Racine Theatre Guild Presents Production of 'Dirty Rotten Scoundrels'

Need a silly escape to wipe away the worries of the week? Consider “Dirty Rotten Scoundrels,” a con man musical that opens Friday at the Racine Theatre Guild.

The laugh-out-loud play is the last production of the season for the guild, which has produced three song-filled shows this year.

“This is our big musical,” said Doug Instenes, of Caledonia, who directs the show.

With a cast of 20 and more than 25 songs, “Scoundrels” eclipses the theater’s musical efforts in January (cast of six) and last summer (cast of four).

“Just coordinating all the element costumes, lights, sound, actors, scene shifts -- we have a lot of props coming in and off -- that’s the thing were working on now to make sure all the scenes shift correctly and make sure no one is naked,” Instenes said. “Even though we could probably sell a few more tickets that way.”

Since the theater tries to keep shows at a family-friendly PG-13 or below – by the way, that’s where Instenes rated “Scoundrels” because of some grown-up humor – Instenes hoped the laughs alone would sell the show.

And, he said, laughs abound.

“Some of them are a little naughty,” he admitted.

Like the fleeting references to male grooming on Christmas and farts kept in a mason jar.

“It’s broad comedy,” Instenes said. “Younger kids won’t get any of the jokes. It’s more do you want to bring your teenaged kids to a show where they bet $50,000 on who can seduce this woman.”

Many of the gags are situational, like the sequence in which one con man pretends to be a paralyzed army sergeant while the other pretends to be a doctor treating him. Something about repeatedly testing the good sergeant’s motor skills with a switch has been known to whip the audience into giggles.

Puns and plays on words also pepper the play. (Say that five times fast!) Like the line “It’s all accordion to how you look at it” from the accordion-driven song “Like Zis, Like Zat.”

It’s all been part of the fun for the cast and crew.

“It’s just so funny. It’s very clever, and the lyrics of the songs are just hilarious,” Instenes said.

And if you’re still thinking about skipping the play and renting the movie, think again.

“I think this is a lot more entertaining than the movie with Michael Caine and Steve Martin,” Instenes said. “I think the play is better. I think the songs really help make it very silly and over the top.”

If you go

What: Dirty, Rotten Scoundrels

When: Weekends, May 13 to May 29. Show times are 7:30 p.m. Fridays, May 13, 20 and 27; 7:30 p.m. Saturdays, May 14, 21 and 28; and 2 p.m. Sundays, May 15, 22 and 29. Shows also at 7 p.m. Thursday, May 26; 2 p.m. Saturday, May 21; 7 p.m. Sunday, May 22; and 4 p.m. Saturday, May 28.

Where: Racine Theatre Guild, 2519 Northwestern Avenue (Highway 38)
Cost: $18 per person for 7:30 p.m. shows. All other shows $16.
Tickets: Available at the box office between noon and 6 p.m. weekdays or 90 minutes before show times; by calling, (262) 633-4218; or online at www.racinetheatre.org.