CENTER STAGE IN SHELTON DELIGHTS WITH "THE PLAY THAT GOES WRONG"

Did you ever have a day, from morning to midnight, where nothing went right? From the moment the alarm clock failed to ring, your electric toothbrush doesn’t brush, and the milk for your favorite cereal goes sour, your day goes progressively down hill.

Imagine you are part of a theater troupe, the Cornley Drama Society, engaged in putting on a play “The Murder at Haversham Manor,” and they discover that they are trapped in “The Play That Goes Wrong” until Sunday, April 28. Come meet the talented troupe at Center Stage in Shelton where it all falls apart so beautifully. Before the action even begins Winston the golden lab goes missing. Did you see him? One minute later, the mantle on the fireplace collapses and a prominent portrait falls off the wall. Do you have your tool box ready?

“The Play That Goes Wrong” by Henry Lewis, Jonathan Sayer and Henry Shields is a hoot of a farce as the poor unsuspecting cast tries to adjust to all the disasters that manifest and multiple by the minute. Come cheer on Melanie Byron, Hunter Smith, Terrance J. Peters, Dave Kaminski, Scott Sheldon, Lucy Babbitt, Paul Keegan and Briana Dawson as they play everyone from murdered bodies, police inspectors, fiancees about to be married, siblings, gardeners and housekeepers. The set, poised to fall apart in front of your disbelieving eyes, is the main character and should be applauded for its unpredictability.

Under the skilled direction of Betsy Kelso, the action is constant and a delightful and frightening surprise. Here timing is everything and the cast has to be on their toes and heads to master the intricate plot. Sometime the story is like a record stuck at one spot, sometimes the scotch drinks get out of control, often doors refuse to open and snow comes flying in every direction.The big question is who murdered Charles Haversham and who will be next? Come delight in the action and the mishaps that keep tumbling into the fray.

For tickets ($18-36), call Center Stage, 54 Grove Street, Shelton at 203-225-6079 or online at www.centerstageshelton.org. Performances are Thursday, Friday and Saturday at 7:30 p.m. and Sunday at 2 p.m.

Get into the madcap and slapstick action as this farce of a comedy rolls merrily along to laughter, with a few dead bodies in the way.