A TASTE FOR `ARSENIC & OLD LACE'

Bart Elfrink, who plays the Rev. Dr. Harper in Central High School's upcoming production of "Arsenic and Old Lace," wasn't convincing director Cynthia Wyatt with his reading of the line "It seems your nephew Mortimer lives only by electric light."

Seated at the edge of the stage, she asked him to repeat it one, two, three, maybe 10 times.

Elfrink wasn't quite conveying the minister's unfavorable convictions about electricity and late hours.

When the play is presented Friday and Saturday nights, quite a few members of the cast will place themselves in the crepey shoes of people who, shall we say, think differently.

The curtain is at 7:30 p.m. both nights in the school's newly renovated auditorium. Tickets are $2 for students and $3 for all others.

First presented in 1941, this oddball comedy turns on the penchant of sisters Abby and Martha Brewster for treating their elderly boarders to homemade elderberry wine laced with arsenic, strychnine and cyanide.

They think of it as bringing peace to lonely gentlemen.

Senior Rachel Roberts, last seen as one of the leads in last spring's "Barefoot in the Park," plays Abby, an otherwise sweet soul who has "almost come to the conclusion that this Mr. Hitler isn't a Christian."

She is paired with Shizuno Wynkoop, a 14-year-old freshman who'll spend some time in makeup becoming elderly sister Martha.

Sophomore Nick Ryan, who played the eternal bon vivant Victor Velasco in "Barefoot," will be seen in the even quirkier role of Teddy. He's the sisters' nephew but thinks he's Theodore Roosevelt.

Rob Felker plays Mortimer, the sisters' comparatively sane -- even though he is a drama critic -- and aghast nephew.

Other members of the cast include Mark Brickler, Laura Lukens, Todd Matzat, Dustin Michael, Thomas Clayton, Sarah Adams, Marcus Jones, Bill York and Pat Moon.

Wyatt's student director is Ginny Overholser, and Steve Lukens is the technical director.

Wyatt and the Red Dagger Drama Club previously mounted "Arsenic and Old Lace" eight years ago. She chose to revisit the three-act comedy because the necessary mature talent was on hand and she wanted to showcase the school's newly renovated auditorium with a well-known play.