The Artificial Jungle by Charles Ludlam opens September 5 at The Little Theatre, home for Town Players of Newtown, 18 Orchard Hill Road.

A comedic spoof of film noir classics such as The Postman Always Rings Twice and Double Indemnity, The Artificial Jungle focuses on bored, beautiful housewife Roxanne Nurdiger (being played by Olivia Carr), who is tired of tending to nontalking parrots and piranhas in the pet shop she runs with her greedy husband Chester (Timothy Huebenthal). Enter the dubious Zachary Slade (Brian DeToma), who upon responding to the Help Wanted sign in the window, manages to insinuate himself into the family and into Roxanne’s heart.

The two of them decide to bump off Chester and cash in on the insurance. Unfortunately for them, Chester proves difficult to dispose of and with his cop pal Frankie Spinelli (Ron Malyszka) constantly nosing around and Mother Nurdiger’s (Laurel Lettieri) antics, things do not go quite the way they planned.

According to The New York Times, “The more [Chester] battles piranhas and human villains to survive, the more the audience is likely to die laughing.”

Directed by Gene Golaszewski of Brookfield, The Artificial Jungle also features the talents of Rosemary Howard of Millvale. The production crew includes producers Lynn Alexander of Southbury and Tracy Nashel of Newtown, stage manager Georgie Kobylanski of Bethel, set builder Timothy Huebenthal, and light and sound designer Nick Kaye of Bethel.

The Artificial Jungle runs September 5 to 27. Curtain times are 8 pm, Fridays and Saturdays, with 2 pm matinees on Sunday, September 14 and 21. There will be a champagne reception after the show on opening night as Town Players helps to kick off the 2014 Newtown Arts Festival.

Tickets are $20; $15 for matinee performances. Reservations may be made by calling the box office at 203-270-9144 or by sending an e-mail to reservations@newtownplayers.org. For further information, visit NewtownPlayers.org or e-mail info@newtownplayers.org.

Town Players’ Little Theatre is a community theater, currently in its 79th season, located on 18 Orchard Hill Road.