Comedy ‘100 Lunches’ opens March 11 in Richland

The Richland Players’ latest production promises to serve up plenty of laughs.

And perhaps a little dash of love.

The show, 100 Lunches, is something of “a culinary love story,” said Michael Wutzke, producer.

It opens March 11 and centers on the playwright Chuck Reynolds, who’s approached by theater critic Charity Starr for help penning her own show.

Starr isn’t exactly Reynolds’ favorite person, as she’s given his work less than stellar reviews.

So he agrees to help — but only over a series of lunches, with her footing the bill. They wind up at some interesting, and at times spendy, restaurants, with a string of waiters — all played by the same actor — bringing large helpings of comic relief.

Performances are at 8 p.m. March 11-12, 18-19 and 25-26, and at 2 p.m. March 13 and 20.

The play was written by Leo W. Sears and Jack Sharkey.

Mark Humann is directing the Richland production, and the cast includes Michael Thomas as Chuck Reynolds; Diana Milton as Charity Starr; Connie Hull as Glinda Bellows, Reynolds’ housekeeper; Cory Huntington as Reynolds’ son; and Damon Johnson as the waiter.

The comedy comes on the heels of company’s successful staging of Dial M for Murder, a sell-out production.

“Just like everything we’ve done this year, (100 Lunches) is about relationships,” said Wutzke, who’s also the Players’ general manager.

And with a solid cast and crew, “it’s like sitting down at a restaurant you really, really like. You know you’re going to get a good meal,” he said.

Watch out for are pieces by local artists on display on stage and in the theater’s lobby — part of a new push to help showcase visual arts.

Tickets to 100 Lunches are $15 for general admission and $12 for students, seniors and military members. For more information, call 509-943-1991 or go to www.richlandplayers.org.

This story was originally published March 9, 2016 at 4:30 PM with the headline "Comedy ‘100 Lunches’ opens March 11 in Richland."