Patrick Kenney (Left) and Melaney Baker portray Bill and Mary in Benicia Old Town Theatre Group’s production of the 1982 farcical comedy “Having a Wonderful Time, Wish You Were Her,” which opens tomorrow. (Photo by Joe Messina Photography)

For 53 years, Benicia Old Town Theatre Group (BOTTG) has specialized in bringing offbeat, off-the-wall and overall less conventional plays to Benicia. That will not change Friday with the opening of its fall play “Having a Wonderful Time, Wish You Were Her.”

No, you wiseacres, that is not a typo. As the “Wish You Were Her” portion of the title suggests, infidelity is one theme in Billy Van Zandt and Jane Milmore’s 1982 play, but themes run wild. The farcical play centers around three couples. Danny and Kathy have a very sultry relationship that is put in jeopardy when Kathy reveals she is in a relationship with another man. Paul and Jennifer are a married couple who are frustrated because Jennifer won’t cheat on her husband. Finally, Bill and Mary are another married couple who have a dilemma over how they should spend their 29th wedding anniversary. Bill wants a night alone, while Mary wants a night of passion. All the couples are connected, and they end up vacationing at Bill and Mary’s for a weekend where a hungry bear gets involved.

Sound crazy? That’s just the surface. All of this play’s madcap elements require a lot of talent to pull it off, but BOTTG’s past comedies have demonstrated they can pull it off.

BOTTG publicist Dianne Vojvoda says the zaniness of the plot should be enough to take people’s minds off the grim realities of the world.

“It’s just outrageous,” she said. “It’s a little over the top and fun. People are chased by a bear. It’s absolutely silly, and sometimes you need to have silliness when things are very serious in the world and those (plays) seem to be very popular for us.”

Vojvoda said the play presented a number of challenges, chief among them being casting. Auditions were held in July, and some actors who had been cast had to drop out. Ultimately, six actors were able to settle into their roles, many of whom have never acted in a BOTTG production and some of whom have not acted in quite some time. BOTTG regular Scott Poitras will be returning, and he will be joined by Melaney Baker, Amanda Fontoura Sheehan, Patrick Kenney, Courtney Shaffer and Benicia’s very own Che Soto-Vigil. Vojvoda is very happy with the actors.

“They’re truly having a wonderful time,” she said. “They just ham it up and are having such a good time. All of these people have jobs, and they have families. It’s really a commitment. They have six weeks of rehearsal, and then they’re so excited performing.”

Other challenges included the lighting director having to go into the emergency room and the theater’s water heater breaking, resulting in the crew having to pay for rehearsal space at the Community Center for two weeks.

“It’s been a lot of calamity, but the show must go on,” Vojvoda said.

Still, Vojvoda said the cast and crew have persevered and are ready for opening night tomorrow.

The play will be directed by Edward Nattenberg helming his first show at BOTTG. The Walnut Creek director recently directed “Playboy of the Western World” for the Eugene O’Neill Festival in Danville and has a master’s degree in theater from the American Conservatory Theater in San Francisco. He also has acted professionally in New York City, Los Angeles, Paris and throughout the Bay Area.

Vojvoda believes the show will please BOTTG fans and show newcomers what the theater is all about.

“We have very loyal Benicia fans who come to see every show,” she said. “They’ve never heard of the director or the cast or the show before. They trust us that it’s gonna be a rewarding experience.”

“Wonderful Time” opens tomorrow night at 7 p.m. with a champagne gala featuring food catered by Venticello’s Ristorante Italiano, sparkling wine and mellow jazz flute music played by Benicia’s Jim Kovalcik. The first performance will begin at 8 p.m. that night. Tickets for opening night are $30. After this, the show will be performed at 8 p.m. on Fridays and Saturdays and 2 p.m. on Sundays. The play will run through Saturday, Nov. 11. Tickets for shows after the opening night are $22 for general admission and $20 for students as well as seniors ages 62 and older. All shows will be performed at BDES Hall, located at 140 West J St. The doors open one hour before the curtain. For more information, go to beniciaoldtowntheatregroup.com or call 746-1269.

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