A SCOUNDREL’S SOLUTION

Marathon Community Theater’s new show is “Scapino!,” a witty comedy full of surprises and laughs. Set in a charmingly designed – and somehow familiar? – Naples, Italy, Frank Dunlop and Jim Dale’s script follows the loveable but roguish trickster for whom the play is titled, with a name meaning “little escape artist” in Italian. When two young men beg Scapino to use his wit and charm to solve their love affairs and family dramas, the scoundrel weaves a hilarious tale which mostly solves things – for himself, that is.

Director Michael Wagner wanted to bring “Scapino” to MCT after being in it years ago as an actor. He highlighted that the show is immersive and interactive for the audience.

“The waiters sing the menu of the restaurant,” he said, “and the audience is encouraged to sing along with lyrics in the playbill. The actors come and go through the audience throughout the show.”

The cast includes a blend of returning MCT talent and new actors joining the theater’s stage. Several were quite close even before rehearsals for “Scapino!” began, having worked together on previous projects.

Returning for his fourth show at MCT and 98th show in his lifetime, Ashley Andrews plays the booming, intense father figure Senior Argante.

“I’ve now worked with a lot of this cast in previous shows,” said Andrews. “It’s a family you’re working with.”

The group’s on-stage chemistry comes through, whether in fastpaced dialogue, whacking each other with deli meats, or even just a well-timed gag, and their family dynamic works for a show reliant on timing and trust.

Much like its namesake, “Scapino!” is clever and quick. Just as entertaining as the humor of the show is figuring out how Scapino is about to talk his way out of the next situation, as layers of flattery, deception, misdirection and pasta are all put to good use. Unusual characters lead to unusual circumstances, and the cast said the “How did we get here?” hijinks were a fun challenge.

“A lot of shows have the same couple of characters,” said actress Noelle Belden. “In this show I wanted to go outside of the box and do acting beyond the typical characters that you see.”

“Scapino!” is full of the unexpected. There’s music, drama, a very impressive magic trick from Dion Watson, and of course, lots of comedy.

The titular character is a “master trickster,” according to Abbi Colella, who plays Leandro in the show, and is described in the script as, “a rogue, a villain, a scoundrel!”

But as others in the case tell it, the “scoundrel” is, in fact, a “lovable trickster” who “uses his wit to get what he wants, but the audience will fall in love with him by the end.”

“Scapino” is directed by Michael Wagner. The show runs from April 27 through May 13 on Thursdays, Fridays and Saturdays at 8 p.m., with a 3 p.m. matinee on Sunday, May. 7. Tickets are $28 and are available at www.marathontheater.org or by calling 305-7430994.