There is nothing quite like opening night at the theatre. High smiles from the box office as an audience shuffles in: smirks of anticipation on their faces. The crews go over last-minute checklists. Actors back stage silently mouth their lines. The energy is real. Palpable and ubiquitous. We took our seats. Lights dimmed, and a farcical, lighthearted story unfolded.

‘Finding Gladys,’ directed by Diane Lozen, is running at Alpena Civic Theatre from March 12th-22nd. While the writing and structure of the play sometimes felt predictable and pedestrian, the actors in this performance delivered.

Gladys, played by Linda Suneson, is the main character who dreams of celebrity in Hollywood or on Broadway. When she submits her play to a national contest and “wins,” the shenanigans intensify. Suneson does well to drive the plot with honesty, empathy, and sensibility. Gladys’s confidant in the retirement community, Mildred, is played by Donna Roussin. Roussin’s performance is rollicking and her delivery was spot on. Many of her quips drew, chortles, snickers, and laughter.

Matt Southwell’s performance as Morton, a resident in the retirement community, is done with panache. He owns this role and delivers much of the comedy’s flair. The role of Miles, one of the two scammers in the story, is played by Doug Haines. Haines embodies this character’s cartoonish center and rolls it out in the vein of a swashbuckling and sinister Yosemite Sam. Bill Powell as the center’s security guard, Marvin, reminds the audience of Barney Fife in ‘The Andy Griffith Show.’ His performance was commanding.

The entire troupe came together opening night. Costuming was clever and fun, the crew did an excellent job keeping all eyes on the performance. Directors Lozen and Kriniak made the most of blocking the action and allowing the actors to show up in their roles.

‘Finding Gladys,’ a whimsical play with some compelling through lines, has what audiences of Alpena Civic Theatre have come to expect. Quality storytelling with purposeful acting. It is well worth the ticket.