South Street Players bring dark comedy to local stage
South Street Players to perform a play about a bunch of monks living at a run down monastery in medieval France sounds like something you'd rush right out to see, right? Probably not. But keep reading.

You see, these monks happen to have the relics of a saint that hasn't worked a miracle in over 13 years, local villagers too poor to pay even a penny a prayer and a pantry so empty that they would resort to eating the donkeys- if they had any left. If they are going to survive at all, these monks certainly have to come up with a resourceful plan, and behold, one does present itself with a little help from a fasttalking, conniving one-eyed minstrel.

With the Pope himself scheduled to pay a visit, their plan better be a good one.

"Incorruptible" is an endearing black comedy - call it a dark comedy, about the Dark Ages written by Mark Hollinger, winner of the Robert L. StevensAward for the Kennedy Center's Fund for New American Plays and the BarrymoreAward for Outstanding Play.

Being staged by the South Street Players at Priedaine Hall (New Jersey Latvian Society) in Howell, "Incorruptible" is the second production of South Street's 25th anniversary season, marking the group as Freehold's oldest theater company.

According to "Incorruptible" director Bill King, "Hollinger dishes up a smorgasbord

of delights that touches on a multitude of themes from corruption to redemption. Does the end really justify the means? If you have real faith, can miracles happen?

"Hollinger manages to take these time honored dramatic topics and approach them in such a humorous and delightful fashion that the audience comes away from the show holding their sides from laughter and learning a lesson or two about the human condition."

A veteran cast of central New Jersey actors heads up this production with Tony Cipriano and Tom Worsdale portraying the head monks Charles and Martin. Christian Carrara and Ali Altunmese as Felix and Olf, round out the rest of the monastery.

Carla Zackson plays the peasant woman and Ali Gleason is her "not so" innocent daughter. Jeff Caplan is the enterprising minstrel and Maggie Rogers completes the cast as the visiting abbess.

Show dates are Friday and Saturday evenings at 8 p.m. Feb. 22, 23, 29 and March 1, 7 and 8, and on Sundays at 2 p.m. on Feb. 24 and March 2 and 9. Tickets for the dessert theater are $25 with group and senior discounts available. Priedaine Hall is at 1017 Route 33 east, Howell.

For information and reservations call 866-700-7797.