The moment I saw the couch in the center of the stage and the chandelier hanging from the beams high above, I knew that Leading Ladies was not going to disappoint me. I had heard quite a few comments about how funny the production was, but no amount of words will ever do it justice.

Leading Ladies by Ken Ludwig and directed by Rebecca Blindauer, theater teacher, is a play Marquette Theatre Company (MTC) performed Friday, April 6, and Saturday, April 7. The two main characters, junior Austin Cochran as Leo Clark and sophomore David Pisoni as Jack Gable, are British actors during the 1950s who can’t make any money. They see an advertisement in the York, Pa. newspaper asking if anyone knew of a Max and Steve. The two broke men decide to send a telegram claiming to be the two missing people hoping to receive the $2 million that is to be left in a will once Florence, an elderly and wealthy woman, passes away. Little do they know that Max and Steve are nicknames for two women named Maxine and Stephanie.

The production got funnier as the show went on. There was joke after joke. It seemed that every other line had the audience bending over in their seats laughing so hard. I, myself, laughed so hard at parts that my stomach hurt and tears formed in the corner of my eyes. Many people will say that too many jokes are bad and annoying, but Leading Ladies had a perfect balance between humor and plot development.

The storyline moved in an easy and uninterrupted flow filled with depth and wit. Though the title gave many people the impression that the play was going to be a girly, fa-la-la type of show, it quickly became obvious that it was more comedy than cosmetics. Leading Ladies ended up being perfect for both guys and girls of all ages. The plot of the production was simple and easy to follow. The actors, however, took the basic idea and were able to capture the audience’s attention through lovable characters and relatable scenarios

Each performer was able to become another person and maintain that same personality throughout the length of the show. It was clear that parts of the actors’ true personalities was able to shine through at times which made the characters even more believable. It is one thing to act like another person, it’s an entirely different stage to become another person.

I had seen The Addams Family performance put on by MTC during the fall of this school year so I knew that Leading Ladies would be just as entertaining. I thoroughly enjoyed sitting in a comfortable seat and getting lost in my newfound, make-believe friends’ adventures.