Lakewood Theatre Company to Present Comedy ONE MAN, TWO GUVNORS

Richard Bean's internationally acclaimed One Man, Two Guvnors opens at Lakewood Theatre Company on November 4, 2016, with songs by Grant Olding. The British comedy is based on an Italian play, The Servant of Two Masters by Carlo Goldini, and transports the classic conundrums of a harlequin hero from 1740s Florence to 1960s Brighton, keeping the age-old traditions of one of the most revered theatre forms-commedia dell'arte.

By weaving together elements of improvisation, pantomime, stand-up comedy and music hall revue, One Man, Two Guvnors reveals a hilarious tapestry of wit, slapstick and intrigue. Love triangles, mistaken identities and rockabilly tunes collide in this farcical riot about Francis (Grant Byington) an easily confused man who cannot keep his stomach full or his secrets straight, yet finds his knickers in a twist trying to do just that!

Performances, with stage direction by Don Alder, begin November 4 and continue through December 11, 2016, playing Thursday, Friday, and Saturday nights at 7:30 PM, two Wednesday performances (Nov. 16, Dec. 7) at7:30 PM, Sunday evenings at 7:00 PM (Nov. 6, 20, Dec. 7), and Sunday matinees at 2:00 PM (Nov. 13, 27, Dec. 4 and 11). The show sponsor is Keller Williams Realty Portland Premiere.

The theatre is located at Lakewood Center for the Arts, 368 S. State St. in Lake Oswego. Ticket prices are $32/adults and $30/seniors. Other discounts are available for students and groups. For additional information and tickets, call the Lakewood Box Office at (503) 635-3901 or order online at https://www.lakewood-center.org/

The story: It's the swingin' sixties in the charming seaside town of Brighton, England. The Fab Four rule the radio, gangs run the streets, and poor, hungry Francis Henshall (Grant Byington) just got kicked out of his skiffle band. With no skills and an unsatiable appetite, Francis starts working for the hoodish Rachel Crabbe (Melissa Whitney), a local mobster with a shady past. When posh criminal-in-hiding Stanley Stubbers (Tom Walton) creeps into town with his own questionable history, he also decides to hire Francis and introduces him to the decidedly disorganized world of organized crime. Now with two meal tickets in hand, Francis' only worry is to keep his two guvnors apart in order to keep them from discovering each other-which would be easier if he wasn't constantly trying to eat his way through Britain. Little does he know that his two masters' lives are already connected and discovery might be just what they want.

Rounding out Lakewood's cast of characters are Burl Ross as Alfie the hapless butler, John Morrison as sniffy academic Harry Dangle, Ted Shulz as ex-con Lloyd Boateng, Kailey Rhodes as the blonde and wide-eyed Pauline Clench, Gary Powell as her gruff father Charlie Clench, Joseph Murley as Alan Dangle, the wannabe actor, Rosalind Fell as Dolly, a young feminist secretary, Brad Bolchunos as no-nonsense waiter Gareth, andLily Harris and Hannah Quigg completing the ensemble.

Stage Direction for LTC's production of One Man, Two Guvnors is by Don Alder. Scenic design is by John Gerth, lighting design is by Kurt Herman, properties are by Nicki D'Amico, costume design is by Jessica Carr, the stage manager is Michael DeMaio and the assistant stage manager is Nicole D'Amico. Sound design is byMarcus Storey and the producer is Steve Knox.