Submitted photo
The cast for the Stone Arch Players’ production of ‘Dilemmas with Dinner’ include front Row, from left: Brandon Smith, Chris Woods, Zachary Jost and Chad Fetterman; and back row, Dean Shunkwiler, Max Gagliardo, Kimbra Reece, Jared Kehler and Ava Liebegott.

LEWISTOWN — If you think your worst dinner party story is chaotic, the Stone Arch Players are about to raise the stakes.

Opening Friday, the longtime community theater troupe dives headfirst into full-blown farce with “Dilemmas with Dinner,” a rapid-fire comedy by Robin Roberts where nothing goes right, everything goes wrong, and the laughter starts before the first entrée even hits the table.

Co-directed by Julie (Long) Fetterman and Katye Long, the production marks another lively chapter in the group’s 59th season and promises a welcome burst of midwinter hilarity.

Junior executive Brooke (played by Max Gagliardo) is determined to impress her boss and secure a long-awaited promotion, so she plans what she hopes will be the perfect dinner party. But perfection is nowhere in sight. Her husband, Donny (Zachary Jost), limps home from work injured and irritable.

The hired help arrives, only for Brooke to discover she has accidentally hired her boss’s former daughter-in-law. And just when the couple thinks the evening can’t possibly get worse, an unexpected announcement from the boss sends the night spiraling into a blur of tossed appetizers, mistaken identities and even a candlestick attack.

“It’s raucous from line one,” Fetterman said. “I tend to lean toward shows that keep you on the edge of your seat, and this one absolutely does. It’s fast, it’s physical, and the timing has to be razor-sharp.”

This is Fetterman’s second full-length directing project, a role she says is wildly different from being on stage. “Acting is more simple,” she said. “You show up, learn your lines, hit your cues. Directing is everything else — the timing, the pacing, the props, the publicity. And it’s hard to direct your friends, that’s for sure.”

Long, who has directed for years, has taken on a mentoring role as the company works to bring younger directors into the fold. “We’ve been intentional about building the next generation,” she said. “We have a list of things new directors can do before taking on a full show. It keeps the company strong for years to come.”

The cast has embraced the challenge of a show that relies heavily on rhythm and precision. “They’re probably sick of hearing me say, ‘A step faster, a beat faster,'” Fetterman joked. “But after extra rehearsals, they’ve really pulled it together. I’m ecstatic with where they are.”

The production also features a climactic, multi-character fight scene — a highlight for both directors. “It’s a wonderful fight at the end,” Long said. “A lot of bantering, a lot of movement, and the actors have made it so much fun.” Fetterman agreed: “It’s a fight with everybody. Challenging to direct, challenging to perform, but they’ve brought their characters to life in ways that make the chaos work.”

While the set is simple, the props are anything but. “Last year was easy on props,” Fetterman said. “This year, the set is simpler, but the props are massive. My father is the props manager, and my mother is mentoring me and also my stage manager. It’s a full family effort.”

The cast includes Dean Shunkwiler (Will), Kimbra Reece (Caren), Jared Kehler (Stephen), Ava Liebegott (Julia), Brandon Smith (Max), Chris Woods (Louise) and Chad Fetterman (Robert).

With its blend of slapstick, sharp dialogue, and escalating absurdity, “Dilemmas with Dinner” promises a lively escape from winter’s chill — and a reminder of why farce remains a beloved staple of community theater.

Showtimes

Friday Feb. 27, March 6 and 13; Saturday Feb. 28, March 7 and 14;

Sunday March 8 and 15. Friday and Saturday shows start at 7:30 p.m. Sunday shows start at 2 p.m.

Tickets

General admission: $15 Order online: https://stonearchplayers.csstix.com