The Butler Little Theatre opened its 67th season with "Hollywood Arms," a play based on the real life story of actress and comedian Carol Burnett.

Unfortunately, technical difficulties plagued the emotionally charged show so much that the energy and timing of the scenes where thrown off. The audience sat in the dark so long that people began to chat. Though the breaks were interminably long, the acting in between in most cases was quite good.

Becky Meals capably overcame the set challenges and fashioned a remarkable stage but for some reason, the lighting, sound, and scene transitions posed quite the conundrum. The show was expertly cast with both veteran and novice performers but the technical issues detracted.

Kelly Benner, who is most often seen singing and dancing in Musical Theatre Guild productions, hung up her dancing shoes for this one and she did not disappoint. Her role as Nanny was an emotional and physical role which she handled quite capably. Her chemistry with all the co-stars was believable.

Though her character remained the same throughout the show, she was able to share a few intense emotional scenes with her daughter, Louise, played by Heidi Nicholls Bowser,

Bowser, who recently came back to the theater after a hiatus, was in rare form as the deluded and often imbibed Louise, Helen's mother. The emotional roller-coaster that Bowser had to ride was amazing and the audience rode it right along with her.

Her tragic deterioration was well played and moving.

Taking the stage under her mother's direction was Sydney Meals as the older Helen. She burst on the stage with such energy and enthusiasm that the audience sat up in their seats.

She breathed life into the second half with the scene in which she portrayed her day at the theater.

Helen's father, Jody, was played by Gary Collar, whose heartrending portrayal of the absentee and inept father was most credible. While he had moments of despair and dejection, his most redemptive and poignant scene was with the young Helen on the roof where they shared a moment, a secret, and much more.

Other noteworthy performances were by Jordan Meals, Thom Bennett, Jennifer Smith, Marge Bankert and Brynn Hambley.

While the entire play can be a bit heavy, fabulous writing and wonderful casting lighten the emotional load.

If Meals nails down the technical issues that plagued opening night, I'd say she can count her directorial debut as a success and deserves a nod for bringing to the boards such a complex production in her first shot out of the gate.