The cast and crew at the Butler Little Theatre are getting the dark spark lit for the upcoming dark comedy, “God of Carnage” opening Jan. 20.

The 2009 Tony Award-winning show by Yasmina Reza is under the direction of Lester Malizia.

The story centers on a playground altercation between two 11-year-old boys. Their Brooklyn parents gather to resolve the matter. The meeting progresses from the diplomacy to degradation as the rum flows. The tensions are thick as the couples are reduced to an embarrassing new low.

Katy Wayne of Center Township is no stranger to the stage and plays Annette.

“She is a mom, sophisticated, controlled, and compassionate with a successful career,” said Wayne who was delighted to be cast in this role.

“This role requires every skill I've been building over the years: comic timing, vocal range and dynamic physicality,” she said.

She said she auditioned because of the tremendous challenge the role demands.

“While it is a comedy, it runs the risk of not being funny,” Wayne said. “The delicate balance of comic timing and sincere emotion built to a dynamic level requires just the right combination of performers, support staff and director.”

Wayne said she finds both similarities and differences between her personality and the role of Annette.

“Like Annette, I desire to control many of the people and circumstances around me; however, I don't suffer from the anxiety due to lack of control that Annette does,” Wayne said.

She believes the play will challenge audience members as they consider their interactions with others. “We are drawn to carefully consider our ideals, standards and behavior from other points of view,” Wayne said.

Playing the role of Annette's husband Alan is Stefan Lingenfelter of Butler Township.

“He is a sharp, ruthless corporate lawyer and the father of a boy who has physically assaulted the child of another couple,” Lingenfelter said.

“Alan is so severely attached to his cell phone that it is pretty much another appendage at this point,” he added.

Lingenfelter, familiar with Reza's work, auditioned for the opportunity to play her amazing characters.

“Yasmina Reza has created four mouthwateringly juicy roles for actors to dig into,” he said.

He was impressed with how the show presented the deterioration of social exteriors while challenging the notion of getting married and having kids.

“The dialogue is witty, piercing and layered with subtext, the stuff actors love,” he noted.

While he lamented missing the show as it was taking Broadway by storm, in hindsight he sees that as beneficial.

“I approach the role with no pre-conceived ideas and a fresh take as I collaborate with the amazing team here at the BLT,” he said.

Lingenfelter not only enjoys the process but believes the cast assembled is most delightful. While he doesn't fancy himself an archetypal shark with a profit-over-the-people mentality that his character conveys, he said he does enjoy how Alan tackles social engagement.

“I do find the way he slices through social niceties and chops away at the calculated nonsense of contemporary hypocrisy to be extremely relatable,” Lingenfelter said.

In the role of Veronica Novak is Renee DiAlesandro of New Castle.

“Veronica is a detail-driven, strong woman who likes to remain in charge of everything. She gets shaken or flustered easily, though, I think which causes a lot of internal battle,” DiAlesandro said.

She said she feels a touch of a connection with her character's tendency to over analyze details.

One of her favorite things about the process is the giggling during rehearsals. “Understand we are all working extremely hard, but this has been a lot of fun to rehearse,” she said.

She believes that while the show may take people out of their comfort zone it will definitely be for the greater good.

Also starring is Donald Shearer in the role of Veronica's husband, Michael.

The show has some adult themes and language.

WHO: Butler Little TheatreWHAT: “God of Carnage” by Yasmina RezaWHEN: Jan. 20 to 28, at 8 p.m. Fridays and Saturdays, 2:30 p.m. Sunday and 7:30 p.m. Tuesday to ThursdayWHERE: One Howard St.TICKETS: $12, call 724-287-6781 or reserve online (for additional $2 charge) at www.bltgroup.orgINFO: www.bltgroup.org