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West
Windsor, N.J. - Maurer Productions OnStage brings classic
laughs to the stage with the Neil Simon comedy "Laughter
on the 23rd Floor" at Mercer County Community College's
Kelsey Theatre. Dates and times for this hilarious salute
to the comedy writers of television's golden age are: Fridays,
Jan. 27 and Feb. 3 at 8 p.m.; Saturdays, Jan. 28 and Feb.
4 at 8 p.m.; and Sundays, Jan. 29 and Feb. 5 at 2 p.m. Kelsey
Theatre is located on Mercer's West
Windsor campus, 1200 Old Trenton Road. A reception with
the cast and crew follows the opening night performance on
Jan. 27.
"Laughter
on the 23rd Floor" follows the writing, fighting, and
all-round crazy antics that take place in the writers' room
of a weekly variety show circa 1953. Based on Neil Simon's
real-life experiences as a comedy writer for Sid Caesar's
"Your Show of Shows" television program, "Laughter"
focuses on the ongoing battles of fictional comedian Max Prince,
star of "The Max Prince Show," with NBC executives
who worry that his humor is too sophisticated for Middle America.
Each of the play's characters is based on one of the real-life
kings of comedy who worked with Simon in the groundbreaking
days of early television.
The cast
features Mark Swift, of Hamilton, as Lucas (modeled after
Neil Simon); Michael Gonzalez, of Columbus, as Milt Fields
(inspired by Carl Reiner); Joe Zedeny, of East Windsor, as
Val Slotsky (inspired by Mel Tokin); Brett Molostky, of Camden,
as Brian Doyle (inspired by Michael Stewart); Casey Woods,
of Sayerville, as Kenny Franks (inspired by Larry Gelbart);
Alana Caraccio, of Doylestown, Pa., as Carol Wyman (inspired
by Selma Diamond); Joseph Perignat, of Furlong, Pa., as Max
Prince (inspired by Sid Caesar and Jackie Gleason); Nicole
Spadafino of Bethlehem, Pa., as Helen; and John Pinto of Yardley,
Pa., as Ira (inspired by Mel Brooks).
John Maurer
directs the production. He is co-founder of Maurer Productions
OnStage with his wife, Diana. Since 2004, the award-winning
company has presented numerous productions at Kelsey Theatre
including "Singin' in the Rain," "Man of La
Mancha," "Brighton Beach Memoirs," and "Driving
Miss Daisy."
Maurer
says he is most at home with small comedies. "I love
to make people laugh and I love a good comedy. Doing a small
intimate comedy to me is like coming home."
More information
about this production of "Laughter on the 23rd Floor"
can be found online here.
Tickets
are $16 for adults; $14 for seniors, and $12 for students
and children. Free parking is available next to the theater.
Tickets may be purchased online
or by calling the Kelsey Box Office at 609-570-3333.
Kelsey Theatre is wheelchair accessible.
For
the complete events schedule and more at Kelsey Theatre, visit:
2011-12
Theatre Schedule
Kelsey
Website
Audition
Information
Tomato
Patch Visual and
Performing Arts Workshops
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