In the musical comedy “Lucky Stiff,” a dead man goes gambling in Monte Carlo and a timid shoe store clerk stands to inherit $6 million, if he doesn’t get killed by a gun-waving Mafia wife.
Realistic, it’s not. Actually, it’s not even remotely plausible. But it’s bright and funny, has some nice songs and comes to the valid conclusion that it’s good to be alive.
Pittsburg Community Theatre will present “Lucky Stiff” at 7:30 p.m. today through Saturday and 2 p.m. Sunday in Pittsburg Memorial Auditorium.
Jason Huffman directs the show, which was the first collaboration for the musical theater team of Lynn Ahrens (book and lyrics) and Stephen Flaherty (music). Based on the 1983 novel “The Man Who Broke the Bank at Monte Carlo” by Michael Butterworth, it was created and performed at Playwrights Horizons off-Broadway in 1988, and won the Richard Rodgers Award for that year.
Abaham Lovell does a fine job as Harry Witherspoon, a nice young man driven to despair by his boring, monotonous life. Then he receives a telegram — his Uncle Tony, whom he has never met, has died and left him $6 million.
But there are strings attached. To get the money, Harry must fulfill Uncle Tony’s last wish of taking a dream vacation to Monte Carlo, including gambling in the casinos, skydiving and hitting the night clubs.
A taxidermist friend has prepared Uncle Tony for the trip. Jared Mazurek plays the “Lucky Stiff,” slumped motionless in a wheelchair throughout the show.
If Harry doesn’t fulfill all the terms of his uncle’s will, the money will go instead to Tony’s favorite charity, the University Home for Dogs in Brooklyn. And, following him everywhere is Annabel Glick, a representative from the home, eager to catch Harry in a slip-up so the $6 million can go to the dogs. She’s portrayed by Maggie Stuckey, a 2010 St. Mary’s Colgan High School graduate who plans to study musical theater at Oklahoma City University.
Judging from this performance, she’s already at the head of her class. Stuckey is especially effective in the surprisingly touching song “Times Like These.”
It’s obvious that Harry and Annabel will eventually fall in love. But there are some surprises here, both for Harry and the audience.
First off, there’s Rita La Porta, played by Kimberly Arzoian, a Mafia wife who had been messing around with Uncle Tony and “accidentally” shot him in a jealous rage. A PCT newcomer, Arozian is hilarious and a strong singer, and hopefully she’ll be back on stage soon.
