‘Noises Off’ playing at Welk’s through May

“Noises Off” is a roller coaster, side-split­ting look at theatre – inside and out – as a hapless troupe of actors attempt to mount the dreadful comedy “Nothing On.” Door slam­ming, missed cues, and romantic intrigue slowly unravels the casts’ collective sanity.

Yet, the show must go on; despite the ca­tastrophe being played out on stage and the vicious antics among the actors backstage.

All-the-while, an ill-fated tray of sardines mysteriously appears and disappears.

In it’s Broadway debut, “Noises Off’” earned Tony Award nominations for Best Play and won a Drama Desk Award for Out­standing Ensemble.

“We are so excited to bring this piece to the Lawrence Welk stage. Over the past couple of years we have had great success producing plays at the resort – which is known for its musicals. We love giving the Welk patrons something different and Di­rector Ray Limon is bringing this show to life,” said producer and cast member Ran­dall Hickman. “Director, Ray Limon, has assembled one of the finest casts I have ever had the pleasure of working with and I am having a blast”.

Hickman and Limon began their work­ing relationship over 20 years. Limon is an award winning director/choreographer who is thrilled to be tackling this high energy, award winning play.

Act One is set at the dress rehearsal for “Nothing’s On.” The audience sees a hope­lessly under prepared cast, baffled by en­trances and exits, missed cues, missed lines and bothersome props, including a plate of sardines.

Act Two shows a matinee performance one month later, seen from backstage. The cast is now dealing with deteriorating rela­tionships that lead to offstage shenanigans and onstage bedlam. On and offstage plots intertwine until they can no longer be kept separate.

During Act Three, the cast entirely aban­dons the plot and the characters ad-lib to­ward any sort of ending.

Hickman added, “This is my second go round with this play and it is still one of the wildest, most fast-paced, shows an actor will ever do. It starts off at warp-speed and doesn’t let up until the curtain goes down.”

The “Noises Off” cast includes: Robin LaValley (Dotty Otley); Randall Hick­man (Lloyd Dallas); Michael Kelly (Gary Lejeune); Lindsey Denham (Brooke Ash­ton); Michelle Trester (Poppy Norton-Tay­lor); Paul Morgavo (Frederick Fellowes); Brannon Shaw (Belinda Blair); Julian Diaz (Tim Allgood); and Ralph Johnson (Selsdon Mowbray).

April 1 through May 1

Lawrence Welk Theater – 8860 Lawrence Welk Drive, Escondido CA

Thursday – Sunday shows

Tickets: 1-888-802-7469

Or online at www.welktheatersandiego.com

Tickets cost $35.