Hilarity ensues

From a battle of wits between Sleeping Beauty and Cinderella in which they traded situations to Pooh Bear becoming a ninja and Cleopatra hosting a modern day, Oprah-style talk show in ancient Egypt, the Malta High School and Middle School Spring Play was packed with laughs and obscurity last Tuesday night.

Dr. Scientist, played by Marcus Woods, narrated the 50-play entitled "What Would Happen if ... 5 10 Minute tales of Improbability" which featured Tamela Abrahamson, Izzy Markuson, Turk Salsbery, Erika Nagy, Emma Harms, Izzie Hallenberg, Shelby Jones, Liam LaBrie, Naylene Winkel, Ashlynn Morser, Caty Moore, Clay Hallenberg, Jeslyn McCorkle (with Reese Brown manning the lights) in a mad-capped production which drew plenty of belly-laughs and a few light scoffs from the audience in attendance.

Malta High School Arts teacher Anna LaBrie said before the play she picked this title for the Spring Play because of its quirkiness and because it offered so many parts to so many different people. She was spot on in her estimation. With a backdrop of groovy '60s style paintings as the stage's backdrop, the players took their audience through five scenes which included "Stooge Upgrade" in which Harms was a pie shop owner who was in desperate need of some handymen...enter the Three Stooges played by Moore, Markuson, and Morser. Lots of yucks and nucks followed.

In the final bit of the play, "Cleopatra's Ancient Egyptian Awesome Talk Show," Nagy played a not-so-aware of her surroundings, Cleopatra, hosting a talk show with Salsbery playing the over-the-top stage manager.

During the opening act, Markuson played Cinderella and Abrahamson played Sleeping Beauty. The two princesses reversed roles with Cindy trying to catch some shuteye and Beauty trying to keep the castle clean in Cindy's stead. Neither seemed to achieve their goal.

It was a wonderful night at the theatre and all the players were and should be, applauded.