'Maid to Order' fills the bill for Jayhawk-Linn's spring play

Bethany (Rilee Watts) and Sarah (Lily Meyer) struggle to keep James (Brody Clark) hidden behind the couch in the Malliger household as Mrs. Malliger (Bettie Watts) tells her son Gerald (Aiden Stark) how much she is looking forward to the night's dinner. (Photos by Roger Sims / Linn County Journal)

By Roger Sims, rsims@linncountyjournal.com

In the foyer of wealthy New York widow Marcy Malliger, a couple of maids are busy cleaning in preparation for a dinner for Mrs. Malliger and her beau. Mrs. Malliger tastes are impeccable, and she expects only perfection from her household staff.

But her son Gerald, a somewhat lecherous 25-year-old, continues to make advances on one of the pair of maids, Sarah, who tries to ignore him and save her job. But Sarah’s brother James shows up unannounced looking for a hideout, because he’s on the run from a mobster to whom he owes money.

Mrs. Malliger and her assistant Janice (Hazel Vaughn) are amused by the grand gesture of Mr. Cambin (Camden Wood), Mrs. Malliger's beau, in a scene from "Maid to Order."

That’s the opening scene from “Maid to Order,” a play by Matthew Begbie that was performed by Jayhawk-Linn High School and junior high students on Thursday, March 27, and Saturday, March 29, at the JLHS theater.

Sarah warns James not to get her fired when he shows up unexpectedly.

Sarah, played by Lily Meyer, and her co-worker Bethany (Riley Watts) must dodge the advances of Gerald (Aiden Stark), discovery by Mrs. Malliger (Bettie Watts) while trying to keep Sarah’s brother James (Brody Clark) out of sight.

In the midst of that chaos, a knock on the Malliger household’s door means that Mrs. Malliger’s beau Charles Cambin (Camden Wood) and his daughter Winnie (Hillary Souza) have arrived for dinner. Winnie is immediately smitten with Gerald, who soon finds himself the prey rather than the hunter.

Even worse, though, Mr. Cambin is the loan shark who has it out for James, and when the police (Ryland Summers and Abbi Meyer) respond to a call of an intruder in the Malliger household by the woman’s assistant Janice (Hazel Vaughn), they first run after James and then set their sights on Mr. Cambin once Bethany identifies whom is after whom in a chaotic chase scene.

Pandemonium reigns in the final scene when Mr. Cambin recognizes James.

The cast also includes Janessa Bush as the extra maid. The comedy was directed by drama sponsor Dawn Carlson, who was helped by assistant stage manager Alica Wood, sound effects by Brin Carlson, and Marlyn Gandara Sanchez.