Theatre of Western Springs to stage 'Leading Ladies' for laughs

The Theatre of Western Springs presents the Ken Ludwig comedy “Leading Ladies,” directed by David Knezz. Performances will take place Jan. 21 to 31.

“Leading Ladies” is a farce about two English Shakespearean actors, Jack and Leo, who find themselves so down on their luck that they are performing "Scenes from Shakespeare" on the Moose Lodge circuit in the Amish country of Pennsylvania.

When they hear an old lady in York, Pa., is about to die and leave her fortune to her two long-lost English nephews, they resolve to pass themselves off as her beloved relatives and get the cash. When they discover that the relatives aren't nephews, but nieces, Maxine and Stephanie are born.

Romantic entanglements abound, especially when Leo falls head-over-petticoat in love with the old lady’s vivacious niece, Meg, who’s engaged to the local minister.

“Whether acting in, directing, or just watching, I’ve always adored farces and parodies, and Ken Ludwig is one of America’s best writers of the genre," Knezz said in the news release. "Since seeing 'Lend Me A Tenor' years ago, I secretly yearned to direct one of Ludwig's plays, so I was very excited to direct the hilarious 'Leading Ladies'.”

The cast of "Leading Ladies" includes Dorothy Attermeyer of Hinsdale, Jackie Eul of Glendale Heights, Tom Gess of Indian Head Park, Bill Hammack of Lisle, Mike Janke of Downers Grove, Thom Serafin of La Grange Park, Michael-Colin Reed of Forest Park and Kelly Winters of Brookfield. The director is David Knezz of Homer Glen and the crew includes Darla Goudeau of La Grange, Debbie Angelillo of Oak Brook, Mary Ellen Schutt of Westmont, Terry Harrold of West Chicago, Nancy Whitlock, Dick Jacoby of Willowbrook, Joe Mills of Westchester, Mike Janke of Downers Grove, Tommy Aldis of Naperville, Linda Bugielski of Indian Head Park, Arlene Page of Burr Ridge, Michael-Colin Reed, Mary Ellen Schutt of Westmont, Ed Barrow of Hinsdale, Denise D’Asto of Darien, Kelli Kopp of Countryside, Sue Wisthuff of La Grange, Marilyn Weiher, Suzy Krueckeberg of Oak Brook, Harry Hultgren of Indian Head Park, Stephanie Bullwinkel of Lemont, Mary O’Dowd of Darien, Jennifer Collins of Woodridge, Kathy Kusper of Hinsdale, Ann Marie Hultgren of Indian Head Park, John Mueller of Lemont and Thad Hallstein.

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If you go

WHAT: "Leading Ladies"

WHEN:

• 8 p.m. Thursdays, Fridays and Saturdays, Jan. 21 to 23 and 28 to 30

• 2:30 p.m. Sundays, Jan. 24 and 31

• 2:30 p.m. Saturday, Jan. 30

• 7:30 p.m. Sunday, Jan. 24

WHERE: Theatre of Western Springs, 4384 Hampton Ave., Western Springs

COST: Adults are $20 or $22 depending on date, and students are $12

INFO: theatrewesternsprings.com or 708-246-3380