The Sandbox Players, a new community theater group, made a

crowd-pleasing debut Friday night at the Sunrise Theater with the high-spirited farce, "Moon Over Buffalo."

The ensemble provided a laugh a minute as real-life spouses Don and Lisa Bridge portrayed the

scene-chewing stage actors George and Charlotte Hay. George and Charlotte are in their 50s, but haven't quite come to accept the fact that it's time to gracefully step back and let the younger generation have a go at some of the roles in their little company.

Daughter Rosalind Hay (Kimberly Corrigan) comes to visit her parents, bringing her fianc, Howard (Robbie Gay). Rosalind has decided that she is happier not being onstage and feels that marrying Howard, who is a weatherman, is her best option.

Robbie Gay, who also directed the play, was just hilarious as the bumbling Howard.

Rosalind must face seeing her true love, Paul (Sean Smith), who is working with her parents. Corrigan and Smith play well off each other.

Ethel (Sara Schrock), George's mother-in-law, who is hard of hearing, contributes to the madness as do Eileen (Juliet Blanks), the company's ingenue, who just happens to have had a fling with George, bringing about unfortunate circumstances, and Richard (Dave Kinney), the Hays' attorney, who is really in love with Charlotte.

"Moon Over Buffalo" is

fast-paced fun.

It continues Friday, Oct. 24, and Saturday, Oct. 25, at 7:30 p.m. and Sunday, Oct. 26, at 2 p.m.

Call 528-2134 to reserve a ticket.

Contact Faye Dasen at fdasen@thepilot.com or 693-2475.