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Production Requirements: A Costume Plot Database
Play Title: Arsenic and Old Lace

Title:  Arsenic and Old Lace
Playwright:  Kesselring, Joseph  Publisher:  Dramatist Play Service Inc.
Year  1942  Genre:  Comedy
Period:  20thC1940s  Number of Acts/Scenes  III-2
Passage of time:  One night
Basic Plot:  "The story of two charming old ladies who populate their cellar with the remains of socially and religiously 'acceptable' roomers; and the antics of their nephews Teddy, who thinks he's Teddy Rooselvelt, and Mortimer, a manic theatre critic."-Dramati
Contributor's Name:  Markisha Cobourne
Contributor's Email:  N/A
Budget:  N/A
Producing Organization:  N/A
Cast Size As Written
  Male Actors:  11
  Male Chorus Actors:  0
Total Male Actors:  11
Number of Characters as Written
  Male Characters:  11
  Male Chorus Characters:  0
Total Male Characters:  11
Costume Numbers as Written
  Male Costumes:  14
  Male Chorus Costumes:  0
Total Male Costumes:  14
Actual Cast Size (if produced)
  Male Actors:  0
  Male Chorus Actors:  0
Total Male Actors:  0
Costume Numbers (if produced)
  Male Costumes:  0
  Male Chorus Costumes:  0
Total Male Costumes:  0
  Female Actors:  3
  Female Chorus Actors:  0
Total Female Actors:  3
 
  Female Characters:  3
  Female Chorus Characters:  0
Total Female Characters:  3
 
  Female Costumes:  7
  Female Chorus Costumes:  0
Total Female Costumes:  7

  Female Actors:  0
  Female Chorus Actors:  0
Total Female Actors:  0
 
  Female Costumes:  0
  Female Chorus Costumes:  0
Total Female Costumes:  0
Notes on possible reduction/expansion of characters/costumes:  Act I: Elaine could change into evening dress for her theatre date with Mortimer at end of Act I; Act III: Teddy's "signing clothes" costume could be reduced to a hat add on or completely cut.
Quick Changes:  N/A
Specialty/Special effects costumes required:  Act III: Jonathon and Dr. Einstein both need a set of costumes that look identical to their individual costumes they wear earlier but appear to be dusty and dirty from digging in the cellar.
Other important notes:  Martha only wears dresses with high laced collars to conceal a life-long scar

See more play details here (pdf file)