play and film. It documents how the playwright didn’t really write it as a comedy and others had to come in to save it.”

The book also gives social commentary on the play. The two aunts are Martha and Abby (perhaps based on Martha Washington and Abigail Adams). There are 13 dead bodies (a reference to the original 13 colonies).

“It seems to be saying things are prim and proper at the surface level, but down in the basement where all the bodies are buried, things are different.”

Vieira added that he is happy to be able to contribute to the Three Rivers community.

“When my mother passed, the outpouring from the community was overwhelming. It feels good to reciprocate in a small way and to be part of something that brings vibrancy to the town.”

Fun show

Elizabeth is delighted with her cast.

“Our talent is really good, and they have good chemistry,” she said.

“I always thought that Jimmy Stewart would have been better in the Mortimer role than Cary Grant, and our Mortimer (Jordan Vieira) reminds me of how Jimmy Stewart would have done the role.”

She thanks the COS Theatre Department for help with sets and costumes.

The show is dedicated to John Holden, founder of the Players, who Elizabeth said really had a passion for theater.

The Saturday show is a dinner theater with food served by eighth graders from Three Rivers School. It’s a fundraiser for their eighth-grade trip.

The menu features pot roast, Lady Baltimore cake, and elderberry wine (minus the arsenic), all referenced in the play.

Elizabeth’s goal after this opening show is to put on four shows a year: two plays, a holiday show, and a children’s play.

“I’m ready to get back on stage, so I already have someone in mind to direct the next show,” she said.

Arsenic and Old Lace

• Runs: June 22-24

• Where: Three Rivers Memorial Building, 43490 Sierra Dr. (Highway 198)

• Tickets: (559) 561-4154 or at Kaweah Arts, 41841 Sierra Dr. (Highway 198). Also, on Eventbrite or at the door. Tickets for the dinner theater show on June 24 must be bought in advance.

This article originally appeared on Visalia Times-Delta: Three Rivers Players comes back to life with 'Arsenic and Old Lace'