Countdown To Opening Night!
ARSENIC AND OLD LACE ~ Poisoners never go out of style – this timeless hit tells the story of two otherwise charming elderly ladies determined to get rid of all their lonely lodgers in the name of mercy.
Drama critic Mortimer Brewster’s engagement announcement is upended when he discovers a corpse in his elderly aunts’ window seat. Mortimer rushes to tell Abby and Martha before they stumble upon the body themselves, only to learn that the two old women aren’t just aware of the dead man in their parlor, they killed him! Between his aunts’ penchant for poisoning wine, a brother who thinks he’s Teddy Roosevelt, and another brother using plastic surgery to hide from the police – not to mention Mortimer’s own hesitancy about marriage – it’ll be a miracle if Mortimer makes it to his wedding. Arsenic and Old Lace is a classic dark comedy about the only thing more deadly than poison: family.
Lap sitting is not permitted as every person must have their own ticket. No children under 3 will be permitted. No refunds or exchanges. All sales are final.
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SHOWTIMES @ BLACK BOX
Friday, October 23 ~ 7:00 PM
Saturday, October 24 ~ 2:00 PM
Sunday, October 25 ~ 2:00 PM
ARSENIC AND OLD LACE INFORMATION
All those cast in ARSENIC AND OLD LACE are required to become a KVTA member ($30) by the initial cast meeting/read-thru. One parent/guardian being a member of KVTA does cover the membership requirement for all family members 17 and under. Failure to complete this requirement will result in the cast member being removed from the production.
Director: Paul Snyder
Assistant Director: Beth Sutter
PERFORMANCE DATES / LOCATION:
October 23, 24 and 25, 2026
KVTA Studios Black Box Theatre 1 Stuart Dr Kankakee, IL 60901
CAST LIST
We would like to sincerely thank everyone who auditioned for KVTA's production of Arsenic and Old Lace. We had an incredible talent pool, and you all made our decisions very difficult. We encourage you all to please come out for our final show of the season, Come From Away. For those who were cast please email arsenicandoldlace@kvta.org to accept your role no later than Tuesday 8/11 at 5PM. Again, thank you all for being a vital part of KVTA!
Abby Brewster: Bonnie Brewer
Martha Brewster: Jeanne Benson
Teddy Brewster: Jarrid Norden
Mortimer Brewster: Andrew McBurnie
Elaine Harper: Richelle Prokop
Jonathan Brewster: Scott Christensen
Dr. Einstein: Stephen Foxworthy
Officer O'Hara: Amanda Cuzzo
Officer Brophy: Dustin Mann
Officer Klein: Max Gooding
Lt. Rooney/Rev. Harper: Rob Bishir
Mr. Witherspoon/Mr. Gibbs: Tori Cohagan
Questions may be emailed to the Director, Paul Snyder, at: arsenicandoldlace@kvta.org
All auditioners must be 18 and older by auditions on August 7, 2026. Proof of age may be requested. and actors of any ethnicity / race are encouraged to audition for any part. All auditioners must complete an audition form, a conflict calendar, and sign KVTA's policy acknowledgement form. Cast members are required to provide the following personal items: shoes, socks, and stage makeup. In addition, cast members may be asked to supply other items such as: leotards, tights, etc. Optional expenses include: a digital download from the production, a picture CD, apparel items, production party attendance, cast/staff chill times, etc. PLEASE NOTE: Child care is not available during rehearsals and performances. Cast and staff members are not permitted to bring their children, or any additional family members, to rehearsals, unless prior permission has been given by the KVTA Board of Directors. All rehearsals are closed to the public unless otherwise stated. All KVTA facilities are smoke-free, alcohol-free, and drug-free. Anyone found to be in violation of these policies may be removed from the production.
If you have already signed a policy acknowledgement form during our 2026-2027 Season, you do not need to sign this form again.
KVTA Policies: PDF
KVTA Policy Acknowledgement Form to be signed: PDF
All participants, on-stage or off-stage, will be required to sign KVTA's Social Media, Sexual Harassment, and Diversity, Equity and Inclusion Policies. If said participant is under the age of 18, a parent or guardian will sign for the participant. Any parent or guardian signing for their auditioner agrees to instruct and provide information to their auditioner regarding KVTA's policies. An Emergency Card and Waiver of Liability must also be completed and signed in order to participate. These forms will be distributed when you first volunteer with KVTA. If you have any questions please email: kvta@kvta.org
ANTICIPATED REHEARSAL TIMES:
Rehearsals will start the week of August 10, 2026. During August, individual cast members can expect to have rehearsal no more than four times per week. During September and October, individual cast members can expect to have rehearsal up to five times per week. While we are learning blocking, not all actors will be needed at all rehearsals. Once we begin running the acts, rehearsals will be full cast.
Please list all conflicts that you have from auditions through performances. Conflicts will not preclude you from being cast. They are needed for us to develop a rehearsal schedule, which will be based on cast and staff availability. Attendance for Tech Week is mandatory.
Rehearsal dates are subject to change. We want to have all of the cast at ALL of our final tech rehearsals, so please be open and honest when completing your conflict calendar. Please be sure to list all of your conflicts from the audition date through the final performance date. If you have any questions about the information provided here, please email the Director, Paul Snyder, at arsenicandoldlace@kvta.org.
For those cast in the show, our CAST MEETING and READ THRU will be held on August 14 at 5:40 pm at the KVTA Studios.
Further questions regarding auditions, callbacks, or casting may be emailed to the Director, Paul Snyder, at: arsenicandoldlace@kvta.org Please include Arsenic and Old Lace in the subject line.
Congratulations!
Sincerely,
The Staff of Arsenic and Old Lace