‘Leading Ladies’ at Westminster Community Playhouse
- OC Theatre Guild
- 1 hour ago
- 5 min read
Mistaken identities, theatrical ambition and a dash of Shakespearean mischief.
by Anne Reid
In Westminster Community Playhouse’s (WCP) new production, “Leading Ladies,” two down-on-their-luck actors turn female impersonators in an attempt to swindle an elderly woman out of her fortune in 1950s Pennsylvania. Written by Ken Ludwig, the show, which premiered in 2004, is generally praised for its charm and high-energy hilarity.
Leo Clark and Jack Gable are English actors performing Shakespeare plays on the "Moose Lodge circuit" when they learn the woman is looking to leave her money to her long-lost British nephews. The men decide to impersonate the family members to scam the woman out of her fortune, but in all the chaos, they discover the heirs are actually nieces. Determined to pursue the scheme anyway, they proceed with the plan, dressing up as nieces "Maxine” and “Stephanie" to claim the windfall.
What follows is a whirlwind of romantic entanglements and comedic confusion. Leo soon finds himself falling head over heels in love with Meg, the woman’s spirited niece. Despite being engaged to the local minister, Meg dreams of a life beyond her small town. The arrival of the mysterious “Maxine” and “Stephanie” shakes up the quiet household and opens the door to possibilities Meg never imagined.
Director Greg Cohen, a longtime figure in Southern California theater, said the play’s joyful energy is a major reason he chose to direct it. “I just wanted to do something that was going to be fun,” Cohen said. “The last couple of shows I worked on were pretty heavy in content. This is a feel-good comedy, and that’s something audiences really need right now.”
Cohen has been directing in the region since the mid-1980s and is returning to WCP after a long absence. “One of the first places I worked was at the Westminster Community Playhouse, but the experience wasn’t ideal,” Cohen said. “I stepped away from theater for quite a while, but things have changed for the better. I know some of the people on the board and trust them, so it felt like the right time to come back.”
Cohen said that while every theater operates differently, the commitment of the volunteers and artists at WCP today has impressed him. “Every theater has its pluses and minuses,” he said. “The people here are very high quality. We have a great set coming together, and I’ve already seen a lot of the costumes which are great. It’s a pretty costume-heavy show given the plot.”
The production features a cast of eight performers – five men and three women – representing a mix of actors Cohen has worked with before and some newcomers. “A lot of people came out to audition because they knew my work from Long Beach Playhouse,” he said. “It’s a really nice mix of people.”
While “Leading Ladies” is largely faithful to Ludwig’s script, Cohen said his production emphasizes the characters and romantic storylines rather than relying solely on the comedic novelty of cross-dressing. “When the play was first written, the idea of men dressing as women was automatically funny,” Cohen said. “But that isn’t really the joke anymore. What we’re focusing on is the romantic comedy and the idea that these characters are trying to become better versions of themselves.”
That approach aligns with Ludwig’s affection for theater history. The playwright, known for works such as “Moon Over Buffalo,” frequently incorporates references to classic theater traditions. “Ken Ludwig is in love with the performing arts,” Cohen said. “This show is really an homage to theater, and especially to Shakespeare.”
In particular, the play echoes elements of Shakespeare’s “Twelfth Night,” another comedy built around mistaken identity and characters disguising themselves as the opposite sex. Cohen said discovering those parallels is part of the fun for both the cast and the audience. “It’s enjoyable to find those connections and make them more visible.”
The staging of “Leading Ladies” also presents several technical challenges. Much of the play takes place in the living room of a wealthy woman’s home, but other scenes shift to very different locations, including a Shakespeare performance at a Moose Lodge and a scene set on a train.
The design team worked to create a flexible environment that can support those changes while maintaining the rhythm of the comedy. “We needed to keep the set simple enough to allow the story to move quickly,” Cohen said. “Most of the play happens in the living room, but there are scenes that take place elsewhere, so we had to design transitions that feel seamless.”
One of those transitions uses sound effects to suggest the chaos of an offstage performance. In one sequence, the actors’ Shakespeare presentation quickly spirals into a noisy confrontation with heckling audience members. This provides a moment of both humor and an opportunity to shift the set for the next scene.
Costumes also play a key role in bringing the story to life. The show’s main characters wear clothing inspired by the 1950s setting, while additional Shakespearean costumes appear during the play-within-a-play. “The two leading men are actors who are pretending to be women,” Cohen said. “Everyone else is wearing period clothing, so there’s a lot happening visually.”
Producer and board member JD Rinde said Cohen’s experience as both an actor and director makes him especially well suited for the production. “Greg is a seasoned director and accomplished actor,” Rinde said. “He just finished playing Scrooge at Long Beach Playhouse. He’s an actor’s director, which means he understands the nuances of a role while allowing performers to develop their own interpretation.”
Rinde noted that “Leading Ladies” has remained one of Ludwig’s most frequently produced plays because of its energetic blend of romance and farce. “It’s full of silly antics, but it also has a warm heart,” Rinde said. “Two broke English actors come to a small American town with a plan to get rich, and along the way they discover something much more meaningful.”
For Cohen, the show ultimately celebrates the joy of theater itself. One of his favorite moments comes during a lively party scene, where the entire cast joins in a playful tango. “Not everyone in the cast is a dancer,” Cohen said with a laugh. “But watching them all try the tango together is one of the most fun parts of the show.”
With its quick wit, romantic twists and affectionate nods to Shakespeare, “Leading Ladies” promises an evening of laughter and theatrical charm.
‘Leading Ladies’
Westminster Community Playhouse
When: March 13 - March 29, 2026
Where: 7272 Maple St., Westminster, CA 92683
Information: (714) 893-8626, www.WCPstage.com
Anne Reid is a writer, public & community relations expert, and theater mom.
