The Vienna Historical Society will present humorous plays which portray the foibles and eccentricities of small town life. Performances will take place at 7 p.m. Thursday and Friday, July 28 and 29, and at 2 and 7 p.m. Saturday, July 30 in Vienna Union Hall.

Brent Smith, of Farmington, will lead the group in old-time songs, and perhaps a dance or two. Ellie Andrews, of Fayette, will accompany on piano.

From left are Ellie Andrews, of Fayette; Steve Mallen, of Mount Vernon; Alan Harville, Barbara Gilman and Eileen Lord, all of Vienna. Contributed photo

“Elvi’s Tea Leaves,” set in 1920s Vienna, was written by Beverly Wight Smith, who plays Hannah, the hostess for a big family reunion, with hilarious repercussions. Her morning guest, the rather esoteric local mystic Elvira Greenleaf, from an area of Vienna known as Egypt, ignites a firestorm of amour by what she sees in her tea leaves. Even though the reunion guests are somewhat skeptical, the prescient Elvi is ever so right and romance, dalliances, flirtations, not to mention downright hanky-panky, infect each and every attendee. This family “reunion” ends with plenty of “new unions” — who knew?

The cast also includes Linda Bragdon, Judy Dunn, Steve Mallen, Dan Huettner, Clyde Dyar, Barbara Gillman, Allan Harville, Eileen Lord, Ellie Andrews, Kitty Gee and Kevin Foster, with Carole O’Connell directing.

The second play of the evening, “Lakeside Whodunit,” is adapted by Cheryl Herr-Rains from a 1919 play by Walter Ben Hare, and is co-directed by Dodi Thompson and Herr-Rains. The cast includes Don Petersen, Chris Crocker, Steve Mallen, Nate Kane, Claire Holman, Quimby Robinson, Rocio Carey, Alice Olson, Delaney Crocker, Muffy Floyd, Allison Kuhns, and Jane Rogers.

At the Belgrade Lakes Hotel, Sadie, a newly hired, sassy stenographer, finds herself surrounded by mysterious robberies. Among the varied and glamorous characters, Bunch, the bellboy explains who’s who and what’s what; Mrs. Crawley is sure the mysterious and quirky Mr. Dow must be the crook who stole her daughter’s valuable pearl necklace, while her daughter claims he is not; Vicky knows he can’t be because his nose is too handsome. A professional city detective is brought in to solve the case even as the robberies continue. So who did do it? Watch carefully for “red herrings” as true motives are revealed in this zany farce.

Admission cost $6; refreshments will be provided by the Mill Stream Grange.

For more information, contact Carole O’Connell at 293-4815 or caroleo2443@yahoo.com.

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