The Upper Canada Playhouse in Morrisburg opened its first show of the regular season, the hilarious Hotbed Hotel by Michael Parker, on June 9.
Brian and Terri Cody (played by Timm Hughes and Deborah Hale) are trying to sell their one-star, run-down hotel in the Florida Keys, and when potential buyer Sam Lewis (Richard Bauer) comes by ahead of schedule, the couple stages a wacky and soon-to-be out of control scheme to make it appear as though the hotel is booming and running smoothly.
They recruit their boozing maintenance man (Mo Bock), ditzy housemaid Maureen (AnnaMarie Lea) and long-term guest, tall-tale-telling Major Ponsenby (Doug Tangney), to help with the charade.
As the plan appears to be running smoothly, in comes lustful man-eater Haley Harrington, aka The Barracuda (Susan Greenfield) along with a few other surprises, to throw the whole thing in a tail spin. Without giving too much away, rounding out the cast of characters are Erin MacKinnon as Ashley and Brenda Quesnel, as Dorothy, to add to the mayhem.
Hotbed is fast, funny and furiously hot with some great performances by the very talented cast of Playhouse veterans and a newcomer. Along with all the ins and outs and confusion that always accompanies these farces, one the highlights of the show would have to be the tricky, quick costume changes by some of the characters, which one would imagine would probably be as entertaining to see backstage as they are on stage.
Directed by Donnie Bowes, with set design by John Thompson and lighting design by Sean Free, Hotbed Hotel runs until July 1 with performances Tuesday to Saturday at 8 p.m., as well as Wednesday, Saturday, and Sunday at 2 p.m. For further information or to book tickets call the Playhouse at 613-543-3713 or visit www.uppercanadaplayhouse.com.
Coming up later on in the season at the playhouse: Here on the Flight Path by Norm Foster; Wife Begins at Forty By Arne Sulian, Earl Barret and Ray Cooney; A Nice Family Gathering by Phil Olson; Blue Suede Shoes – Tribute to Elvis, created by Chris McHarge and Colin Stewart; and Everything I Always Loved About Christmas by Robert More.
