‘Lucky Stiff’ musical comedy staged at Rogers City Theater

Another live production is set to grace the stage of the Rogers City Theater. This time audiences should be prepared for a comedy, dubbed “a drop-dead funny musical” called “Lucky Stiff.” Director Heather L. Nordenbrock and crew are set to perform the show beginning tonight at 7:30. Other performances are planned for Friday and Saturday at 7:30 p.m. and 2:30 p.m. Sunday.

“I think it is going to be a good show,” Nordenbrock said. “It is a musical comedy, a farce–lighthearted, fun stuff.” Lynn Ahrens and Stephen Flaherty, authors of “Once on This Island,” “My Favorite Year,” “Ragtime,” and the animated film “Anastasia” wrote the play. The offbeat musical murder mystery tells about an unassuming English shoe salesman, Harry Witherspoon, forced to take the corpse of his recently murdered Atlantic City croupier uncle on a week-long vacation to Monte Carlo.

Should he succeed, Harry stands to inherit $6 million. If not, the money goes to the Universal Dog Home of Brooklyn. What follows is sheer lunacy as Harry comes up against his uncle’s insanely jealous and legally blind mistress, her much put-upon optometrist brother, and Annabel Glick, a zealous representative from the Universal Dog Home determined to see Harry’s inheritance go to the dogs.

The cast include

s Morgan Suszek as Harry, Nicole Grulke as Annabel, Michele Ciupka as Rita LaPorta, Matt Flanery as Vinnie DiRuzzio, Mike Idalski as Luigi Gaudi, James Tomas as the uncle, and Regina Andre as Dominique Dumonac. Several cast members play multiple parts including Brittany Hincka, Carly Claus, Jessica Ruppert, Robert D. McMaster, and Travis Lafferty. Vanina Chavarri accompanies the cast on the piano. Director Nordenbrock was assisted by her father Karl Heidemann, who designed and constructed the sets and lighting, stage manager Lucy Kamyszek, and Bryan D. Mills, who helped with lighting, sound, and set construction.

Crew members include Alex Pratt, Kaylee Travis, Alyssa Bober, Jessi Witkowski, Alicia Lamb and Krystal Haske. Admission to the play is $8 for adults and $5 for seniors and students. Tickets are available from any cast member or at the door.