OTTAWA — Soap opera star Walt Willey believes a community with its own live theatre outlet is a very good thing.

“Community theatre, at its most elementary level,” he explained, “is wonderful because anytime you can get the community together under one roof, it is very important.”

“The magic when you have something going out into the crowd and back from the crowd to you beats anything in the (television) studio a hundred times,” he added.

Willey and another star from the ABC soap opera, “All My Children,” are in rehearsals now for a play that is coming to Ottawa later this month.

Walt Willey, who plays Jackson Montgomery in the soap, and Julia Barr, who plays Brooke English, will star in “Arsenic and Old Lace,” the weekend of July 23-25.

Willey is producing the play through his production company, WilleyWorld Community Productions, and has the lead role of Mortimer Brewster, the character played by Cary Grant in the movie. Barr will play Abby Brewster, and Willey’s long-time friend and Monty Python diarist Kim “Howard” Johnson will play Jonathan Brewster.

Willey’s son, Chance, even has a role in the play as Officer O’Hara.

Willey and Johnson were raised in Ottawa, and Willey says it is great to be back in his hometown helping community theatre.

It all began when he was in town for an Easter Seals benefit a couple of years ago, Willey said. That was the same Easter Seals where he received therapy as a child. He got together with his best friend from childhood, Kim “Howard” Johnson, who had the idea for an improv workshop in Ottawa.

“So I did my stand-up act there about a year ago,” Willey said, “when it came to my attention that the Ottawa Community Players was not there anymore. I decided to make it my mission to bring community theatre back to Ottawa.”

Last summer, Willey brought “The Odd Couple” to town. He played Felix to Johnson’s Oscar. Another “All My Children” castmate, Jill Larson, who plays Opal, joined them for the production.

“We had a blast,” Willey said of last summer’s play. “It was incredibly good with a wonderful mix of professional actors and local talent.”

This year, “Arsenic and Old Lace” is kicking off Ottawa’s celebration of Riverfest and will be held in the Ottawa High School auditorium.

“Arsenic and Old Lace” will play at Ottawa High School, 211 East Main Street, Ottawa, at 7:30 p.m. Friday, July 23; 7:30 p.m. Saturday, July 24 at 7:30 p.m.; and at 2:30 p.m. Sunday, July 25.

For tickets and information, call (888) 688-2924 or visit www.experienceottawa.com. Tickets are $25 in advance or $30 at the door. Group rates are also available.

Willey said the plays are an effort to “build a framework of common support” for Ottawa theatre.  Willey said he had a chance last summer to peek into the lobby before the play, and he loved seeing the throngs of people talking and buzzing about events and the play and just catching up with each other.

Willey said it is not always easy to go out of town to Chicago to see a good play, either. Having a live theatre near your home makes it convenient to spend an evening at a good play. And less expensive, too.

Willey said in Chicago, a ticket can cost $125, whereas an equally good play with a quality cast in Ottawa is only $25.

“It seems to me this community was just waiting for something like this to say, ‘Let’s do it,’” Willey said.

There is so much local talent in the area, too, Willey said, and the play could not have been done without them. Even the high school’s drama teacher, Mary Morgan, is in the play as Martha Brewster. Bell Nuefeld, one of the original founders for the Ottawa Community Players, will be hostess for the play.

“We have an incredible pool of local talent here,” he said.

The cast of “Arsenic and Old Lace” includes Walt Willey - Mortimer Brewster; Howard Johnson - Jonathan Brewster; Mary Morgan - Martha Brewster; Julia Barr - Abby Brewster; Randy Oltman - Teddy Brewster; Deb Torri -  Elaine Harper; Steve Myers - Doctor Einstein; Lloyd Chapman - Reverend Doctor Harper; Erica Quirk - Abby’s Understudy; Joseph Ennenbach - Mr. Witherspoon; Chance Willey - Officer O’Hara; Anthony Epperson - Officer Klein; Brian Rehor - Officer Brophy; and Michael Meatheringham as Lt. Rooney.

Zoe Cassady is the director. Rachel Hettrick and Karen Leifheit are the assistants to the director, and Sue Williamson is the stage manager.

Willey said it’s an enjoyable, humorous play and he encourages everyone to come out to see it.

Two other local events staged by Willey’s production company this year will be a local improve group, Fish sticks and Milk, on July 30-31, and later on December 4-6, the play, These Shining Lies, which is about the radium dial factory that existed in Ottawa in Depression-era times.