Theater spices up downtown nightlife

Local actors’ group brings Neil Simon classic to the Liberty Theater stage

Chris Albert

Laugh-out-loud hysterics and who dun it mystery is coming to Puyallup in a downtown dinner theater.

The Puyallup Actors’ Theater Group is presenting Neil Simon’s “Rumors — a farce” from April 11-13 at the Liberty Theater.

“From the minute the play starts until it ends it’s non-stop hysterical laughter,” said Peggy Adams, artistic director of the acting troupe.

The dining and entertainment will be the 10th dinner theater the group has presented. They usually present a dinner theater once every four months.

“I think it’s a wonderful addition to any town,” Adams said.

It adds character to a downtown that isn’t really thought to have much of a nightlife, said Dewey Tann, with the Puyallup Actors’ Theater Group.

“You don’t get that kind of stuff around here,” he said. “There really isn’t too much down here.”

The theater group is trying to live up to that perception, with an evening for adults to enjoy theatrics usually reserved for the big city quarters of Seattle or Tacoma, Tann said.

“We’re trying to bring live theater to Puyallup and in the setting of an old vaudeville theater,” Adams said. “We’re very spoiled to have the venue that we have.”

For theater-goers the experience will begin out on the street of the historic Liberty Theater with the original box office open for people to pick-up and purchase tickets.

It’s an added charm, Adams said. The box office is usually used as a display case highlighting some of the events the theater hosts.

“People will get the whole theatrical experience,” she said.

Upon entering, theater-goers will first be treated to a buffet style dinner and then the performance.

The play covers an evening at a dinner party and is as much comedy as it is mystery.

“There’s just something about it that makes everything alive,” Tann said.

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Neil Simon’s “Rumors — a farce”

The Puyallup Actors’ Theater Group presents Neil Simon’s “Rumors — a farce” April 11-13.

> The door opens for dinner shows at 6:30 p.m. April 11 and 12. Tickets are $29 to $35 for dinner shows. The doors open at 12:30 p.m. April 13 at the matinee show. Tickets are $25 to $29 for the matinee show.

> Tickets are available through Ticketmaster and at the Liberty Theater, 116 West Main in Puyallup.

> For info, call The Liberty Theater at 253-864-8116.