MUSCATINE, Iowa — Cast members put on their best underwear to rehearse for Muscatine Community College’s spring play.

His pants around his ankles, actor Chase SyWassink broke into laughter while James Palagi practiced picking cactus spines from his black boxer shorts.

Palagi also takes a turn dropping his drawers in the MCC production of Tony award-winning author Michael Frayn’s farce, “Noises Off,” from April 2-5 at the Bob Roach Little Theatre in Strahan Hall.

“At one point or another, half of the cast is without pants and one actress spends most of the play running around in lingerie,” said director Jason Larche.

The theater group tries to select performances to attract different audiences, Larche said. The group’s fall play, “You’re a Good Man, Charlie Brown” was based on Charles Schulz “Peanuts” comics and was geared to audiences of all ages.

This play, however, contains adult themes and language and crude humor that isn’t appropriate for young audiences, he said.

For more than a decade, “Noises Off” has topped the list of plays Larche sought to direct.

“As a matter of fact, it’s the funniest play I’ve ever seen,”

he said.

The three-act play follows a group of B-list actors who put on a play intended to help an aging actress friend.

“This play takes a slice of reality — in this case, putting on a play — and heightens everything to the point of ridiculousness,” Larche said.

The first act takes place at midnight before opening night as the actors are still trying to learn the play. The second act shows how the play is unraveling back stage after three weeks, and the third act is “everything coming apart at the seems” after 12 weeks, Larche said.

It is a challenging play for a cast that includes MCC students and local actors from the community.

“Farce is a particular kind of comedy that is extremely fast-paced and very physical that is focused on visceral laughs or belly laughs than the more intellectual wit or Oscar Wilde,” Larche said.

“I can honestly say I’ve never been at a rehearsal when someone shot (soda) pop out their nose,” said community actor James Palagi.

Palagi passed up a role in a Davenport production to join the cast as Selsdon Mowbray, a “doddering  has-been” and alcoholic.

“If you don’t laugh during this play, someone will have to come take your pulse,” he said.

Muscatine Community College student Chase SyWassink, who plays Lloyd Dallas, a sarcastic director who carries on love affairs with two women, agreed.

“It’s just non-stop comedy throughout the whole thing,” SyWassink said.

Muscatine High School senior Heather Hill, who plays the emotional stage manager Poppy Norton-Taylor, said the fast-paced humor presents challenges and fun.

“With this show, you really don’t know what will happen,” Hill said.

What: Muscatine Community College spring play,

“Noises Off”

When: 7:30 p.m. Thursday, April 2; 7:30 p.m. Friday, April 3; 7:30 p.m., Saturday, April 4; and 2:30 p.m. Sunday, April 5

Where: Bob Roach Little Theatre, Strahan Hall, Muscatine Community College

Cast

Dotty Otley: Lana Rogal

Lloyd Dallas: Chase Sywassink

Garry LeJeune: Steve Andresen

Brooke Ashton: Shelah Kershenske

Frederick Fellowes: Jarred Evanovich

Belinda Blair: Ashley Moore

Tim Allgood: Craig Chelf

Poppy Norton-Taylor:

Heather Hill

Selson Mowbray: James Palagi

Director: Jason Larche

Technical Director: Craig Chelf

Scenographer: Jarred Evanovich

Stage Manager: Tracey McGinn

Asst. Director: Savannah Skidmore