Those looking for a good laugh or just something different to do in Starkville can make plans to see the Starkville Community Theatre’s newest play “Arsenic and Old Lace.”

General admission tickets to this 1939 classic are currently on sale for $10 with a valid student ID or $15 for adult admission.

Opening night is Sept. 5 at 7:30 p.m., and the play will  run each day except for Labor Day until Sept. 14.

Director Karen Thead said she is excited to direct the Starkville Community Theatre’s first play of the season.

“It is a classic show by Joseph Kesselring,” Thead said. “The play came out in the late 30s and was followed by a movie remake with many of the same actors from the play.”

“Arsenic and Old Lace” follows a young man who discovers his aunts’ dark secrets.

During the play, the young man must overcome a range of insane circumstances to help himself and his aunts make it out unscathed.

Ben Christmas will play the role of Johnathan Brewster, the brother of the lead in “Arsenic and Old Lace.” He said the entire cast is looking forward to being able to share what they have been working on with the world.

“I’m excited and I know the whole cast is excited,” Christmas said. “It’ll be a fun show and just a little crazy.

Thead said people of all ages can find something to enjoy in “Arsenic and Old Lace.”

“It appeals to a lot of different people,” Thead said. “Comedies are good like that because everyone wants to see something that’s funny. Especially in this day and age, people want to be amused.”

While humor is subjective, Thead said she has no doubts this play will be a success.

“It’s quirky. It’s dark, but it’s funny,” Thead said. “When someone is thrown into a crazy situation like the characters in this play, you know it’s going to be funny.”

Casting for “Arsenic and Old Lace” was completed at the end of July, with practice for the play starting immediately. Since then, the cast has worked full-force in order to have everything ready for opening night. 

Thead said she is very confident about the casting decisions and believes everyone cast fits into their roles perfectly.

Thead said she has worked on ideas for set design since she learned she would be directing “Arsenic and Old Lace.”

“When I read the script and found out I was going to be doing the show, I started designing the set,” Thead said. “That was done early in the process.”

Thead said planning for costumes began shortly after set design began

“We are trying to go very period for the 40s, and we have a lot of great costumes picked out that represent the era perfectly,” Thead said.

While many people might not see themselves as “theatre people,” Thead said she hopes that everyone will give “Arsenic and Old Lace”a chance.

 “Even if you are not somebody who regularly goes to the theatre, you can still relate to what will be happening,” Thead said. “There are going to be many similarities to what you see in TV dramas or sitcoms. The only change is that you’re going to be seeing it live, which will make a difference in a good way.”