'Don't Drink The Water'

In his directing debut, Art Harriman brings back to the Highlands Little Theatre stage Woody Allen's Broadway comedy about a dysfunctional American embassy during the Cold War, suddenly playing host to an American Jewish family accused of spying.

The play will run from Jan. 16 to Feb. 1, and is produced by special arrangement with Samuel French Inc.

When Ambassador James F. Magee (Ken Fowler) leaves the embassy for a trip to explore a run for governor of Texas, he reluctantly leaves his inept and bungling son, Axel Magee, played by Brad Dickerson, a newcomer to the HLT stage.

"What can go wrong in two weeks?" Axel said to his dad.

"You were in Brazil two weeks and you left them importing coffee," the ambassador responded.

Meanwhile, off stage, the Hollander family's European vacation was interrupted when Walter Hollander, played by Allan Grosman, decided to slip into a restricted area to get a good picture. Hey, photography is his new hobby.

Brenda Hippchen plays Hollander's often-times nagging wife Marion and Kaity Zelenenki plays their daughter, Susan, who's engaged to a lawyer, but soon becomes Axel's love interest.

Grosman's performance is oddly familiar, similar to comedic characters played by the late Walter Matthau.

Hippchen's practice performance as Marion was somewhat reminiscent of Estelle Harris' portrayal of Estelle Costanza, the mother of George Costanza, both characters in the TV sitcom "Seinfeld."

Next thing the Hollanders know they're accused of spying and they run to the sanctuary of the embassy one step ahead of a fanatical KGB-type police officer named Krojack, played by Marshall McGuigan.

Krojack's forces surround the embassy and the siege is on.

In the movie version of "Don't Drink the Water," the Hollanders' plane is forced to land in Vulgaria, a communist country. The play does not reveal how they got there.

Adam Meredith gives a great performance as Father Drobney, a Russian priest who sought asylum at the embassy six years ago and never left. He's learned some magic tricks but he's not very good.

Harriman said he chose Woody Allen's work as his first play in part because he played the role of Walter Hollander when he was in a show in Lakeland.

"I always thought it was a funny show and that I'd like to direct it," he said.

Also it is a single-set play with a small cast. He wanted to get his feet wet before delving into a more complicated play.

Margie Pollard is his producer.

Brad "Axel" Dickerson said he first started acting in 2007 when he joined the Far Off Broadway Players theater group in his former home town of Glasgow, Ky. In real life he's a reporter with Highlands Today.

"My first play was a romantic comedy called "Saving Grace," which opened on Valentine's Day," he said. "I played a slightly nutty Russian minister. I did four plays total in Glasgow."

His first leading role was Charlie Baker in the "Foreigner."

"It was something I wanted to do when I was in college," he said. "It took me four years after working three years as a professional wedding DJ to get up the courage. I figured if I could teach a bride's grandmother to dance the Electric Slide, I could get up on stage and make people laugh."

Zelenenki said she is dedicating her performance to her deceased father, Walter Zelenenki, who played in the 1990s HLT performance of "Don't Drink the Water" and gives her story an interesting twist.

"I just did theater productions at church," she said. "I'm part of my drama team at Cross Roads Fellowship. I was looking for something to do and I wanted to get into production acting. Dad actually played my opposite role as Axel in the 1990s production, so when I found that out I knew I had to do it."

She said she plans to do more shows in the future.

"I just wanted to get my feet wet," she said. "I'm just happy to play the supporting role. It's been fun."

Other major characters include: Gene Lorandeau II, as Kilroy; Glen Lorandeau, as Burns; Cameron Reck, as Chef Hatami; Alvin Moore, as the Sultan of Bashir; Ken Hall, as Kasnar; Clare Baird, as The Countess; Jaelyne Lamb, as the Sultan's first wife; Lori McCullagh, as the Sultan's second wife; Nicole Brand, as the Sultan's third wife.

Protesters played by Gloria Coffey, RoseMarie Tippins Beringer, Samantha Willingham, Sarah Krenlich and Madeline McGurgen.

Technical staff include: assistant producer, Glen Fowler; stage manager, Brook Shaffer; costumes by Bea Walsh and Nicole Brand; makeup, Clare Baird; sound, Andrea Hardy-Stanford, Heather Lemos and Chris Friend; special sound consultant, Pete Pollard; lighting, Thor Knudson; lighting tech, Heidi Hoffman; set construction, Ken Hall, Jimmy Brown, cast and crew; set designer, Alvin Moore; special set consultant, Don Newby.