Butler Little Theatre will offer up laughs with its final show of the season. "Rumors" by Neil Simon will open Friday at the theater at One Howard Street.

America's premier comic playwright aims to delight audiences with this funny offering. Simon crafts the tale of four couples gathered at the townhouse of a deputy New York City mayor and his wife to celebrate their tenth wedding anniversary. The host has issues, the guests arrive and the fun begins.

Maureen Mossman of Butler is directing this production, her first time doing so at BLT.

"I was in this show 16 years ago," Mossman said. "It was my first show at the BLT. We had just moved here six months before, so when the show came up again I thought it would be interesting to do it from the other side as I already knew it was a great show."

The last run of the production sold out nearly every night.

Mossman said she is learning as she goes and enjoying the process. "My biggest challenge has been to wait and watch and see what someone does with their character before I step in. I have to time it right. I don't want to squish creativity, but I don't want them to take it too far," she explained.

She has discovered new traits in herself during this experience. "I have more patience with everyone than I thought I would. I haven't directed in a while, but I still can get people to do what they need to do."

Her technique has also surprised one of the cast members. Samantha Drohan of Butler plays the role of Claire Ganz, a well-to-do gal who lives the country club life.

"When I first starting reading the part of Claire, I interpreted her as being very sophisticated," Drohan said.

"Finally, after the first two or three rehearsals, our director took me aside and told me that I was playing Claire 'too sophisticated' and to 'read the part like Samantha.' I have NEVER been told to act like myself for a play!

"Actually, 'acting' like yourself is a little tougher to do than you think. It challenges you as to what your perception of yourself is versus what others see and experience. The two can be completely different."

Newcomers to the BLT stage for this show are Renee Cuerden of Seven Fields and Maria Leezer of Butler Township. The BLT novices have found the experience to be a positive one.

"Getting a role and meeting everyone has been more fun than I could have imagined," said Cuerden, who returns to the stage after a 20 year hiatus.

"I auditioned for the play because I was a theater major at SRU and missed performing. I was hoping for any role and with my work schedule, the smaller part worked out well for my first role at the BLT," said Leezer. "Any theater is always full of unexpected fun and new and different people. I enjoyed meeting new people and getting my feet wet performing again."

Gary Collar returns to "Rumors" in same role he has played before. "I had done the role when we did the show previously, but it was long enough ago that it is like a new experience," Collar said of his psychoanalyst role.

"He is intelligent, but not very socially adept," Collar added.

Husband and wife Jeff and Alison Carey play a married couple in the play. They portray Glenn and Cassie Cooper. The duo doesn't take the stage until midway through the show, which can have its disadvantages. "My wife Alison and I don't enter the play until the end of the first act. One of my lines alludes to the fact that we are 45 minutes late to the party and that is quite literally true," Carey said.

"Waiting for such a long time to come on stage and keep up a high energy level is very difficult," he added.

Also appearing in the show are Sue Switzer, Dean Weiland, Stefan Lingenfelter and Michael Timcheck.

As a fundraiser, a silent auction of themed baskets will be held during the show. Baskets will be on display before the show and during intermission.

Each basket of goods is worth about $200. Some feature items include two Steelers tickets to the Super Bowl rematch exhibition game against Arizona in August, a chain saw, various gift certificates to such restaurants as Clifford's, the Kaufman House, and the Springfield Grille; a pampered woman's basket that includes a massage, pedicure, hair cut, hair products; a gift certificate from Moses Jewelers, and Swarovski earrings from Mathew's Jewelers.

The winners will be selected at the last show of "Rumors" on May 23. Raffle tickets cost $1, and the proceeds will go toward a capital expenditures fund. One item the BLT wishes to purchase is a new act curtain, costing about $2,000.

Additionally, the summer youth production at the Butler Little Theatre has been announced as a Sherlock Holmes adventure directed by Sarah Huth and Brock Switzer.

Students age 12 to 24 are eligible to audition. There are roles for 16 males and 16 females. Audition dates are 6:30 p.m. Sunday and Monday. The show will go on at 7:30 p.m. July 23, 24 and 25 and at 2:30 p.m. July 26. Tickets will cost $10 and be available at May's Music Shop, 247 E. Jefferson St.

<B>WHO:</B> Butler Little Theatre<B>WHAT:</B> "Rumors" by Neil Simon<B>WHEN: </B>Opens Friday and continues through May 23. Curtain is at 8:15 p.m. Friday and Saturday, 2:30 p.m. Sundays and 7:30 p.m. Tuesdays through Thursdays.<B>WHERE: </B>Butler Little Theatre, One Howard Street<B>TICKETS: </B>$10; Call 724-287-6781 between 7 and 9 p.m.<B>INFORMATION: </B>www.bltgroup.org