"Wally's Cafe" — C.B. Gilford's gag-filled comedy and the 91st production in Theatre Works' history — follows a New Jersey couple who open a diner in the California desert near Las Vegas in 1940, and their first customer, a young woman hoping to become a Hollywood actress. The show unfolds in three acts spanning 1940, 1958, and 1981, getting progressively funnier as each character gets their biggest moments in successive scenes. Director Don Gillis casts the three roles perfectly and keeps the pace moving all night long. Don Luther built the realistic, brightly colored diner setting. Stage manager Bert Cayer changes the decor of the diner for each scene, including the price of the Wally Burger on the menu board. Costumes are by Denise Luther; lighting and sound by Chris Cournoyer and Brett L'Heureux. Joe Casey restructured the previous Butterflies Are Free set into this one; John Ricci provided the graphics for the jukebox and the outdoor cactus. The producer for this show is Evelyn Zifcak, who founded Theatre Works in 1983.

Ed Benjamin III and Kim Alessandro are perfectly matched as Wally and Louise — capturing the highs and lows of this marriage across four decades, from their young ambitions in the desert to their comfortably bickering old age. Ed's funniest moments come in the final scene as the befuddled old Wally, wandering in and out and forgetting what he's supposed to do. Kim is excellent in all three time periods, with her final scene as the much-older Louise — voice, mannerisms, and walk beautifully captured — as her strongest. The final member of this trio, Laura Ash, had only eight rehearsals to learn her role as Janet, the would-be starlet. She nearly steals the show: her Betty Boop voice and off-key singing of "When the Red, Red Robin" are a delight from the start, and she brings the right comic touches to each of Janet's three very different visits to the diner across the decades. So for a fun-filled evening of topnotch comic acting, be sure to catch "Wally's Cafe" before time runs out.

Theatre Works' last show of their 23rd season is Rodgers and Hammerstein's "Cinderella" — the well-known tale of glass slippers, ugly stepsisters, magic wands, and a midnight curfew. Originally adapted for the stage from the 1957 television version starring Julie Andrews, updated for the 1965 TV version starring Lesley Ann Warren, and again in 1997 starring Brandy. Director Carol Varden infuses the story with new life, including two video clips that are hilarious in their own right. Music director Mary Jo Rett leads the 21-member cast through the numerous songs while playing piano with her topnotch three-member orchestra. The spectacular sets are by John Ricci and Joe Casey; the many gorgeous costumes are by Denise Luther.

Carol's cast works hard, moving the turntable stage with ease and snapping into character split seconds later. Stage manager Michele Pinault keeps everyone on their toes. The lighting was designed by Chris Cournoyer and run during the show by Carol's daughter, Mary Thompson. The two video segments — Cinderella racing to her coach in a ball gown with an orange car standing in for the pumpkin carriage — get gales of laughter from the crowd.

The cast is led by two wonderful young performers. Jillian Rivers-Keegan as Cinderella shows off a lovely soprano through the opening "The Sweetest Sounds", "In My Own Little Corner", "Impossible" with the fairy godmother, and the romantic duets "Ten Minutes Ago" and "Do I Love You Because You're Beautiful" with the Prince. Jillian plays the wistful girl longing for the man of her dreams beautifully, and her transformation from country bumpkin to lovely princess is well done. The Prince is played by Eric Desnoyers, a college freshman who has been performing for many years — he has made the transition from child to adult performer with ease. His strong singing voice booms out over the audience as he sells each number. A wonderful job by two talented young performers.

The evil stepmother and stepsisters Joy and Portia are hilariously played by Connie Anderson, Kelly Gauthier, and Heather Viera. Connie, clad all in black throughout the show, captures the shrewish hag wonderfully. Kelly and Heather steal many a scene as these diva-like harridans who demand Cinderella wait on them hand and foot. Their song "Stepsister's Lament" is hysterically funny, as are their antics at the ball. The King and Queen are played wonderfully by Joe Casey and Jessica Porcelli — Joe has many funny one-liners and makes all of them count, while Jessica shows the Queen is the real power behind the throne. Their duet "Boys and Girls Like You and Me" shines. The fairy godmother casting is rather unusual — it is played by a male actor, John Ricci, who plays it completely straight and is a hoot in the role. Leon Saunders, Carol's real-life grandson, plays the Herald Sir Lionel, showing off a strong singing voice in "The Prince Is Giving a Ball".

So for a magical treat for family members of all ages, be sure to catch "Cinderella".