Broadway’s beloved dark comedy Arsenic and Old Lace returns to the Mary and Al Danos Theater from March 19-22 for the first time in nearly two decades in the Nicholls Players’ spring production.

Directed by Dr. Anna Broussard, assistant professor of speech and theatre, the play revolves around Mortimer Brewster’s seemingly innocuous aunts. That is, until he discovers that they have been offering lonely men wine with  “arsenic, strychnine and a pinch of cyanide.”

The production stars Abby Waldron and Harley Stephens as the murderous Brewster aunts, with Andrew Thibodaux as Mortimer Brewster. 

The troupe is open to all majors, faculty and alumni. Matteo Santiago, who plays Dr. Einstein and is a recent mass communications graduate,  hopes that audiences walk away from the production with a stomach hurt not from spiked wine, but from “laughing so hard.”

This semester’s show is part of the College of Liberal Arts’ Vive Les Arts showcase, a series of performances held in the Danos Theater that aim to celebrate Nicholls’ “creativity, culture and community.” With help from the showcase, Broussard hopes that producing a show as recognizable as Arsenic and Old Lace will lead to bigger productions in the future.

“We wanted a big show that the students would come to and recognize,” Broussard said.

“All of this is done with the funds from our ticket sales. Anytime people want to see bigger shows, we need to have more people come see our show so that we can afford to do it.”

Tickets cost $15 for students and $25 for the general public. Tickets are available to purchase online.

For more information on show dates, the cast and updates on upcoming seasons, visit the Nicholls Players’ website or Facebook.