‘ARSENIC AND OLD LACE’ COMES TO WATERFRONT PLAYHOUSE

Comedy Classic Opens May 11

Roosevelt, and another brother using plastic surgery to hide from the police — not to mention Mortimer’s own hesitancy about marriage — it’ll be a miracle if Mortimer makes it to his wedding.

KW: Your relationship with your wife is something that’s so cool to see from the sidelines, but it seems like it’s something people still misunderstand at times, because they don’t understand that she was with you from the very beginning. Can you talk about what it’s been like having her with you as your success has skyrocketed?

JR: The biggest misconception about Bunnie is that there is a gold-digger in this scenario … but it was ME! I was dead broke and living in a van when I met Bunnie. She had a twobedroom high-rise condo in Vegas and a couple cars, and I was like, “Oh man, I gotta figure this out.” Technically, Bunnie used me for my body initially. She’s a sweet soul, and we’ve always known there were going to be misconceptions about us because of how we look next to each other. But she’s been with me a long time before we thought this was possible. Even back then when we were daydreaming, we didn’t have it ever going this way.

KW: What’s the last package you received from Amazon?

JR: I got super high one night, and somehow I went down a Garth Brooks kick. Because I was so high, I couldn’t figure out which box set of his had the songs I wanted. So, I apparently ordered like eight – every box set that Garth has ever come out with. And they all came in staggered, so once a week, somebody in the house would open a box and go, “Damn, Jelly, did you order another Garth Brooks thing?” By the seventh one, all I would hear from the kitchen is somebody going, “Are you s—ing me?”

The Key West Songwriters Festival, presented by Rams Head, is the largest festival of its kind in the world, and is often a career starter for top country talent, including Kacey Musgraves, Florida Georgia Line, Jake Owen and others. In its 27th year, KWSF has become a top destination for music lovers who flock to Key West for five days and nights of live music and storytelling from veteran songwriters and the next big hit-makers. This year’s event takes place through May 7. Visit keywestsongwritersfestival.com

The Waterfront Playhouse on Mallory Square brings the comedy classic “Arsenic and Old Lace” to the stage beginning May 11, with a preview on Wednesday, May 10. Performances are at 8 p.m. Tuesday through Saturday, with a Saturday matinee at 2 p.m. on May 20. Opening night, May 11, will include a party in the garden catered by 915.

“Arsenic and Old Lace” is a classic black comedy about the only thing more deadly than poison: family. Drama critic Mortimer Brewster’s engagement announcement is upended when he discovers a corpse in his elderly aunts’ window seat. Between his aunts’ penchant for wine, a brother who thinks he’s Teddy

The Waterfront Playhouse company, directed by artistic director Tom Thayer and designed by Michael Boyer includes some of Key West’s favorite performers. Gerri Louise Gates and Peggy Montgomery will play Abby and Martha. Mathias Maloff and Carolyn Cooper will play Mortimer and Elaine. Steve Miller has been cast as Teddy Roosevelt Brewster. Newcomer John DeMicco will play Jonathan. Zachary Franchini plays Dr. Einstein. Richard Titus will play Rev. Harper, Karl Stahl will play Mr. Witherspoon while Ray West, Wayne Dapser, Donna Stabile and John Swann play a host of Brooklyn’s finest.

— Contributed

‘ARSENIC AND OLD LACE’ at Waterfront Playhouse Tuesdays through Saturdays at 8 p.m. May 11-27 with a 2 p.m. matinee on Saturday, May 20.

For tickets call 305-294-5015 or visit waterfrontplayhouse.org.