APA Theatre presents It Runs in the Family

"If you're going to tell a lie, tell a whopper," yells Dr. Mortimore as events begin to spin deliriously out of control.  Sometimes you just want to have a laugh!  APA Theatre will be presenting the world wide British hit, It Runs In the Family by Ray Cooney.  Cooney, whose writing career began in 1962 currently has a play running in London that he not only wrote but is also the director and in the cast.  Called the British Neil Simon, Cooney’s plays are fast paced hysterical entertainments.    Robert Rotenberry is directing It Runs In the Family for the Academy for the Performing Arts in Huntington Beach which runs for four performances: April 3-6.  Shows are Thursday-Saturday evenings at 7:30 pm and Sunday matinee at 2:00 pm.

Set in St. Andrews Hospital in London, a hilarious assortment of farcical characters are running in and out of doors mistaking everybody for someone else. Dr. Mortimore (Alex Jean) tries to fend off his ex-girlfriend, Nurse Tate (Kayla Foley); his wife Rosemary (Kate Morton) , an out of control teenage punk son that he never knew he had, Leslie (Joseph Mello); a pompous administrator, Sir Willoughby Drake (Jacob Menke); an interfering mother (Tara Coffey);  and a persistent police sergeant (Grant Rincon), a ditsy nurse (Theresa Miles); a misplaced elderly patient, Bill (Preston Francis) and an overbearing Matron (Amanda Walker)  so he can  deliver the most important lecture of his life for an international conference.  To save his promotion, marriage and possible knighthood he turns to his put upon friend Dr. Bonny (Stephen Stanec) to pretend to be the lad’s dad.   As the craziness builds characters break into song, dance and karate moves; the son and the Matron struggle on a ledge with a gigantic syringe and no less than three doctors end up in disguise as the Matron.  It is right before Christmas in the late 80’s and there is a pantomime show being put on by the flamboyant Dr. Connelly (Mason Marie) for the patients on Boxing Day.

Michael Donovan is the assistant director and Kaylee Richards is choreographing the 80’s finale performed with a live band.  Tickets are $22.00 for adults and $18.00 for students and senior citizens.  They can be purchased on line at www.hbapa.org.  For further information call 714) 536-2514 Ext. 4025.    Peformances are in the historic auditorium at Huntington Beach High School; 1905 Main St.; Huntington Beach, CA 90803.