By Jody Tuso-Key; Managing Editor

If you’ve ever worked on a play, you already know: theatre is just one long exercise in crisis management. Lines get forgotten. Props break. Set pieces move when they shouldn’t. Lights and sound develop minds of their own. I’ve seen it all—up to and including actual broken bones.

When I was 10, I played a no-neck monster in Cat on a Hot Tin Roof at Georgia College in the late 1970s (don’t ask). We once put 65 candles on Big Daddy’s cake. It immediately caught fire in Big Mama’s arms. Thankfully, it happened during a dress rehearsal, and no one was hurt—but we never got to eat that cake, which remains the real tragedy. Another time, the actor playing Big Daddy got sick, and the head of the Theatre Department stepped in on book to save the night.

But enough about my personal theatre trauma—this review is about Aurora Theatre’s uproarious production of THE PLAY THAT GOES WRONG, now running through February 15 (with possible added dates due to weather-related mishaps…because of course).

This marks Aurora’s second go-round with the show after its 2023 run, this time staged in the Bobby Sykes Building—Aurora’s original theatre space. The intimacy of this venue makes the madness feel personal, like you’re not just watching a disaster unfold—you’re partially responsible for it.

Director Heidi McKerley once again proves she can orchestrate chaos like a master conductor. Scenic designers Isabel and Moriah Curley Clay have built what can only be described as a beautifully engineered nightmare—a set designed to fail with precision and panache. Lighting designer Toni Sterling lands cues with split-second perfection, and Mikaela Fraser’s sound design gleefully leans into the madness, including surprise Duran Duran moments that feel like a cosmic joke.

Nearly all the original 2023 cast members return, and both they and their characters have leveled up like Pokémon. Add in new talent from Aurora’s stellar AppCo apprentice program, and you’ve got a cast firing on all comedic cylinders.

The chaos starts before the show even begins, so arrive early. Instead of calm, collected professionals backstage, you’re greeted by a crew that appears to be barely surviving. Set pieces collapse. Annie, the stage manager, recruits audience members for emergency repairs. Chris—the production’s director (and Inspector Carter)—silently judges everyone’s life choices. Meanwhile, the crew is searching for a missing dog, which will eventually make absurd sense.

This cast is stacked with Atlanta theatre royalty. After Aurora’s regular curtain speech, Marcello Audino delivers a second hilariously self-important address as Chris, the overly serious director of this doomed drama society. Read the program bios on pages 8 and 9—I’m convinced the actors wrote them in character, and it shows.

Anthony Rodriguez—Aurora co-founder and local legend—plays Robert as Thomas Colleymoore with pitch-perfect seriousness in the face of escalating nonsense. Fresh off A CHRISTMAS CAROL, he remains one of the most reliably brilliant performers in town.

Ariana Hardaway plays Sandra as Florence Collymore until her character meets an unfortunate theatrical fate. Candy McClellan Davison, as Annie the stage manager, steps in and absolutely runs away with the show. Ariana’s over-the-top melodrama is delightful, and Candy’s performance is pure comedic gold.

Jeff McCurley as Dennis as Perkins the Butler continues his reign as one of Atlanta’s finest actors. His butchering of language, paired with relentless physical comedy, is a masterclass in controlled chaos. Watching him is like watching someone juggle while falling down stairs—in the best possible way.

Chris Heche plays Jonathan as Chris Haversham, the murder victim whose primary job is being dead…badly. His timing, reactions, and commitment to the bit elevate what could be a small role into a standout performance.

Caleb Clark is a scene-stealer as Max as Cecil Haversham, breaking the fourth wall with reckless abandon. His awkward bravado keeps the audience laughing so hard they may need intermission oxygen.

Skyler Brown plays Trevor, the lighting and sound operator who commits every technical sin known to theatre—and a few new ones. Stationed onstage in his booth, his reactions are comedy in themselves. I found myself watching him almost as much as the main action.

Rounding out the mayhem is a stellar supporting “crew”: Kymberli Green, Joel Harlan-Ledbetter, Maurice Jerry, Benjamin Perrin, and Victoria Rose Reyes. Many are part of Aurora’s AppCo program, which continues to churn out Atlanta’s next generation of theatre powerhouses.

And in true Play That Goes Wrong fashion, reality joined the joke: two performances were canceled due to last weekend’s rough weather. Additional shows are expected to be added soon—because even the universe can’t resist getting in on the gag.

I love that Aurora is celebrating its 30th season by revisiting audience favorites. Grab tickets to this production ASAP—it’s a Speakeysie HOT TICKET, and seats will disappear faster than a misplaced prop. And while you’re at it, lock in tickets for IN THE HEIGHTS, returning May 28–June 21.

As always, thank you for reading—and may all your theatre disasters be intentional. Peace be with you!