You may not

have heard about the musical "Lucky Stiff"

before, but after Newnan Community Theatre opens the show

this weekend, you'll be hearing a lot more about it.

The musical

is based on the story, "The Man Who Broke the Bank

at Monte Carlo" by Michael Butterworth, which deals

with what one man will do to inherit his uncle's $6

million inheritance. If Harry Witherspoon is to receive

the inheritance, he must take his recently deceased uncle

for one last gambling vacation to Monte Carlo. If Harry

fails, the Universal Dog Home of Brooklyn will receive

the money. Hilarity obviously ensues as everybody tries

to get their hands on the dough.

"Lucky

Stiff" is another example of a very productive

partnership between composer Stephen Flaherty and

lyricist Lynn Ahrens. The team is better known for the

1998 Broadway hit "Ragtime: The Musical" as

well as the Tony Award-nominated "Once On This

Island." The duo wrote the songs for the animated

film "Anastasia" and Ahrens also wrote the

words and music for ABC's "Schoolhouse Rock."

"The

question that keeps popping up at rehearsal is, `Why

isn't this show famous?'," says show director and

NCTC artistic director Dale Lyles. "The music is

wonderful to sing and hilariously funny. We keep falling

over laughing at song after song every night."

The cast

features a mixture of NCTC veterans and newcomers. Chris

Scott and Brenda Barry-Weaver reunite on the stage as

Harry and UDH of B owner Annabel Glick. they were last

seen in 1998's production of "She Loves Me."

The rest of the cast is rounded out by Caroline Carr,

Jimmy Johnson, Matthew Bailey Jr., Jenifer Doran, Diana

Kline and newcomers Murray Weed and Alison Chambers.

"Lucky

Stiff has been one of the most fun shows I've ever worked

on," says Lyles. "Part of it is the fabulous

music, but a lot of it is the cast, who are insane. That

always helps."

The show

opens Friday, April 28 and runs three weekends, through

May 13. Performances are at 8 p.m. Fridays and Saturdays

and at 2:30 p.m. Sundays. A special show for area

students will be offered Thursday, May 11 at 8 p.m.

Admission is $10 for adults, $8 for seniors and students,

and $5 for the special student performance. Call

770-683-NCTC to reserve tickets. Tickets are also on sale

in Newnan at Scott's Bookstore, The Daily Grind, and

Clemens and Company Used Books.