'Enter Laughing' Opens This Weekend

The following is from Arlington Friends of the Drama.

(AFD Theatre) presents its final show of the season, “Enter Laughing,” with performances June 1, 2, 8 and 9 at 8 p.m. and June 3 and 10 at 4 p.m. at the AFD Theatre on 22 Academy St. in Arlington. Tickets are $20.

“Enter Laughing,” a heart-warming valentine to the world of theater, is based on the semi-autobiographical novel by Carl Reiner, depicting his own introduction to live theater. Reiner is a well-known actor, director, comedian and comedy writer, as well as a producer of TV comedies. The novel was adapted for the stage by Joseph Stein.

Plot Summary

Set in the Bronx in the late 1930s, the comedy tells the story of young David Kolowitz who wants to reach for the stars and become an actor. His practical and exasperated parents want him to reach for the medicine bottles and become a pharmacist. When he sees a newspaper ad promising a shot at acting in a live theatrical production, David runs headlong into the crazy world of show business, embodied in a run-down theater ruled by a has-been megalomaniac and his leading-lady daughter. Filled with colorful characters and a large dollop of Jewish humor, “Enter Laughing” is a smartly written script performed by actors who are veterans at delivering laughs.

Director Jerry Bisantz drew on his experience as an actor to make the most of his cast. “I like my actors to feel like they can stretch and take chances,” he said. “They come to the plate with ideas of their own, and we play around with those ideas. Our rehearsals are filled with laughter. If you want to laugh, come see it.”

Featured in the cast Tiffany Toner, a resident of Arlington who teaches drama at the Fenn School, a private school for boys in Concord.  She plays the romantic interest n the play. The cast also includes Solomon Sheena, Nick Bennett-Zendzian , Dick Levinson, Tiffany Toner of Arlington, Kevin C. Groppe, Kari Budyk, Dave DiLillo, Angela Courtney Rossi, Lou Fuoco, Tricia Akowicz, Michael Gilman, and Dan McConvey.

Show Details

“Enter Laughing” performances are June 1, 2, 8 and 9 at 8 p.m. and June 3 and 10 at 4 p.m. A talk-back with the cast will take place after the June 3 performance.

The award-winning AFD Theatre, one of the oldest community theatres in the country, is located at 22 Academy St. in Arlington. It is wheelchair accessible, offers assistive listening devices, and is accessible via public transportation on the 77 bus from Harvard Square.

Tickets may be ordered online at www.afdtheatre.org or by calling 781-646-5922. Tickets are $20. For group discounts, call  the box office or email boxoffice@afdtheatre.org. Visit AFD Theatre online at  www.afdtheatre.org.